Stark, actually: Who is the Aultman Hospital piano lady?
The "Stark, actually" featurettes are about people, places and things in Stark County. Prior examples have included everything from a thoroughbred horse farm to the legend and lore of Machan's Rock.
WHAT: Dottie Rood plays the piano inside Aultman Hospital from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
WHERE: The George Steck piano was placed in the lobby of the Bedford Avenue SW entrance in 2019.
WHEN: This photo was taken the afternoon of Feb. 13.
THE STORY: "This is my dearest love," the 74-year-old Rood said.
She's played since age 7. Rood is an accomplished organist, too. That came in handy when her husband, Dennis, worked as a Baptist minister.
"God called me to be a preacher's wife," she said.
A few months ago, a friend at the North Canton Chapel told Rood about the Aultman piano. It's there to be played by volunteers, so Rood gave it a try and hasn't stopped.
That's the whole point, explained Lisa Zellers, vice president of the Aultman Foundation.
The music is to soothe the soul of patients and visitors and ease stress of employees. Aultman also hosts live music inside its Timken Family Cancer Center.
The hospital even offers free music therapy to its cancer and hospice patients.
The Bedford piano sessions are therapeutic for Rood, too. She doesn't need sheet music. She knows more than 100 hymns by heart — "Amazing Grace," "Beulah Land," "Wonderful Peace" and so on.
"I have a photographic memory," she said.
During the past two months, Rood said listeners have handed her a bouquet of flowers and made requests. And one woman pulled her wheelchair next to the piano, then provided the vocals on a hymn.
"It's pure fun," Rood said.
Reach Tim at 330-580-8333 or tim.botos@cantonrep.com.On X: @tbotosREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Dootie Rood plays piano in the lobby of Aultman Hospital in Canton
