WWNO News Features
(2012-01-13)
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NEW ORLEANS, LA
(WWNO) -
By day, Dr. William "Rusty" Robinson is chief of the Gynecologic Oncology department at Tulane medical center. Sometimes by night, he's the bass player in a band called "N-E-D" - short for "No Evidence of Disease."
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Robinson says he met his fellow doctor-musicians at conferences, and decided to get a rock band together for a benefit. They were a hit. And after several other performances to benefit area cancer groups, they recorded an album released in September 2009.
"It actually sold well enough to chart in a few areas. One of our best, or I guess highest-charting song, actually made it on the country and western charts in about 10 different cities. The highest it made was number 28 in Jackson, Mississippi."
Lubertha Adams had no idea her doctor was in a band, but was delighted that after Robinson performed her operation, she had "no evidence of disease." She thought he was just a nice doctor who wasn't pressuring her to have surgery, and was a bit different.
"He wasn't pushy, and then he'd make you laugh by saying Hey, if you decide not to, I won't get mad at you.' So, yes, he's different."
The six members of the band practice medicine around the country. They exchange music tracks through Garage Band software. When a song is finished, it's sent to a New York producer. Robinson says being rock musician relieves stress.
"It's therapeutic for us to do this. We get as much emotional benefit from doing this, I think, as a lot of the patients do."
Adams hadn't heard her doctor perform, so he grabbed his bass that he keeps in his home rehearsal space in the laundry room and played along with a band recording.
N-E-D will be performing Saturday night starting at 7 at the Southport Music Hall to benefit Tulane's H-P-V Vaccine Program and the Foundation for Women's Cancer.
For WWNO, I'm Eileen Fleming
© Copyright 2012, WWNO
