That was posted a week after the curtain came down on The Beats ‘22 held June 4–8 in Nashville, Tennessee. I don’t know who wrote that, but the way I see it, it could have been any number of people, because to be in the rooms where The Beats program happens is to feel the joy and change about which this wife writes. That is just what Kim Phelan and Wayne Cook envisioned when they set out to harness the power of music to improve the quality of life for the coalition members who have interests not addressed in other programs. There is actual science behind how making music together creates cooperation, coordination, and empathy among people that may be felt for decades! Perhaps most telling are the faces of the returning Beats participants, and the gratification they feel by taking their fledgling blood brothers and sisters under their wings and welcoming them into a world of musical camaraderie.

One new participant had never sung in public before. She felt so supported by her bleeder bandmates that she stepped out of her safety zone and sang two additional songs with them, on stage, at the closing concert. She returned in ‘22 with a musical confidence far beyond what I saw before the mountaintop moments she experienced during The Beats ‘21. At the closing concert, she wowed us with the solo, Crazy and fronting the jam band with Rhiannon.

“I’ve developed a lot of confidence singing in front of people from The Beats program” she shares. “The program inspires me each day, because I was shown I have a talent I didn’t know was there before!”

Committee member and participant, Shelby Smoak, highlights how The Beats program has the potential to do more than you might expect when it comes to your musical aspirations: “The Beats program gave me a drummer for my last record, a mix engineer for that same record, an amazing guitar player for future recordings, a drummer for live shows and recordings, and friends for life – how could you ever ‘beat’ that?” he asks.

Three–time returnee, Joe, experienced an organically inspired performance accident in ‘22 and found himself repeating, “Just go with it!” Go with it he did, finding his best song, the best way to do it, and helping others do the same, whether by giving feedback or a helping hand getting onto the stage.

The Beats program usually begins on a Wednesday and ends on a Saturday, with a galvanizing trip to the Grand Ole Opry. Attendees are usually taken to give them inspiration before their final performance.

Our friend Dr. Robert Lawrence Friedman presented his popular session, What’s So Funny? The Rhythm Is Going to Get You!, which combines laughter and rhythm, setting the tone for a fun, educational, and musical time for the next few days.

Coalition President, Wayne Cook, who seems perennially poised to speak eloquently, gave a warm welcome during our first of four delicious and healthy dinners. Then we shuttled to the Opry.

The next morning brought fellowship around the breakfast table, followed by The Beats\ favorite, Elec Simon, leading us in his motivational drum circle. Elec has become so revered in The Beats program that he now has a presence at Symposium for the tweens and teens.

The next three days saw a lineup of presentations that helped us grow in ways that encompassed mental and physical health, exploring music while living with hemophilia B. Anna Moss led a workshop in accomplishing big goals by tending to the small steps. She followed that up with a talk on the benefits of gratitude.

Our brother from the community, Max Feinstein, threw himself into the program, heart and soul, as always. He led workshops in time signatures, singing, and playing solo and sported his reliable intense focus and enthusiasm for musical communion, whether through sharing his knowledge, experience, original music, or performing with his Coalition friends.

Natalie Kukla presented her Stop Waiting to Thrive workshop, Wayne led a Learning to Count workshop and I led the Befriending the Butterflies workshop on harnessing the power of performance nerves.

Professional country musician, Trevor Martin, returned to The Beats for the second year in a row. He presented a couple of his original songs and discussed his process for song writing. Trevor is a perfect example of why The Beats music program is so important. You see, Trevor has hemophilia. His first trip to Nashville wasn’t to make it in the music industry. He was flown there from Bowling Green, Kentucky at two days old, bleeding uncontrollably. Growing up with the physical restrictions of the bleeding disorder, he turned to music.

Still considered a fresh face on the country music scene, Trevor has been “making it,” as a singer in some of the most prestigious venues in Nashville, on CMT (Country Music Television), and as an actor in film and television. He is an inspiring blood brother and all–round great guy.

