Play me a song
Volunteer musicians bring joy to Baxter Health patients, families
The mountains of Baxter County are famous for many things, not least of which is a rich musical heritage. From the folk and bluegrass originating in the hills and hollows to professional touring musicians performing at the local college’s concert hall, music is as much a part of the community as sparkling lakes and stunning sunsets.
Of all the music that fills this region, one performance resonates deeply with its listeners. At regular intervals throughout the week, melodies drift through Baxter Health thanks to a dedicated group of volunteer musicians who play for the benefit of healers and those healing.
“I can’t tell you how many times people have come up to me and shared a story about what I was playing and what it meant to them,” said Jeannie Alley, who started the volunteer program. “They’re so grateful for this ministry.”
A native of the area, Alley left the state for five decades before returning in 2017. During her years away, she taught music in Dallas, where she witnessed firsthand how music could work its magic on young people. Upon returning, she was inspired to bring that same uplifting power to Baxter Health’s staff, patients and visitors.
“When I moved back, I met with the hospital folks and said, ‘We have a wonderful hospital, especially for a town this size—it’s really something,’” she said. “But I also said, ‘There’s one thing we don’t have, and that’s music, and music is healing.’ Thankfully, they agreed, and we got started.”
This wasn’t just an idea—Alley was so convinced of the community’s need for live music that she made a personal investment to help launch the program.
“I bought a piano in Springfield—a Baldwin grand, six feet three inches—and donated it to the hospital,” she said, a note of pride in her voice. “A lot of people call it a baby grand, but it’s not. It’s a real grand.”
As she predicted, word spread quickly. When she started recruiting musicians, she found no shortage of willing participants. People eagerly signed up for weekly time slots.
“I started out just wanting to stay involved in music a little bit. I wasn’t playing at church at the time, and I wasn’t doing much of anything,” said Betsy Johnson, a former music teacher. “When Jeannie asked me about coming to play and volunteering, I thought, ‘Sure, I need something else to do.’ But my goodness, it has evolved into so much more than that.
“One of the things I appreciate so much about our hospital is that nobody tells us what type of music to play. We don’t have any restrictions, so I can play the music that means the most to me, which is hymns and worship music. When I sit at a piano or a keyboard and start playing, I forget where I am. I’m just lost in what I’m doing.”
Kate Rubadue, a retired software engineer and Arkansas transplant, is another regular performer. A native Californian, she came to Mountain Home with a long history of volunteering in nursing homes and other care facilities, often incorporating music. She recently published a book about her experiences titled Blessed Moments as a Volunteer in Music Ministry.
“It’s just so rewarding,” she said. “Music touches everybody—it’s a universal language. I’ve played in Alzheimer’s units where residents are slumped in their wheelchairs, their heads hanging low. The staff wheels them up to the piano, and when I start playing, they lift their heads, and their eyes open wide.
“Just to see how it touches people’s souls—to see how they react—it purges their feelings. A hospital can be a very sad place. I’ve had people, even staff, come up to me and say, ‘I was really sad, and this music lifted me up. Thank you so much for playing.’ It just makes people happy.”
The music ministry has also taken some unexpected turns. Debbie Fink, another volunteer musician, jumped at the chance to participate but wanted to contribute in her own way—by playing the harp instead of the piano.
“I felt like a harp is a good way to help people through difficult times, to touch them,” she said. “I’ve seen it so often. People will walk by while I’m playing and smile, or they’ll stop and talk, or they’ll ask questions about the harp.”
Fink doesn’t just play at the hospital—she also performs at the local hospice and even has gigs at a nearby restaurant. No matter the setting, she said, harp music weaves a certain spell over people. But the hospital, she added, is a unique place for music.
“There was one lady from Arizona,” Fink recalled. “She sat and listened for a while, then left, and then she came back and sat down again. Before I finished, she was in tears. She came over to me and said, ‘That is my favorite song. You touched my heart.’ That kind of thing happens a lot.”
As for the program’s founder, Alley has had to cut back on her playing due to health issues. Still, she said she will continue to play as often as possible, knowing how much it means to those who hear it.
“There are so many stories,” she said. “I was playing ‘Tomorrow’ from Annie, and this woman came up to me and said it was her daughter’s favorite song. She had died a year ago. The woman said, ‘I’m here today because my husband is having a heart procedure. I was sitting here drinking my coffee, talking to her, saying, “I can’t believe you’re not here with me today while your dad is having this procedure.” And just then, you started playing Tomorrow.’
“When I say this is a ministry, that’s exactly what it is.”
