Assemblyman Adam Taliaferro joins Rowan’s celebration of music therapy, access and inclusion with Gooch and the Motion.
Gooch and the Motion, the blues band led by Woodstown native Ryan “Gooch” Nelson, brings their “rusted dirt” music fusing rock, country, blues and hip-hop, to Rowan University’s Boyd Recital Hall on Nov. 2 at 8 p.m. in conjunction with the campus’ celebration of Access and Inclusion Week.
Co-sponsored by Chamberlain Student Center & Campus Activities, the Department of Music and the Academic Success Center & Disability Resources office, the concert benefits Nelson’s Music in Motion Foundation as well as scholarships for students entering the university’s new Music Therapy program.
Gooch’s music showcases his passion for the work and the medicinal benefits of the music. As a quadriplegic musician and writer, Nelson has said he is “living my dream and want to inspire others to never give up on theirs.” He has been on stages with bands and musicians such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Allman Brothers and The Wailers; released a debut solo album, “Coming Home,” in 2016; and was the subject of “The Motion: Gooch’s Journey,” a 75-minute documentary on his journey from a 2004 automobile accident to his life today.
In addition to the music, the evening features as guest speaker New Jersey Assemblyman and South Jersey resident Adam Taliaferro, whose recovery from a paralyzing spinal cord injury sustained while playing college football, has become an inspirational story.
The Music in Motion Foundation was started with the goal of creating one-of-a-kind musical events that generate funding to support therapeutic music programs in hospitals, rehab centers, schools, prisons and anywhere else music can be used to educate, motivate and affect change in a positive way. The Foundation also allows Gooch to bring his story of healing to those who are hurt or disenfranchised through visits to places and organizations that have no budget for music or motivational speaking.
Concert tickets are $10 for the general public, Rowan faculty staff and $5 for Rowan students and can be purchased online at rowan.tix.com. For additional information, contact the box office at (856) 256–4545 or email [email protected]. Boyd Recital Hall is located in Wilson Hall on Rowan University’s Glassboro campus.
