Nov. 4, 1999

Narada - a new age record label - calls him a brilliant pianist, says his compositions are inspired. Author Richard Paul Evans chose him to create music for "The Christmas Box" and his newest book, "The Looking Glass."

Salt Laker Paul Cardall says it's a dream come true-- both his life and his music. News Specialist Carole Mikita has the story.

At age 26, Paul Cardall is considered one of the rising stars of acoustic music. Just this year, he signed a multi-album deal with Narada, an affiliate label of Virgin Records.

He didn't discover his talent until his late teens, but he did try piano lessons when he was 8.

Paul Cardall, composer & recording artist: "I HATED TO PRACTICE AND I WAS FRUSTRATING MY TEACHER BECAUSE I'D SHOW UP UNPREPARED. AND AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS, MY TEACHER ASKED MY MOM IF I WOULD QUIT, I WAS WASTING HER TIME. SHE SAID I HAD NO TALENT."

Ten years later Paul discovered he could play by ear. Shortly after the sudden death of a close friend, he sat at the family piano and composed a song. That's when it began to flow from him... although he still cannot read one note of music.

Cardall: "I JUST KNOW THE WHITE KEYS AND THE BLACK KEYS, AND I JUST PLAY WHAT I FEEL. AND, SO SHEET MUSIC AND READING MUSIC IS A FOREIGN COUNTRY."

But it is not just Paul's talent that is so remarkable, it's his life. He was born with a congenital heart defect so severe, he was not expected to live. And again at age 13, he nearly died. Paul Cardall has survived on half a heart, a pacemaker and he says, his and his parents' faith. The music, he says is only partly his.

Cardall: "I THINK THERE'S SOME DIVINE INTERVENTION IN SOME OF IT. I FEEL SOMETIMES LIKE THESE SONGS ARE NOT MINE, I'M JUST TRANSFORMING THEM."

He calls his compositions the music of his heart. That heart, his doctor tells him, is now deteriorating, and he will need a transplant in a few years.

Cardall: "IT'S LIKE THAT LIFE OF A MUSICIAN, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TOMORROW. YOU MIGHT HAVE A HIT, YOU MIGHT HAVE A SINKER. AND THAT'S HOW I LIVE LIFE."