Justyn Keeble

Location: Suffolk, UK

Challenge: Charcot Marie Tooth

Website: justynkeeble.wixsite.com

Justyn comes from a family of musicians, so having started to play piano at three years old it was always likely he'd end up playing on a stage eventually.

At 23 years old, and having just been made redundant from his job, he moved into the music profession full time. Between 1993 and 2011 he played keyboards at gigs ranging from small bars to theatre stages both solo and with bands and undertook session work. As well as keyboards he provided vocals and occasionally played guitar too.

In 1997 Justyn was diagnosed with Charcot Marie Tooth, a condition that effects around 25,000 people in the UK. CMT is a hereditary neurological condition that effects motor skills and subsequently leads to muscle wastage in the lower legs and hands. Justyn says "This has affected my mobility and my hands, and while quitting full time music in 2011 was heart breaking, it was pointed out that it need not be the end. The muscle wastage and reduced motor function means that I cannot expect to play as I once did, however I am finding ways to adapt my playing style to continue playing keyboards, and I'm now also playing percussion to help secure my musical future".

Justyn is involved in playing live music, recording projects, and composing. "As well as my own musical projects, I'm active in advocating for disabled musicians; after all it's something that can happen to anyone. From January 2026 I sit on the East/South East Regional Committee of the Musician's Union in the UK to assist disabled musicians with various issues such as accessibility and discrimination, and work to increase the positive profile of disabled musicians".