After he crushed “Life’s Railway to Heaven” one Sunday at his hometown’s Methodist church, word spread quickly about the pint-sized guitar strummer and…
After he crushed “Life’s Railway to Heaven” one Sunday at his hometown’s Methodist church, word spread quickly about the pint-sized guitar strummer and singer.
Brad Paisley became the most popular 8-year-old in Glen Dale, West Virginia, population 1,420.
Over the next few years, invitations for him to perform poured in from what felt like the whole town — the Elks lodge, community groups, the nursing home, political operatives and the respite wing of Reynolds Memorial Hospital.
The boy’s grandfather gave him his first guitar when Paisley was 8. Before long, he was opening for country stars like Charlie Daniels, Roy Clark and Ricky Skaggs at the nearby Wheeling Jamboree.
The little guy loved them all, especially the paid gigs — “In 1985, it’s 100 bucks? For a kid? Think about that!”
But the hospital’s respite wing housed stroke victims, Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, almost always people in their 80s and 90s who often were unable or unwilling to move or talk much.
One woman with short hair and thick round glasses slumped forward in her chair. All she ever said was OK.
How are you today? “OK.” Did you family visit this weekend? “OK.” What’d you have for breakfast this morning? “OK.”
After a staff member told Paisley what the woman’s favorite song was, he leaned over, playing and singing “You Are My Sunshine” to her.
The woman perked up and, as if she just woke up, sang every word softly with him. Paisley’s mother started crying.
The revelation that music can be healing has stayed with Paisley ever since.
“It became completely clear to me in that moment,” he said earlier this month.
