Brad Paisley said a special duet he performed as a young boy sparked his commitment to help others.
The country star, who received his first guitar at the age of 8, was a popular entertainer while growing up in Glen Dale, West Virginia (population 1,420) – including at the respite wing of Reynolds Memorial Hospital.
Paisley recently told Tennessean about an elderly woman there who only ever said “OK.” When he was told that her favourite song was “You Are My Sunshine,” he played it just for her and she perked up and softly sang along.
“It became completely clear to me in that moment,” Paisley recalled. “Music became something that felt like it had the power to heal people. It had the power to brighten someone’s day.
“That was the moment that made me realize what I do can be very good for people if I use it the right way. Music is the closest thing we have to real magic.”