Since 2007, Southwest® has proudly provided complimentary air travel to benefit medical patients and their families that must travel for life-saving or life-changing medical care through Southwest Airlines Medical Transportation Grant Program (MTGP). We have been honored to work with a network of nonprofit hospitals and medical organizations nationwide that support this mission.

Southwest extends a healing hand through a partnership with Musicians On Call (MOC), which is a nonprofit that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities. Through our partnership with MOC, musicians will have the opportunity to connect with patients through the healing power of music—truly medicine for the soul. As part of the celebration of our partnership announcement in 2017, we hosted in-airport concerts at three locations: Kenli Mattus and Maggie Szabo in Los Angeles (LAX), Aubrey Wollett in Nashville (BNA), and Tim Campbell and Steven Derrick in Atlanta (ATL).

“Thanks to the support of Southwest Airlines, Musicians On Call has been able to deliver the healing power of music to more people. Music can connect us all and plays an impactful role in the healing process. We’re proud that our volunteers have performed for over 675,000 patients, families and caregivers,” said Pete Griffin, Musicians On Call President.

The first performance of 2017 was at Vanderbilt University Medical Center with a special music performance from Broken Bow Recording Artist Brooke Eden. Next, Judah and the Lion played for patients at Children’s National Health System in Washington, D.C., and the final visit of the year took place at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, where patients enjoyed a performance from Nils Lofgren, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the E Street Band in 2014.

We’re continued our support of Musicians On Call in 2018 by bringing three live performances to hospitals throughout the year. Our first performance took place at the Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Singer Brandon Ray performed for children in the hospital’s Ryan Seacrest Studio, as well as, in their hospital rooms, bringing the healing power of music to their bedsides. For our second visit, we hosted a visit with Barry Zito, a former professional baseball pitcher, who just released his first EP, “NO SECRETS,” at USCF Benioff Children’s Hospital in San Francisco.

In 2019, we brought our partnership to new heights – literally! We welcomed country music artist and MOC volunteer Filmore to perform both Live at 35 on his way to California and in patients’ rooms at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, California, where MOC just set up a new volunteer musician program.

To learn more, visit www.musiciansoncall.org.

Video Credit: Dusty Barker