He's not a doctor or a patient but he spends a lot of time at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Alyn Syms volunteers his time and talent. He performs with his guitar at the hospital at least once a month.
A 2016 Inductee into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame, Alyn remembers what got him hooked on guitar in the first place. He says "I saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan especially all the girls screaming and thought I could do this."
He grew up in Lackawanna and was performing professionally by the time he was a teenager. He put in a couple of years with The Rick James Band and his own rock & roll band The Alyn Syms Group. His recent work is the result of some bad times including a car accident, a divorce and his mother's death.
Alyn says "I was looking for some music to console me-I couldn't find it so I thought I have write it and when you do you have to share it with others."
He's been sharing his music with patients at Roswell Park for seven years. His latest CD is called "Cyrano" named after his guitar. Fellow guitarist JoAnn Falletta gives the work high praise saying "Cyrano is totally captivating, music of great imagination and color and brilliantly performed by Alyn Syms."
You can find more information about Alyn Syms and his musicat his website.
