Community Exchange: Music helps lift community’s spirits through pandemic and beyond

“I would like to suggest you include Tim Paul at Piano Trends Music Co. in Crystal Lake in one of your future columns,” the email from reader Regina Belt-Daniels started a few weeks ago. “Since COVID, Tim has been Live Facebooking a daily musical pick-me-up called ‘Lifting Spirits.’ He plays all kinds of music and sends out birthday and get-well wishes and always ends with ‘be kind.’ ”

A few days after receiving Regina’s note, I was in Piano Trends talking with Tim Paul. It was a true “Lifting Spirits” experience.

Since 2020, Paul and friends, employees, students and community members have made 1,000 episodes of “Lifting Spirits Through Music” starting about 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday in his Piano Trends shop. Shows last about 15 to 20 minutes. It can be found here: facebook.com/groups/liftingspiritsthroughmusic.

The show started like many things during the COVID-19 pandemic: he needed a bit of a lift.

“It was early on during the pandemic,” said Paul, 69, of Crystal Lake. “The business was shut down and there wasn’t a lot going on to keep the staff working. I was feeling down and my wife, Bobbi, said I should sit down at the piano and it would make me feel better. So I did.

“Then we started playing music on Facebook and we’re getting a lot of positive feedback. People said we were cheering them up, so we kept doing it. Soon the staff started getting involved. Now we get requests from people to play their favorite song or wish someone a happy birthday. And we try to add a little humor. I tell dad jokes. Well, I try.”

Each live show attracts about 300 to 600 viewers. Most of the regulars in front of the camera are Piano Trends staff, including Amy Nelson, Barb Schotanus, Aldren Briones, Adam Huckeby and Ashley Beleny. Music teachers, students and Piano Trends regulars also sit in.

They play a variety of music, including country, pop and jazz.

“We are quite versatile and some of us have even learned new instruments along the way,” Paul said.

The show also has branched out to appearing on radio programs, hunger drives and segments for fund-raisers for local groups and businesses. And they’ve done live remotes at chamber of commerce expos.

“We do it for the community, not for the business, and it happens organically,” Paul said. “The community has supported us through this, so it’s great to give back. And we’ve been surprised when people stop us in the grocery store and say, ‘Aren’t you from that music show?’ We feel like celebrities.”

The performers get creative. For example, Schotanus often makes up words to the song “Santa Baby,” which, along with the theme from “Cheers,” has become a trademark. Schotanus said: “I’m hearing from people I haven’t heard from in years because they see the show on Facebook.”

They end each show with “Listen to the Music” by the Doobie Brothers. “Listen to the music, whatever makes you feel better,” Paul said.

Piano Trends opened 33 years ago, selling and repairing instruments, renting instruments to schools and providing lessons. The store has nine studios.

“This is a ‘want’ business, not a ‘need’ business,” Paul said. “All of the staff have been here for a long time. We continue to grow together as a family. And we’re seeing the kids of the kids of people coming in to take lessons.”

Tim and Bobbi Paul are involved in McHenry County arts community. Tim is president of the Raue Center for the Arts board of directors and Bobbi is artistic director for the National Piano Conference at Raue.

And Paul, a Cubs fan, has been a ballpark organist for the former Quad City Cubs and Clinton Dodgers. Last September he sat in for Cubs Wrigley Field organist John Benedeck, a McHenry County native.

“It’s great to get to do what you love,” Paul said.

• Dennis Anderson, vice president of news & content development for Shaw Media, lives in Crystal Lake. He’s looking to share news about you and your neighbors and special events and happenings. Share your Community Exchange news with him at danderson@shawmedia.com.