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"And he would be in rapture if Beethoven were played. A friend who is a violinist would come and play at his bedside and we would never see him happier. He preferred live music and singing to even the best CD system and loved the singing in church, even trying in those occasions to vocalize, himself. Obviously he could tell the differences and had specific tastes in which classics he preferred. ..."

About music therapy, from personal experience. In 1970 I was in a rock-'n-roll band in Virginia. Every other month we played a free gig at a home for retarded and severely disabled teenagers - some were only a year younger than us. No other band would touch this - they were scared of the kids. But we took the job. It was amazing. The kids came alive, would sing along and sometimes dance if they were able. Even kids who usually just sat there all day would brighten up, some would try singing along if they knew the words from the radio. There was a lot of talk back then about the magical or spiritual power of music, and this was proof for us. This is Thanksgiving, and I'm thinking about the miracles I've seen in my life. That was one of them.

This ping is to the Thanksgiving Day posts starting with #499 by Wampus SC with pithy statements from South Carolina and important guidance on what we may do.

8mm

(this includes Ohioan from Florida's ping list, update to 11/14.)

"About music therapy, from personal experience. In 1970 I was in a rock-'n-roll band in Virginia. Every other month we played a free gig at a home for retarded and severely disabled teenagers - some were only a year younger than us. No other band would touch this - they were scared of the kids. But we took the job. It was amazing. The kids came alive, would sing along and sometimes dance if they were able. Even kids who usually just sat there all day would brighten up, some would try singing along if they knew the words from the radio. There was a lot of talk back then about the magical or spiritual power of music, and this was proof for us. This is Thanksgiving, and I'm thinking about the miracles I've seen in my life. That was one of them."

That is so heart warming. You and the rest of the band did a wonderful thing, and God will bless you.

It reminds me of a little girl with Down's Syndrome that I saw, dance a ballet number flawlessly to instrumental music.