[Dixielandjazz] Hospital gig

[Dave Hanson]

I've been reading about the many nursing home gig's having to do with elderly audiences, but here is one that has to do with the young.

In the late 60's I was working in NYC at Your Fathers Moustache, one of many banjo band parlors of the day. Many of us were salaried musicians, so occasionally we were donated by management to play a charitable gig.

The one I'll never forget was the children's burn ward at Bellevue Hospital. We went there anxious to play for these kids, but when we were escorted to the ward, our hearts went into out throats.  We were faced with about 60 kids some so badly burned, that they didn't look human.....a few kids with arms, legs and faced burned off. Others not so bad, but the welcome they gave us was incredible. Once we started, they were jumping, wiggling, keeping time, and just having the time of their lives. Several of the patients the staff thought were deaf, were responding to the rhythm and soon the ward was full of doctors and nurses checking their almost out of control charges.

They wouldn't let us leave and I suppose we were there probably two hours. We were asked for autographs, we signed bandages and talked to these brave kids.......there was not a dry eye among us.   I'll never forget that day, and I often wonder how many actually survived their horrible burns.

Dave Hanson
Trombone
Atlanta