‘Wonders for the soul’

Music program enriches lives at Health & Rehab

Herb Phillips, left, and Buddy Ramsey perform for residents at Magnolia Health & Rehab. They are members of Monday Night Singers. Phillips said he has been with the band for about five years. Ramsey said he has been playing with the group about four years and has played music all his life. ‘It gets in your blood after 68 years.’ He said he plays lead guitar, banjo and electric bass. ‘They enjoy it,’ he said of the residents. The music ‘takes them back to when they were younger.’
Herb Phillips, left, and Buddy Ramsey perform for residents at Magnolia Health & Rehab. They are members of Monday Night Singers. Phillips said he has been with the band for about five years. Ramsey said he has been playing with the group about four years and has played music all his life. ‘It gets in your blood after 68 years.’ He said he plays lead guitar, banjo and electric bass. ‘They enjoy it,’ he said of the residents. The music ‘takes them back to when they were younger.’

Since 1992, musicians from the surrounding communities have come together at Magnolia Health and Rehab to witness and bring joy through music to the residents of the home.

The program meets every Monday at 6 p.m. at the facility on Dudney Road. It lasts about a hour and a half and features many local artists.

“In the early 1990s, the director of our group was Dr. Bean,” Venita Stewart, the current director of Monday Night Singers, said.

“I have videos showing 1992, 1993 and 1994, as the years that Dr. Bean was there. At that time we were on Lelia Street. Following him, Pauline Click became our director and then in early 2000, I became the director.”

“We have a band consisting of eight to 10 people and I am very proud of them,” Stewart said.

“They are very good. A lot of people go and pay money to see lesser talent. They play guitar, violins, mandolin, piano and drums.”

“We don’t get paid. The reward that we get is to see what it does for the residents,” Stewart said.

“Our greatest reward is when we see the smiles and the acceptance of the residents.”

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Audience members applaud as the Monday Night Singers perform last night at Magnolia Health & Rehab.

“We have people that drive from El Dorado, Stamps, Stephens and many other places. People just really put forth and effort and you can tell that it’s something worth while,” Stewart said.

“A lot of times our congregation varies from 80 to 90 people in that one room.”

“We really enjoy it and everybody looks forward to Monday night,” Stewart said.

“Jeff Harrington became administrator of the nursing home in 2006. We will always be thankful to Jeff because he has been an administrator that has made us feel so welcome and needed,” Stewart said.

“Without the cooperation of the administration that we have it wouldn’t be the same. He is so lenient with us and shows us that we’re needed and that always helps.”

“I loved Gospel music all my life. Next to preaching I just think it’s one of the instruments that God uses to touch the hearts of people. We can see first hand that Gospel music does wonders for the soul of those that are handicapped and shut-ins,” Stewart said.

“That has been a part of my life since I was a teenager and all of my married life. I’m 97 years old now and I’ve been a part of it my whole life. Gospel music brings the word of God out. Where other music is good music, but then if you couple that with God’s word and the message comes through, that’s what blesses people’s soul and that’s what we do it for.”

“I just think that we really need to keep God’s word out there and one way is music,” Stewart said.

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