From ancient drum circles to modern streaming playlists, music has always played a central role in human culture. But beyond entertainment, music has profound effects on our brains and bodies. Scientists have been increasingly uncovering the mechanisms behind how music influences everything from mood and memory to movement and even physical health.
The Neuroscience of Music: How It Affects the Brain
1. Music Lights Up the Brain
Functional MRI and PET scans reveal that listening to music activates multiple areas of the brain simultaneously. This includes:

• Auditory cortex (processes sound)
• Motor cortex (involved in movement)
• Prefrontal cortex (decision making, social behavior)
• Hippocampus (memory and emotion)
• Amygdala (emotional processing)
• Nucleus accumbens (reward and pleasure)

In a widely cited 2001 study published in Nature Neuroscience, researchers showed that listening to pleasurable music triggered the release of dopamine, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, similar to the response caused by food, sex, and drugs.
2. Memory and Learning
Music can enhance memory recall, which is why songs from childhood often remain vivid decades later. A 2014 study in The Journal of Clinical Psychology found that Alzheimer's patients who listened to music associated with personal memories had improved cognitive function and reduced agitation.
Music training also appears to boost certain cognitive abilities. According to a 2009 study in Brain, musicians have more developed corpus callosums (the bridge between brain hemispheres), which may help with multitasking and memory.
3. Mood Regulation and Mental Health
Music is a powerful mood regulator. Research from the University of Missouri found that people who listened to upbeat music felt happier within two weeks. Similarly, calming music can reduce anxiety and stress, with some studies showing it can lower cortisol levels, the hormone associated with stress.
Music therapy is increasingly used in clinical settings to treat depression, PTSD, and autism spectrum disorders. In one meta-analysis published in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, music therapy was found to significantly reduce depression symptoms in adults.

The Physical Impact of Music on the Body
1. Pain Management
Music can reduce the perception of pain. A 2013 study in Pain Management Nursing found that post-operative patients who listened to music required less pain medication and reported lower pain scores.
2. Heart Health
Slow, calming music can lower heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate. Conversely, fast-paced music may increase these metrics. In a 2006 study published in Circulation, patients with cardiovascular disease who listened to joyful music daily had improved endothelial function and blood vessel dilation.
3. Exercise and Endurance
Music with a strong beat can enhance physical performance. A study by Brunel University found that listening to motivational music increased endurance by 15% and made exercise feel easier.

Good Music vs. Bad Music: Does Type Matter?
While musical preference is subjective, certain types of music tend to have more universally beneficial effects—or risks.
Good for You:

• Classical music (especially Baroque) has been linked to improved focus and relaxation. The so-called "Mozart effect," while debated, suggests that listening to classical music may temporarily boost spatial-temporal reasoning.
• Lo-fi beats and ambient music are commonly used for concentration and stress reduction.
• Nature sounds with music have shown benefits in mindfulness and meditation.
• Upbeat pop or dance music can improve mood and motivation, particularly for exercise.

Potentially Bad for You:

• Very loud music (especially through headphones) can lead to hearing loss and overstimulation.
• Aggressive or violent lyrics, particularly when listened to excessively, may reinforce negative emotions in susceptible individuals, though research on this is mixed and context-dependent.
• Disruptive or arrhythmic music can interfere with concentration and sleep patterns.

It’s important to note: "Bad" music is more about context than content. Heavy metal, for example, may be distressing to one person but therapeutic to another.

Final Notes: Making Music Work for You
Music isn’t just background noise; it’s a powerful tool you can consciously use to improve your life. Here are a few tips:

• Use calm music for stress relief: Try instrumental or nature-infused tracks to help unwind.
• Create playlists for productivity: Use music with steady tempos and no lyrics to improve concentration.
• Let music move you: Dancing or exercising to music enhances both mental and physical well-being.
• Experiment with music therapy: If you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or memory issues, talk to a therapist about integrating music into your treatment plan.

As neuroscientist Daniel Levitin said in his book This Is Your Brain on Music, “Music is not a luxury, but a core feature of the human experience.” Whether you're strumming a guitar, humming in the shower, or losing yourself in a symphony, you're engaging your brain, soothing your body, and elevating your spirit—all in perfect harmony.
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It is not enough these days to be just a musician. It is also necessary to know something about business. You don't need to have an MBA but you do need some common sense around the topic.
Since I retired and got back into music, I have been shocked to find that venues are only paying about $25 more than they did when I first got out of college and started to sing in my twenties. I am now in my 70s so that will tell you how little the industry has kept up with inflation. I don't blame the venues however, I put the responsibility for this on the musicians. I have found that musicians are willing to take less than they deserve just to get the gig. This is not only bad business for them but also for their fellow musicians. When you lower your own rates it lowers the rates for everyone. It might seem smart in the short run but in the long run it is a very stupid business practice. It is difficult enough to make money in the music business without having musicians undercutting what little pay is being offered. Why should a venue pay a fair price when they know they can get one of your fellow musicians for cheaper?

