Paul Pena and Kongar-ol Ondar
born January 26, 1950 in Hyannis, Massachusetts
oldest child of Jack and Virginia Pena
all four grandparents came from the Cape Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa
born with congenital glaucoma
graduated Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown, 1967
attended Clark University
wife Babe died of kidney failure 1991
taught himself the vocal techniques known as 'Khoomei, Sygyt, and Kargyraa'
met Kongar-ol Ondar 1993
Kongar-ol Ondar invited Paul to sing at the second international Khoomei Symposium and contest, held in Tuva's capital city, Kyzyl, 1995
took first place in the Kargyraa division of the contest and became known as 'Earthquake' for his amazingly deep voice, and also won the 'audience favorite' award
Paul and Kongar-ol Ondar have also recorded a compact disc called Genghis Blues, which combines American blues singing, Cape Verdian 'morna,' and Tuvan Khoomei
film Genghis Blues 1999
named 'San Francisco's Tuvan Blues Ambassador' and July 11, 1999 was declared 'Paul Pena Day' by the mayor