Musicians healing musicians
The JWF Musician Health & Services Program has launched Music Makers, a one-of-a-kind support group for musicians and music industry workers.
Kyleen King (Right) preforming with Brandi Carlile while opening for P!NK
(Photo by Paris Visone)
By Claire Levine
As a touring performer who struggled with pain for many years, Kyleen King is all too familiar with the emotional and physical challenges faced by independent musicians.
From worry about finances and health care to managing long hours, maintaining relationships and even trying to eat well – people in the music industry deal with many issues related to their work. These are on top of the general problems of simply being an adult in today’s society.
At the same time, it is often hard, even among the close-knit music community, to confide about concerns and worries.
During the Covid shutdown, Kyleen had the time to reflect on her life goals. She realized she wanted to help others. So, she earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in social work. And in her new role, she has created a safe space for musicians to air their concerns and receive emotional support.
The support group is called Music Makers. It is the newest aspect of the JWF Musician Health & Services Program’s efforts to encourage and support health and wellness in our music community. The group is open to professional and semi-professional musicians and music industry workers in Oregon and Clark County, Washington.
Music Makers Support Group
The format is simple. After introductions and an ice breaker exercise, the conversation begins. Sometimes Kyleen will throw out a topic, but frequently, members start the discussion by bringing up an issue that’s on their minds.
Kyleen said she knows that discomfort with disclosing personal issues can be a barrier to participation. “Opening up can be one of the scariest things,” she said, especially for the many introverts in the community. “And people are worried about confidentiality.”But, she said, “I’ve heard a lot of feedback from people in the group that it feels very comfortable and easy and natural to come into.” All participants sign a confidentiality agreement as part of the registration process.
“I get people coming back all the time,” Kyleen said. “So, I get the sense they feel safe.”
She said, “Mutual aid support groups for musicians just haven’t existed. In fact, it’s kind of strange! We all know about AA or grief support groups…” But people she talks to often say, “I just never thought about a support group for the music industry worker.”
Kyleen said, “The more we talk, the more people share.” She thinks being in the group reduces the stigma and awkwardness of talking about personal problems. “It just starts to feel normal.”
To participate, fill out the registration form. Kyleen will add you to the email list notifying you of coming meetings and the Google Meet link.
Music Makers currently meets online every other Wednesday.
Kyleen King (Photo by Cindy Dockter)
Connections
Melanie Bobbett, lead navigator of the JWF Musician Health & Services Program, sits in on the group. She is available, both to the group and to individual participants, to advise on navigating health care and accessing related programs and resources.
As a listener, Melanie considers how the Musician Health & Services program can respond through future initiatives to address common issues that arise in the group. So, in addition to supporting participants and connecting them to resources when needed, the group informs the growth of JWF’s Musician Health & Services Program.
Kyleen reached out to groups like the Local 99 Musicians Union and MusiCares to promote the support group. But one of the most effective tools was posters – the long-time tool of the local music scene.
Melanie visited music stores and venues across Portland to put up posters and talk to people about the support group. And, Kyleen said, venue owners and employees were listening. “And they were so happy to hear that this existed . . . it ended up creating a new, beautiful connection between The JWF and several local music businesses.”
This old-fashioned approach has resulted in new contributions to The JWF, as well as group participation.
Kyleen
Kyleen may be the busiest person any of us ever meets.In addition to running Music Makers, she works as an associate social worker at the Wild Heart Society in Vancouver. It’s a collective of private practice therapists whose primary work is with families and children among the LGBTQ+population.
And, while no longer touring, she continues to play violin and viola and sing – a lot. You can sing along with her at the frequent, delightful Low Bar Chorale events that pop up all over Portland.
She also performs with Rebecca Sanborn and Ji Tanzer as Swansea, as well as Ecoh Ecoh Ecoh with Rebecca and Jenny Conlee. And she’ll soon be playing with a group of musicians performing music from Twin Peaks! She is a studio musician and arranger, and she has booked some solo gigs (whew).
And when she’s not playing or working directly with clients, she’s creating new opportunities for community. For example, she’s planning mental health workshops for union members and a social hour for Oregon Symphony members.
As chair of the Mental Health Committee and the only exclusively freelance musician member of the Executive Board, she is helping facilitate mental health-based events and workshops for union members.
It sounds overwhelming, but it’s totally fulfilling for Kyleen. “I really like everything I’m doing. I just haven’t figured out how to balance it all, but the balance will come eventually. Right now, I’m fine!” she said.
Kyleen graciously shared her story of her own health care challenge – and how The JWF helped her – with JWF readers. She’s now paying it forward big time, to the benefit of the wider music community.
Read more about the Music Makers Support Group and find the registration form on the JWF website.
