The "happy music" was contagious last Friday, causing folks at Sunrise Senior Living to smile and tap their feet.
The Arizona Banjo Blasters performed tunes from the 1920s in an hour-long set at the senior residence, 4975 N. First Ave.
Sunrise hosts a daily social hour.
"Every day at 3 o'clock is kind of a big thing for our residents," said activities and volunteer coordinator Raul Murillo.
"We provide a social seven days a week with entertainment, different programs, activities, musicians. We have trivia, and just different types of programs to keep them entertained."
On Friday, Murillo bustled around serving drinks and little sandwiches.
"This is their home, so we do the best we can to enhance their quality of life and make them happy. But this group today, they love," he said of the Banjo Blasters.
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The Arizona Banjo Blasters was founded in 2007 with the purpose of playing "happy" banjo music, said Doug O'Brien, who belted out many of the songs, including "You're a Grand Old Flag," "Four Leaf Clover" and "Ain't She Sweet?" with the help of seven banjo players, a washboard player and a female singer.
"We've been practicing for about three years," O'Brien said before the show. "Some of the guys are new banjo players, three years or so, and some of them have been playing banjo for 60 to 70 years. I've only been playing for 53."
Resident Rose Mari Walsh, 73, said she enjoyed the performance.
"I like the group of banjo players - they are very nice and I like it because the banjo has a different sound to it," she said.
The group mostly plays at senior living facilities, for a nominal fee, and the money goes to three local charities: Anthony's Foundation, Mobile Meals of Tucson and Tucson Unified School District's Open Minds Through the Arts.
But the crowd's reaction is what makes it worthwhile, O'Brien said.
"Sometimes they will smile and sing along, tap their feet, and we know we are making them happy," he said. "That's the point of the whole thing, 'cause we are doing this for fun. If you're not having fun, you shouldn't be doing this."
Find out more
Go to www.azbanjoblasters.com for more information about the Arizona Banjo Blasters.
Contact David Sanders at 573-4155 or dsanders@azstarnet.com
