Artist Profile: Darnell Paul

Our Artist Profile for August features Darnell Paul! For Darnell, playing music is more than a hobby – it’s his favorite thing to do. It allows him to relax, connect with others, and give back to his community. His journey with music started by experimenting with a keyboard. After about a year of practice, he figured out how to play a portion of a song. That encouraged him to keep going until he was able to play the entire thing – and he hasn’t stopped growing since.

When choosing a new song to learn, Darnell considers where he’ll be playing and what

the audience might enjoy. He especially likes older songs, but there’s one important requirement: he must connect with the song himself. If he doesn’t, he can’t learn it.

One of Darnell’s proudest accomplishments is playing the piano at hospitals. When he was younger, he had many medical appointments and experienced firsthand how impactful help and support from other people can be. Since then, he has played at day treatment centers, assisted living and memory care centers, fundraiser galas, walks, other community events, and even the Blue Umbrella.

His favorite place to play is the UAMS Cancer Center, thanks in part to the atrium’s unique layout. From there, his music can travel throughout the building, allowing people on multiple floors to hear him play. One of his favorite experiences while volunteering is when people sing along with him. For Darnell, those moments are a reminder that music has a special way of bringing people together.

Someday, Darnell hopes to write an original song so he can enter a contest to play on stage in New York. Writing a song has been challenging, but he’s still learning, playing, volunteering, and sharing his music – and there’s no shortage of songs ahead.

To support Darnell, find him on Facebook by searching, “Piano for Life”. CDs containing

his work can be purchased in-store at The Blue Umbrella or ordered online at blueumbrellaar.org.