I  was meeting my daughter at a convalescent hospital in Santa Cruz, CA.  She was playing her guitar to work off hours for a ticket she'd received [she was playing music on the sidewalk!]. She was playing quiet New Age-type classical music because she thought this would be the best for the residents. (She now performs regularly in convalescent hospitalsunder the name Sentimental Journey, but that's another story.  See Success Stories on our Musicians' Corner page.). They had a piano in the room and she suggested I play a song or two for the folks. The room was very quiet with the residents just passing the time, the way they do all day, every day.  

At that time, I was performing piano bar at the Mission Ranch in Carmel where one of the favorite songs of the older patrons was I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, so I thought I’d try that. The change in the room was dramatic.  It was a party!  People started singing along, tapping their feet, clapping their hands.  One fellow got out of his wheelchair and started to dance with a nurse. (I found out later he hadn’t done that for over two years!) The music’s effect was truly magical. This same scenario has been repeated almost EVERY time I play a show--people sing, tap their feet, and some are inspired to dance.  

I started to volunteer and perform on a weekly basis. Every week I saw the miraculous effects of the music and built some wonderful relationships with the residents. After about six months of performing as a volunteer (it never occurred to me that there was budget for this type of work) I was asked to accompany a singer who was performing at a retirement home. She offered me $50 and, as a working musician never turns down a gig (almost never), I said yes. After the show, she asked me if I'd be interested in playing for her regularly as she gets about five or six of these gigs a month. I said yes and started to explore the possibility of doing shows in convalescent hospitals because it was obvious to me that this is where the music was really needed. I made up a brochure and started calling facilities and booking gigs. As they say, the rest is history.   

Robert