A knock on a hospital room door in Nashville usually means a nurse or a meal tray. Lately it can also mean a song. Musicians on Call sends volunteer artists room to room at TriStar Centennial, where performers like Alex King and Allie Lamb play live for patients, families, and staff. No stage, no setlist, just music chosen for the person in the bed.
Five years ago, King sang a duet with leukemia patient Penn Pennington, and the moment went viral. Dr. Rhea Rogers says there’s more than sentiment behind it. Music creates calm in the body and affects feel-good hormones like dopamine. Cancer patient Mayra Martinez says the visits boost her spirits and help her stay positive, and that hope matters when treatment gets long.
If this sounds like something the Suncoast should have more of, you’re not alone. Plenty of local musicians already play farmers markets and church halls. Playing hospital hallways is the same skill pointed somewhere that needs it more. So who’s the most generous musician you know? Tell us in the comments.
