RockAbility: A Band for Musicians of All Abilities
RockAbility is super excited to be on the ticket to play Voices for Voices’ “A Brand New Day” event devoted to mental health on Oct. 12, 2022. RockAbility connects musicians with different disabilities to typical musicians who currently gig and record.
The idea for RockAbility came to me when I heard a fantastic singer perform the National Anthem at a Special Olympics softball game. She belted it out with confidence and on pitch. She was so solid a vocalist that I assumed she was in a band. When she told me she hardly sang, my immediate reaction was that her voice was going to waste. This made me wonder how many other musicians were in the DD community who had spent much of their time in high school practicing an instrument or singing, only to graduate and find themselves without bandmates, rehearsals and concerts. It didn’t take me long to identify a drummer, flute player, guitarist, another singer and a few percussionists in a similar situation.
As a mom familiar with the challenges of communicating with people who have autism or Down’s, it was important to me to involve neurotypical musicians who could demonstrate teamwork and good musicianship. So, I contacted the musicians I knew who not only were proficient on their instruments but also had big hearts and a desire to share music with others. Once I had a core of about 12 mentor musicians who agreed to rehearse weekly, I took the idea to the Geauga County Board of Developmental Disabilities in December of 2021, and shared my vision for RockAbility. They agreed to support the idea and even gave us free rehearsal space. Since then, this integrated band has been practicing and performing several times a month.
RockAbility and Mental Health
As a good will ambassador of Mental Health and those who suffer the day to day stigmas, Voices for Voices was honored to host RockAbility at our 2022 event “A Brand New Day”. We hope that in the future this is an inspiring event and opportunity for talented artists to find their platform! Look for openings at our 2023 event for the next big thing. If you or someone you know has been touched by Mental Health or issues with Addiction please contact Voices for Voices and set the stage once more, we can’t wait to hear from you!