‘I wanted todo something useful and the response has been just over whelming’
Musician David Kelly (50), originally from Coleraine and living in Portstewart, has been entertaining residents of three residential care homes a week with his Johnny Cash tribute act, singing outside when the weather is good. He is married to Michelle (52) and has three sons, Jordan (24), Daniel (22) and Michael (19). He says:
I’ve always loved music and I recently had the opportunity to go full-time as a musician. I would travel about the UK and Ireland and sometimes go on to the streets and do a bit of busking — you get to meet people and sing whatever you want.
I had developed a Johnny Cash concert, telling his story and using his songs, doing it in an inspirational way to bring hope. His story ran from rags to riches, going through torture but ending up free — he went through drugs and illness but ended up strong.
I’ve performed at some care homes before and when I travel with my tour, I always seem to end up in a care home somewhere. It’s good craic because you meet some really interesting characters and they lap up the live music. Even people with dementia or Alzheimer’s can join in the singing along with you and end up singing all the words of a hymn or a wartime song.
I’m not great at sitting at home and I wanted to find a way I could go out and do something useful and help, while staying within the guidelines.
I heard how badly care homes were struggling and I came up with an idea of doing care home concerts. There’s no risk — I have battery powered equipment and I set up in the car park and sing some songs.
In some care homes, the residents were only permitted to open the window and listen through the windows, but it’s good to see all the heads bobbing about.
In others, residents were allowed
to bring out their wheelchairs and sit in a semi-circle, socially distanced and enjoying the sunshine. Some even got up and did a wee boogie or a waltz.
They were clapping, tapping their toes, singing along and calling out requests. There were no stage dives or anything like that, but everybody seemed to enjoy it.
So far I’ve done five or six concerts and there are a few more in the pipeline — it’s all good.
They are so isolated. I was at one care home the other day and a staff member said these people haven’t been outside for 41 days. In some cases, everybody is quarantined in their rooms.
There was one lady who had to go outside for dental treatment and she had to stay in her room for a week as a precaution. There was a lovely moment when I was able to go to her window and serenade her though the window — she had a lovely big smile on her face.
The response has been just overwhelming and I’d love to inspire other people to do it.”