NEW YORK, Oct. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Twenty-five years ago, the vision for Musicians On Call (MOC), a nonprofit that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients, families and caregivers in healthcare environments, originated in hospital hallways in New York City. On Wednesday, October 16th, MOC recognized its beginnings and national impact during the Anthems of Healing 25th Anniversary Celebration. The event honored Barbara Carr, Dave Marsh, Sasha Carr and Amos Lee, and featured crowd-pleasing performances by BAILEN, Mutlu, and Musicians On Call Volunteer Musician Alexis Babini with Katie Emerson. Apple Music Country’s Ty Bentli emceed the night’s program.

Barbara Carr, Dave Marsh and Sasha Carr received the Leadership in Music Golden Ukulele for their 25 years of support of MOC’s mission, helping the organization get off the ground and grow year after year through the Kristen Ann Carr Fund. Barbara spoke on behalf of the family about the special moments they have experienced with the healing power of music and how much it means to have Musicians On Call carry on the legacy of their daughter Kristen, the inspiration for the organization. The Kristen Ann Carr Fund and Musicians On Call are embarking on a new $500,000 partnership to further advance MOC’s programs. With this partnership, Musicians On Call will establish the Kristen Ann Carr Bedside Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC, and create the annual Kristen Ann Carr Virtual Program.

Amos Lee’s passion for healing others with music is evident in the time he has spent performing for patients, families and caregivers for more than 10 years. As the Music Heals Golden Ukulele honoree, Lee spoke of how deeply his life and his music have been impacted by his experiences with Musicians On Call. He closed out the night with a soulful performance of his popular songs like “Sweet Pea” and a duet with longtime friend and fellow singer/songwriter Mutlu.

“Coming back to New York City was the perfect way to culminate Musicians On Call’s 25th anniversary celebrations. Our organization simply wouldn’t be here without the inspiration and decades of support from Barbara Carr, Dave Marsh and Sasha. And Amos Lee has been one of our most passionate and vocal advocates for over 10 years, so honoring all of their contributions made the night even more special,” said Musicians On Call President & CEO Pete Griffin. “All year we’ve looked back on the healing anthems that have brought joy in hospitals, and we are grateful to the hundreds of supporters who joined us in NYC to honor our champions and celebrate the undeniable impact of live music in a healthcare setting.”

Also honored during the event were longtime Musicians On Call volunteers Sue Berkowitz and David Falcone, who received the Vivek J. Tiwary Volunteer Guide and Michael Solomon Volunteer Musician awards, respectively. These awards are presented to exemplary volunteers who are committed to delivering the healing power of music in their communities. Both volunteers visit hospitals in Philadelphia as part of WXPN Musicians On Call. Berkowitz has been a Volunteer Guide since 2007 and she has visited almost 6,000 people at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania as well as virtually. Falcone began volunteering as a Volunteer Musician in 2004 and has performed for nearly 9,000 people at all nine of MOC’s partner hospitals in Philadelphia and virtually nationwide.

An especially memorable moment of the night came when the crowd met Raynie Clark and her mom Diana, who appeared on stage with hit songwriter Sam Hollander to share the story behind their healing anthem “Hope Lights the Way.” Clark and Emmy Cole, National Youth Ambassadors for Hyundai Hope On Wheels, collaborated with Hollander and pop star Jax to create the song during a MOC Songwriting program. On stage, they spoke about how much the experience meant to them and how they hoped it would give hope to more kids battling childhood cancer.

Anthems of Healing Host Committee members included The Carr-Marsh Family, Sara Crown Star, Mitch Glazier, Stephen Mack, Lee Perlman, Tom Poleman, Alissa Pollack, Karen Rosenberg, Steve Savoca, Michael Solomon, Vivek J. Tiwary and Scott Welch. In addition to their generous contributions, this special event was made possible by Platinum Sponsors Amazon Music and Hyundai Hope On Wheels, Bar Sponsor Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and Musicians On Call’s dedicated partners including 10x Management, Apple Music, BMI, FemHealth Ventures, iHeartRadio, The Kristen Ann Carr Fund, Loeb & Loeb, MSK Kids Memorial Sloan Kettering, Phil Sarna, Recording Industry Association of America, Songfluencer, Southwest Airlines, Spotify, Tiwary Entertainment Group, Wasserman Foundation and WXPN. A $25,000 match of all donations from the night was made thanks to the generosity of The Kristen Ann Carr Fund.

For more information on Musicians On Call visit www.musiciansoncall.org.

About Musicians On Call (MOC)
As the nation’s leading provider of live music in hospitals, Musicians On Call (MOC) celebrates 25 years of delivering the healing power of music to patients, families and caregivers in healthcare environments. More than one million people across all 50 states have experienced the joys of live music in the hospital setting through MOC’s bedside, virtual and streaming programs. MOC Volunteers perform live for children and adults facing any health challenge, including Veterans recovering in VA facilities, family members supporting loved ones in need and healthcare workers caring for patients. With innovations like its online program platform, the organization continues its work towards revolutionizing access to music in healthcare. MOC’s network includes Volunteer Guides, Volunteer Musicians and renowned artist supporters including Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Barry Manilow, Kelly Clarkson, Darius Rucker, Katy Perry, Jason Derulo, Ed Sheeran, Olivia Rodrigo, Reba McEntire, Camila Cabello, Nick Jonas, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Pharrell, Kelsea Ballerini, The War And Treaty, Amos Lee, Luis Fonsi, Peter Frampton, Luke Bryan, Charles Esten and many more. For more information on how Musicians On Call delivers the healing power of music, visit www.musiciansoncall.org.

Musicians On Call Media Contact:
Melinda LaFollette
Senior Communications Manager, Musicians On Call
615.314.4378 | melinda@musiciansoncall.org

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