By ANN PIERCEALL

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

HANNIBAL, Mo. -- Sarah Michelle Getto admits she gets lost in her music.

She's been blind since birth, but the 24-year-old musician hasn't let that slow her down. Mostly self-taught, Getto has been playing piano since age 3 and violin since age 10. She's been singing since she could form the words.

"It's just my whole life," she said. "I really think music, it's a way for me to be creative, and I just use music as a way to inspire others. I feel like God gave me the talent."

Getto will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Cave Hollow Centre at the Mark Twain Cave complex in Hannibal. There is no cost to attend the performances, although donations will be accepted and Getto's CDs available for purchase.

Getto grew up in Norman, Okla., where she earned straight A's in school. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in music education from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in 2007.

An award-winning vocalist and songwriter, Getto has performed with country music legends the Oak Ridge Boys. Her show features original music as well as covers of various country and pop musicians, including Patsy Cline, Reba McIntire and Alison Krauss. This year she is scheduled to perform in about 26 states.

Getto decided to include Hannibal in her 2008 touring schedule after visiting the town last spring. She said she wants to tour and perform for the next year or so before settling into a career, possibly as an elementary music teacher or music therapist.

She said she enjoys being on the road and visiting different places. But her biggest enjoyment is centered around the people she meets.

"I just like the opportunity to go around and perform for people and inspiring people," she said. "I feel my performing shows people that just because I'm blind doesn't mean I can't do anything. That's just always my goal ... to lift people up and inspire them."

Her father, Mike, said the U.S. military has asked her to start performing for troops injured in Iraq and Afghanistan, many of whom are returning home blind. He said the hope is that Getto can encourage the soldiers that they can still contribute.

"She's so inspiring," he said. "Sarah, in a lot of ways, is more compassionate than a lot of people I meet. Sarah treats everybody the same because everybody is the same to Sarah."

-- apierceall@whig.com/(573) 221-5879