With participants delving deeper and deeper into music, and some choosing to pursue music professionally, we held a panel discussion on touring and how to avoid pitfalls along the way. The discussion was billed as Playing to the Limits: Music Performance and Self Care. I moderated the panel which consisted of our homegrown, seasoned professionals, Wayne Cook, Shelby Smoak and Max Feinstein.

An annual favorite outing during the program is the home recording studio tour at Adam Smith’s Recording Studio. Adam has outdone himself each year of The Beats, and during this year’s experience in his studio, he engineered the visiting participants performing a song, featuring our young Andrew, which Adam immediately produced. For the closing concert, we got to hear the world premiere of The Beat’s 2022 Happy! It was truly special and a gift that will keep on giving.

A particularly touching moment happened via a Zoom presentation. Our own, Rick Starks, who had planned to join us for the program, caught the bug. Not showbiz; COVID-19. A mild case, but that meant he couldn’t join us. He was prepared to not only participate as a student, but to present his story as an ambassador. We were disappointed, but we all gathered around a big monitor as he showed up, larger than life, on screen, to tell his story.

As Rick wrapped up, telling us how special this program and the Coalition are to him, a room full of his blood brothers and sisters held their phone lights up over their heads, marking the moment sacred.

In the middle of these illuminating workshops and discussions were the hands–on musical instruction.

This year, The Beats welcomed several young Coalition musicians, including 13–17–year–olds. On 13–year–old stretched his wings beyond his trumpet playing and took on piano during the program. For the concert, he performed The Entertainer and asked me to sing Somewhere Over the Rainbow so he could accompany me, which I considered a great compliment. He said his favorite part was hanging out and making new friends. He was impressed with the connections he made during his time in Nashville.

The concert began with our adopted Coalition member, “Ivory” Joe Turley, singing last year’s finale, Lean on Me, as he played piano with attendee Chris next to him playing bongos, and instructor Rich Adams on the drum kit. We all joined in singing and clapping. As the next act, Joe, took the mic, he commented on what a great “loosen up” it was. Indeed, it was, and it contrasted nicely with Joe’s very serious rendition of Head Full of Doubt, accompanied on piano and harmonica by Ivory Joe.

You might remember a group of our older members and the group they called “The Old Farts Band.” Well, they renamed themselves to simply “The Group” this year, as the average age of the group dropped considerably with the addition of a very talented teen guitar player.

Attendees Nathan and Robb who got up and knocked us out singing Folsom Prison Blues. Nathan came with his family to last year’s Beats concert and was so inspired from the audience that he took up the guitar and joined us this year! Our jaws dropped to learn that he’d only been playing guitar for a year. He’s a natural!

There were original songs which touched us including, Dust Devil Boy by Bryant. There were classics performed with professional gusto,including Zack singing Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way? Fifteen–year– old JC played the French horn, which was another first for The Beats.

Sam impressed us with how very far he’d come with his confidence singing, Didn’t I? Seventeen–year–old Dylan reprised I Feel So Close to You Right Now. Though there isn’t room to list all the acts, each and every one of them was touching. From soloists to groups to audience sing–alongs, a special time was had by all.

Sometimes the quietest people make the biggest impressions when it’s time to step outside of the safety zone. One quiet young man, stepped up onto the stage toward the end of the show, and sang Don’t Stop Believin’ and absolutely brought down the house with his beautiful voice and full–blown commitment to the emotion the song needed. It was the second time in the four days that the phone lights were waved above our heads. Credit also goes to Adam Smith, who supported him and provided a safety net while accompanying him on piano.

As sometimes happens during the afterhours jam sessions, a new song is born among The Beats participants. I’m elated to say that this year’s Beats program was the incubator for another one, and we were privileged to witness the first performance of The Group’s new, And the Beats Go On! You can find this performance and Adam Smith’s version of Happy! on The Coalition for Hemophilia B’s Facebook page, and I expect you’ll see YouTube videos before long!

We want to thank CSL Behring for sponsoring at the top Impresario level sponsor, Novo Nordisk for sponsoring at the Producer level, Medexus Pharma and Sanofi for sponsoring at the Conductor level, and CVS Specialty for sponsoring at the Performer level! The growth and enrichment that are possible because of your generosity cannot be overstated!