Accordionist Cory Pesaturo Squeezes Out Success

A 24-year-old Rhode Island native has won the the 2011 Primus Ikaalinen International Accordion Championships in Finland. Cory Pesaturo is no stranger to international competition, he also was the victor at the 2009 World Digital Accordion championships in New Zealand.

Despite his acclaim abroad, here in the United States, Cory has struggled for recognition: he was laughed off the T.V. show "America's Got Talent" by panelist David Hasselhoff .

But he's also had success, Cory Pesaturo has released two CDs and performed at the White House. Cory hopes that his repertoire of not only traditional polkas but also jazz, rap, and pop tunes will bring new audiences to the accordion.

This interview originally aired on 1/11/10