The other thing that amazes me is that musicians, when they are being paid a percentage of the door but are being offered a guarantee of a certain amount, do little or nothing to get their fans into the room. When I am booking a large venue and tickets are being sold, I want to do everything to promote the event so that we make money. The love of music is not the only reason I play music. I also play to earn money. If you are being offered 80% of the door at a venue that seats 100 people with tickets being sold at $20 each and a guarantee of $100 what would you do? I would hope you would promote promote, promote and get as many of those seats filled as possible. Are you going to walk away with just $100 when you could take home $400 or more? As far as I can see it is a pretty easy shift from bad business to good business but it is a matter of self worth.

I am going to be 72 this year and I have noticed that the bookings are not as plentiful as they used to be. It seems being old and fat is not in vogue these days, even if you can sing like a songbird. In actuality the voice, if it is taken care of, should be richer and have more depth at an older age than it did in its youth. Interpretation of a song should be much more colorful and diverse due to life experiences. In my opinion, hearing a young person sing "My Way" or "It Was a Very Good Year" is ridiculous. They haven't experienced enough of life's ups and downs to make songs like that remotely meaningful.. 

There are so many great older female vocalists in Cleveland and they don't seem to get their dues. They are passed over for the younger, prettier versions who don't have the chops or life experiences to be in their league. Wake up Cleveland! You are missing out on some of the best voices you have. 

Men are lucky, they neither experience the age nor the looks prejudice that women do. I have often gone to a concert in town where the female singer is dressed to the nines and one or more of the the musicians look like they just woke up off the street. Women can't get away with that. If they showed up looking like that, the already few bookings available to them would be reduced to zero. I happen to believe older female singers are like fine wine and should not be relegated to dinosaur status.

One never knows the twists and turns life will take. Most of us worry about things that will never happen and few of us give any thought at all to things that are unimaginable. That would be ludicrous wouldn't it? Yet something unimaginable did indeed happen and it has shaken a good portion of the world to the core.

When this year started, I was on target to have my best year yet in the music industry. Last year I did a total of 175 gigs and most of those gigs were booked in April and May of last year. By the end of January of this year I already had 180 gigs on the books and my biggest months for booking were ahead of me. That is until mid March when all hell broke loose.

I arrived at my gig on March 11th to have the activities director tell me that I was their last entertainment. She said the Governor had ordered them to lockdown their facility at the end of the day. I had not listened to the news so I was unfamiliar with this. The next day I showed up for my gig at a senior center only to find no one there. When I called to find out what had happened they said they were on lockdown until further notice by order of the Governor. It was then that I got the news that all independent and assisted living, nursing homes, senior centers and libraries were closed through the end of April. That instantly wiped out about 30 gigs for me.

The lockdown was targeting my primary audience and affecting a good portion of my bookings for the year. By the end of April, all the gigs for May were cancelled and then the same thing happened for June. The other day several  places contacted me to say they were cancelling everything for the year and would be in touch if anything changed.

With the lockdown, restaurants and country clubs were closed and with social distancing private parties were taken off the books. Weddings and Funerals could have no more than ten people in attendance so overnight all musicians were out of a job. Even though things have started to open up, the life of a musician is still sketchy. My targeted audience is probably locked down through the end of the year. Most restaurants that hired live music may not be able to afford it now with social distancing guidelines and a lot of people are not willing to chance going out to dinner anyway even with the social distancing. 

Facebook Live and YouTube have become ways for musicians to make some money through performing live from their homes and asking for tips. Street parties have become a viable option. Musicians like so many others are having to reinvent themselves. But in the midst of this chaos we are being given quite the gift. We are being given the time and opportunity to figure out what we really love about our lives and what we need to release. 

I love music and I love the fact that I can use one of my gifts to uplift others. I love the music from the 30s and 40s and loved the fact that I could bring a targeted age group such joy but the down side was that I was starting to leave the gigs depleted instead of energized. More and more of the audiences were unresponsive due to their cognitive impairments and it was taking its toll on me. On top of that I was becoming bored with singing the same music over and over. I have a very low boredom threshold to begin with and this was just triggering it.

A little over a month ago I started doing weekly Facebook Live events on my Debbie Darling Music Facebook page. I started taking requests and found I loved learning new material. Some of the material requested I had never heard of before but was delighted to learn. I find that while I cannot live off of the money I am presently making from the Facebook Live events that I am enjoying learning new material and watching myself grow and figure out what the next step is. I know I want to keep doing music and I love the TV like format of the Facebook Live. Only God knows where this will lead me but I am grateful for the time to gain my energy back and start to figure out where I go from here. I am grateful for the opportunity to once again reinvent myself. How are your reinventing yourself?

Owen and I finally realized it was time to get some professional pictures taken. So we hired Joe Boyle from Joe Boyle Photography to work his magic. I hate having my picture taken but you would never know it. Joe put me so at ease that I actually was enjoying myself.

I told Joe I needed him to make me 50 pounds thinner and 15 years younger and while that didn't happen, I like what he came up with. He captured the fun side of me. Yes, I can be a lot of fun. I am not serious all the time. Though for those of you who don't know me well yet, you probably find that hard to believe. But above you can see a picture of Owen and me cracking up with Joe. I guess I am just going to have to buy some wrinkle cream and start walking to get rid of the pounds and years. Or maybe I'll start hiking with Owen, though he'd probably have to call the paramedics for me the first 20 feet out.

