Band of retirees get toes tapping at seniors’ homes across Moncton

MONCTON – A band of retirees called Joe and the Mud River Band have been belting out country tunes at seniors’ homes across Greater Moncton.

They don’t do it for fortune or fame, only to help other seniors like themselves feel young again.

The band’s leader, Joe Eagles, said they started jamming in his garage just a few years ago.

“Some guys thought they might like to form a group,” he said.

Now Joe and the Mud River Band are on tour, playing the seniors circuit around Greater Moncton.

“Not only does it give you a chance to have something to fall back on other than your easy chair but it’s really a pleasure for me,” said Eagles.

Daryl Wood plays the guitar and the squeeze box.

“It doesn’t take away the sore spots, but it makes me feel young,” he said.

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Eagles said playing for seniors makes him feel like a real rock start.

“A lot of times you will see a mouth move that hasn’t moved in 45 minutes or a toe move or something,” Eagles said the sight of it actually chokes him up.

He credits music for his new lease on life after he retired in 2003. Now he and the band volunteer every week to put a little spring in the steps of other seniors across the region.

They’ve even developed some groupies that reserve in the front row every week. Cecile LeBlanc is one their biggest fans, always looking for a dance partner.

“My feet want to do but there’s nobody here to do it,” she jokes.

Mary Bourgeois coordinates the activities at Spencer’s Memorial Home. She said the residents look forward to the live music every week and it helps stimulate them.

“We know that music excites other parts of the brain and brings out memories and things like that. Speech sometimes is improved,” she said.

Eagles said that’s why he and the boys volunteer countless hours behind the mics, seeing the claps and the smiles.

“I will look at one of the guys and give them a wink and say, we just got paid.”