Page 9 - Leisure Living Magazine Spring 2017

Maureen McGovern’s
Milligrams of Music
By Rene Mihalic, Feature Writer
Maureen McGovern, quoted Mark Twain saying, “The two most important days of your life are when you are born, and the day when you find out why [you were born.]” The famous vo- calist knew early in life why she was born, stating, “By the time I was in third grade I knew I wanted to sing professionally.” After graduating in 1967, from a high school in Youngstown, Ohio, she worked as a secretary, and sang part-
time in a local band. In 1972 a
20th Century Record executive
discovered McGovern.
McGovern’s 45 year
career includes numer-
ous recordings, and
years performing on
Broadway. She contin-
ues to perform con-
certs, and headlines
with symphony or-
chestras. McGovern
has a catalog of songs,
but is best known for
singing movie theme
songs such as, “We May
Never Love Like This
Again” from the 1974 film
“Towering Inferno.” “Can
You Read My Mind” from the
1978 movie “Superman.” As well
as her most memorable, “Morning
After,” from the 1972 movie “Poseidon Adventure.” It was the inspirational song, “Morn- ing After” which revealed to her the restorative powers of music. Countless people have shared stories with McGovern of how the song provid- ed hope and comfort, inspiring her to help oth- ers through music. She realized music makes a remarkable difference in people’s well-being and spirit. It was this awareness which eventually con- nected her to Dr. DeForia Lane, Director of Mu- sic Therapy at University Hospitals of Cleveland. Hence, why in November 2016, Maureen McGov- ern was in Sandusky, Ohio singing for an unlikely audience.
McGovern and Dr. Lane visited Stein Hos- pice in Sandusky, where they were forewarned a patient they were about to visit had been unre- sponsive for days. Yet when the two sang to the patient, astoundingly she too began to sing! Af- ter privately meeting with patients McGovern sang inspirational songs for an intimate group of
hospice patients and staff. One patient, was a dance instructor, and stated her mood was so lifted she “returned to her room later and danced.” Dr. Lane explained, “music has the power to take us outside of our circum- stances of pain, anxiety and depression. Mu- sic causes a response of familiarity, it can bring recall of mem- ories indelibly im- printed on the brain. Humans are wired to respond to music from the time we are in the womb, and it can be used to decrease pain and release muscle ten-
sion.”
McGovern and Lane’s
musical pilgrimage continued at University Hospital Cancer Cen- ter at Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky, where they administered melodic medicine to cancer patients, and later spoke to staff about music therapy and its benefits. Kim Schriener, the Director of the Cancer Center, ex- pressed, “the entire experience [of music therapy] is very intimate . . . and made a huge impact on
patients, families and staff alike.”
McGovern’s newest release is titled, “You
Raise Me Up,” sung by this woman who coinci- dentally does so much to raise others up. Experi- ence the power of McGovern’s voice at her August 4, 2017, performance at Lakeside Chautauqua in Marblehead, Ohio.
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