Country music star Jason Blaine treated residents of the Pontiac Hospital’s long-term care unit and their families to a surprise concert on Tuesday afternoon.
The performance was organized with the help of Centre d’hébergement et de soins de longue durée (CHSLD) activity co-ordinator Lisa Coles. She explained she had received a special request for a live music performance from two of the long-term care residents.
A few months ago Coles asked the residents of the unit to provide a bucket list of things they would like to do. That’s when she found out about their wishes.
One of the residents had requested for a live music performance of any kind, while the other resident, Sharon Smith, hoped for a performance from a country artist.
“When we told [Sharon], she cried,” Coles said. “This is [the residents’] home and we want it to be a fun atmosphere.”
On Tuesday afternoon, around 75 people, including family members of the long-term care residents, sat closely together in the solarium of the unit to enjoy Blaine’s casual performance.
Armed with nothing but his voice and his guitar, Blaine entertained the families with a mix of small talk and country songs, including some of his own tunes like Dancing with my Daughter, as well as well-known classics such as John Denver’s Take Me Home, Country Roads, and Johnny Cash’s Folsom Prison Blues.
Smith’s son, Todd Smith, said he was grateful Coles was able to make the event happen.
“She’s very happy,” Smith said. “She’s going to be played out tonight.”
Coles explained Blaine was supposed to perform earlier in the summer but due to his new album and tour, had to reschedule for August.
Coles said Blaine played for the residents at no cost, and that as a way to say thank you, she organized a 50/50 draw with the proceeds going directly to Blaine.
