Music is Like Medicine to The Soul
- Ethel Summers Newby
- Aug 21, 2023
- 2 min read
A local vocalist takes time to lift the hearts of the senior community. E. Lorraine Newby has traveled the wold performing for the military USO Show. Her talents has taken her to Germany, Spain, Italy, Berlin, Instanbul and Turkey performing six days a week for the United States Air Force and the Army. Her gift has touched many across the world. She believes that music is a universal language that touches the hearts and minds of people of creed and nations.
In her travels, while in Italy with her bands she recalls of a close encounter with death. As she and the band travel up a thirty thousand feet mountain at night, in a military jeep. Their destination was at a remoter radio site. The six pack jeep back end wheels skidded off the road and hung over depth of thirty thousand feet. Newby said, she prayed and immediately jump out of the jeep and walked the remaiing mile to the destination. It was not a large crowd as the day before of twenty thousand but a group of eight. The soldiers there were committed to protecting our air space of any danger, while Americans slept peacefully. Newby said, it was well worth it, just to see the joy and appreciation the soldiers had toward the group. Being in a remote area prevented them seeing outsiders for years. They were so happy to have entertainment.
Newby was invited to perform at Ochard Assisted Living in Lincoln NE. She contacted her piano player and they put a repertoire of songs together for the residents. The day of the event was exciting and the performance was great, the residents were enthalled and sat through the 1.5 hour show. Many of the residents showed up in wheelchairs, walking canes, oxygen tanks and hearaing aids, to experience moments of memory lane. They sung along, tapped theirs toes, clapped their hands and even request particular songs. Some stood and placed their hand over their hearts durng the National Anthem. Newby said, she is only doing what the creative universe has called her to do, and that is too create Magic.
Comments