2008 Woodie Awards
Concert to benefit NT music student
Anastasia Jakse
Issue date: 9/5/08 Section: NEWS
It was just another day for Bach Norwood as he played bass in his praise band at a Methodist church in Azle.
When he started to feel the pain, he knew his life was about to change.
Norwood, a 27-year-old jazz studies senior, had a condition known as spontaneous pneumothorax - his lung had collapsed.
His doctor ordered him to avoid second hand smoke entirely, which, as a working musician, would mean a change in his course of work and the places he would be able to perform.
Not only was he facing the shock of a lifetime, but he was left with an expensive hospital bill after spending three days in the hospital.
That's when friends and fellow musicians pooled together and organize a benefit show to raise money for him.
"The musician friends of Bach just got together and we decided to do something to help him … luckily all the musicians I called were available," said Andy Cooper, a member of the band Le Not So Hot Klub du Denton. "We're hoping lots of people come and donate whatever they can to help Bach and his medical expenses."
Before transferring to NT, Norwood had been living in Louisiana and was studying classical trumpet.
The move to Denton came after he heard, by word of mouth, about NT's music program.
"I had three years under my belt as a classical trumpet major but decided after coming to UNT, it was time to start over with my degree," he said. "I don't regret it."
After his lung collapsed in late August, Norwood realized that his life and work would take on a drastic new role.
"It's been a permanent career change for me because I can't ever again play in smoky bars for my health's sake," he said. "It's a challenge to rethink my career, but at the same time, you can look at this in a positive light. I have to be really healthy from now on."
Dan's Silverleaf, one of Norwood's permanent gigs before his accident, recognized the risk that smoking posed to his health and agreed to ban inside smoking for the evening.
When he started to feel the pain, he knew his life was about to change.
Norwood, a 27-year-old jazz studies senior, had a condition known as spontaneous pneumothorax - his lung had collapsed.
His doctor ordered him to avoid second hand smoke entirely, which, as a working musician, would mean a change in his course of work and the places he would be able to perform.
Not only was he facing the shock of a lifetime, but he was left with an expensive hospital bill after spending three days in the hospital.
That's when friends and fellow musicians pooled together and organize a benefit show to raise money for him.
"The musician friends of Bach just got together and we decided to do something to help him … luckily all the musicians I called were available," said Andy Cooper, a member of the band Le Not So Hot Klub du Denton. "We're hoping lots of people come and donate whatever they can to help Bach and his medical expenses."
Before transferring to NT, Norwood had been living in Louisiana and was studying classical trumpet.
The move to Denton came after he heard, by word of mouth, about NT's music program.
"I had three years under my belt as a classical trumpet major but decided after coming to UNT, it was time to start over with my degree," he said. "I don't regret it."
After his lung collapsed in late August, Norwood realized that his life and work would take on a drastic new role.
"It's been a permanent career change for me because I can't ever again play in smoky bars for my health's sake," he said. "It's a challenge to rethink my career, but at the same time, you can look at this in a positive light. I have to be really healthy from now on."
Dan's Silverleaf, one of Norwood's permanent gigs before his accident, recognized the risk that smoking posed to his health and agreed to ban inside smoking for the evening.
Be the first to comment on this story