If you are in need of a photographer that will capture the real you, you need to get in touch with Joe Boyle. He is awesome. With his great eye and Owen's amazing talents in web design we were able to get a more current and authentic look to the site and to who Owen and I really are as people and entertainers. We hope you enjoy it. Owen and I look forward to seeing you at one of our gigs soon.

Owen and I played our first gig out as a duo this past Saturday. We played a lodge that a friend of Owen's owned. It was on the outskirts of Cook's Forest in Pennsylvania and was like stepping into the movie "White Christmas". The place was so lovely and romantic, the people were awesome, the food was delicious and the grounds and the lodge were magical all decorated for Christmas. The only thing missing was the snow.

​We are going back this coming Saturday to perform another holiday show so if you are available come on out. I promise you you will love everything about it including the music.  The address is: 14870 Route 36, Cooksburg, PA 16217 and the phone number should you want to book a room or a reservation for the wonderful dinner and wine tasting is: 814-744-8017. Hope to see you there.

It had been years since I did much singing. I would sing from time to time for benefits but not with a group, that is until this past January. My background was in Opera. While all my friends were listening to Woodstock I was listening to Madame Butterfly and my all time favorite Verdi's La Traviata. I wanted to be an opera singer and studied with the vocal coach for the Metropolitan Opera, David Blair. I was with him for a year until I got my first taste of jazz. He told me I had to make a choice and I chose Jazz. I booked myself singing pop and show tunes until I could get my feet wet as a jazz singer. I was starting to get booked into some jazz clubs when all at once Disco came in and changed the entire music industry—in my opinion, not for the better. 

Before Disco almost every restaurant had live music. Once Disco came in, musicians were out and DJs were in spinning records. It is really only within the last 10 years that there is a resurgence of live music and yet not even close to its previous heyday. I left the music industry until I met a friend who talked me into writing Country tunes with him. My grandfather loved Country, but he would listen to all that real twangy stuff that I couldn't stand. I called it the "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know About HIMMMMMMMMMA" music.  But I immersed myself in the music so that I could get the feel of it. After all if I was going to write it, I would have to live it. I started going to karaoke bars to sing the latest country songs like Mary Chapin Carpenter's "I Feel Lucky Today." I got pretty good and wrote several good Country tunes but Jazz was still calling me. But it was not yet time to follow my heart. 

The next time I was asked to sing, they wanted me to sing Blues. So I immersed myself in the Blues and really liked it. It was singing the Blues that I realized I was really not a Soprano after all. In the lower register my voice was much richer.

While I was in France on a trip I went to hear Ella Fitzgerald sing. Wow, she was amazing. I loved her smooth velvet voice and her scat was fantastic. I mentioned that I wanted to sing jazz like her to a gentleman sitting across the table from me and he said, "that's not Jazz, that's the great American Songbook. silly." That was the first time I had ever heard the term used.  In truth, some of the greatest Jazz you will ever hear is really from the Great American Songbook. Most of the wonderful songs of Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald and other greats are from the great American Songbook.

Good music withstands the test of time.The songs from the great American songbook are standards for a reason. They will be around long after heavy metal and rap are long forgotten.  People love beautiful melodies with great lyrics and that is what continues to sell to every new generation. Tony Bennett is having a more successful career in his 80s selling records to young people than he ever did when he first came out. Why? Because of the American Songbook. Harry Connick Jr. and his big band and Michael Buble are successful singing the American Songbook. Even Rock and Rollers like Rod Stewart and Linda Ronstadt found their most successful records of all time were the ones where they recorded the American Songbook. That should tell you something about this great music. 

Back in January of this year a friend knocked on my door at 10 p.m on a cold snowy evening and said he would like me to come sing with his band. The band performed primarily blues, country, some light Rock and a little Jazz. He wanted me to add more Jazz and American songbook standards so the group would be more rounded. I agreed. I learned all their music but when it came time to learn some of the music that I came on board to  sing, their hearts were not in it. I was about to leave the group when we hired a great bass player, Owen Rasmussen. I could see at once that Owen was a phenomenal musician and I wanted to stick around to see what he could do to bring this group back to life. But from one week to the next they could not retain the songs. We finally disbanded and Owen and I went off on our own to bring my life's dream of singing the great American songbook/my kind of Jazz to fruition. 

Owen is such a talented guy. He not only plays bass, guitar, drums, piano, trumpet and some trombone but he is also a great musical director, arranger, and videographer. I will be forever grateful to the other group for bringing us together. Owen is able to create great arrangements for us as a duo clear up to us as six pieces. We are just getting revved up so if you have a special event that you need music for, give us a call and let us know whether you are looking for something smaller and more intimate that a duo can bring or you are looking for more dance music with a fuller sound. We are looking forward performing the great American Songbook. It just goes to show, you are never to old to go after your dreams. Believe You Can Fly!