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It was a week of quiet audiences for me this particular week in June.
The weather was hot outside but it seemed that the majority of my
audiences had grown cold. You see I'm blessed to have a steady roster of
gigs, but gigs that the majority of local performers would not get
involved in: gigs at retirement communities and nursing Homes.
I have been a performer all of my life practically. I'm 46 now. My mom
says that the first time that I sang publicly was at Hopps Memorial
Baptist Church in Syracuse, NY my hometown. I was only 3 years old at
the time, and I sang a pre-school rendition of 'Yes Jesus Loves Me'
before the whole church as my mother held me up to be seen. Was I
nervous mom? I asked her a few years ago. She said not at all son. I
told her, well you should have known that I would have some musical
aspirations. She said that was true she should have known.
I've been a musician since 1964 when I started playing guitar at age ten
in Syracuse. I was in a band playing guitar and singing by age eleven,
playing with older high school boys. I remember sometimes we'd play at
places and they'd ask us if we wanted a beer. I was so young that all I
wanted was an "orange soda" as I was frightened of liquor at the time.
The first paying job that I remember playing was at the Jewish Community
Center of Syracuse. I was paid nine dollars for the night. I was around
eleven or twelve. When my Pops heard about it he said you don't need no
more allowance boy, you makin your own money now!
Well ever since then I've been making money professionally sometimes part
time sometimes full time. I've owned my own entertainment business full
time for 3 years now. Well, now back to the present. I was doing a show
at a nursing home in Wynnewood PA and did my usual repetoire. What was
outstanding at this particular show was the response to me at the end of
the program by an elderly black gentleman that couldn't talk.
He took my hand and squeezed it, nodded his head up and down to show me
his approval of my Temptations, Sam Cooke and Drifters songs among others
that he enjoyed during the performance. He made a whispering sound
through his throat, of course I couldn't understand him audibly...but I
heard him if you know what I mean!
Many of these nursing home residents are in such bad shape that all they
can do is move a hand or a foot or they form the words of songs they know
with their mouths. You learn how to spot response over time at these
particular type of homes. Of course the younger staff at these places
groove along most of the time. Sometimes they don't. Like I said this
was a particularly quiet week.
No, many local artists don't deal with nursing homes but sometimes after
a performance, people show their appreciation, sometimes without words,
without the influence of any substance, only pure love of music.
Yes this gentleman couldn't talk but I heard him. I heard his heart
speaking to me.
I wheeled out my equipment with a smile and thought to myself: not a bad
way to make a living.
I'd love to hear from y'all.
Jon Turk
Owner Jon Turk Music/Turk Productions
Web: jonturk.iuma.com
New Site under construction: www.mp3.com/jonturkoldies
August 2000
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