Senior band plays at retirement homes during the holiday season

A special band in Colorado Springs is going around to retirement homes to spice up the holiday season.
KRDO NewsChannel 13’s Cinthia Maldonado joins us in the studio. Cinthia this isn’t your typical band?

The awesome thing about this band the musicians are all between 80 and 90 years old. The Swinging Deuzers say music is a lot like love you’re never too old for it.

The Swinging Deuzers all come from different walks of life.

“I was in the Navy towards the end of World War II.”

“I was classically trained and I was a church organist for 35 to 40 years.”

“I’ve played really all over the world. I’ve played in Korea. I’ve played in Vietnam.”

“I was a teacher. I taught guitar for many years.”

But for these seniors making music in their golden years, “It keeps you young.”

“Music is a way to experience joy.” And they get that joy by playing at retirement homes.

“[Here] they have a lot of Alzheimer’s and then when you’re playing they’re sitting in their wheel chair and pretty soon a foot starts to move and then a hand starts to move.”

“You’ll see smiles and tears. You touch people its a ministry, its a joy to belong something like this.”

Each band member either sings or has an instrument solo. The Duezers have been swinging it for over a decade and as the years go by, “Your hands don’t work the way they use to and you get achy.”

But the pains of age, “I hope and pray we can continue for as long as we can,” won’t stop them from making others feel happy and alive.

This month The Swinging Deuzers are playing holiday tunes in four different retirement homes in Coloroado Springs.