Where Change Happens

‘Sounds of Comfort’ Album Makes Prison Reform History

Rainbows and Butterflies (Excerpt from “Born Again” CD)

In 2014 Maine Hospice Council and the Sounds of Comfort band made prison reform history.

MHC Executive Director Kandyce Powell had devoted 18 years to training qualified Maine State Prison inmates as certified hospice volunteers. In turn, the men used their hospice training to care for and treat fellow prisoners with terminal illnesses or were dying in Maine State Prison Infirmary.

As part of their caring and treatment, some of the prison hospice workers found music helped calm the sick. Over time, hospice workers Nathan Roy, Chris Shumway, Steve Carpentier, and Robert Payzant formed a band with a name perfectly mirroring the band’s mission: Sounds of Comfort.

Maine Corrections Commissioner Joseph Ponte’s permission for Sounds of Comfort to record this “Born Again” CD was historical. We don’t know if another MSP band ever asked to record a music album. But, we do know no other band in MSP’s 193-year history ever did.

The Sounds of Comfort members also had permission to have special supervised night hours to record this music in MSP’s Chapel.

Friends of the MSP Hospice Program, professional hospice workers, and amateur musicians Karen Flynn and Jaime Eller were invited to the recording session to augment the music with their vocals, guitar, and violin. Both had performed many times live with Sounds of Comfort.

The musicians chose Robert “Bob” Colwell from The Root Cellar Recording Studio, Hallowell, ME to record this album of original songs and other songwriters’ tunes that proved comforting to MSP hospice patients.

With the recording sessions complete, Colwell mixed album songs, Kandyce Powell and Maine Hospice Council Executive Assistant Kathryn Randall handled production of the “Born Again” CD package.

And then, another first in Maine State Prison history, Commissioner Ponte gave permission for a CD launch with a first ever, open to the public, live concert inside MSP. The seed for that idea came from MDOC employee Mary Lucia.

The public response? In a near blizzard, on a February night ticket holders filled MSP’s Visitor’s Room to hear Sounds of Comfort, and to celebrate the launch of the “Born Again” CD.

The Sounds of Comfort band is no more. But the “Born Again” CD is available through Maine Hospice Council’s web site while supplies last.

 "The songs performed by “Sounds of Comfort” are similar. The origins all come from a place of pain and grief. The goal of the music is to assist the listener in processing their personal pain and grief. Although enjoyed by people from diverse circumstances and cultures, the music is primarily for those of us who have been left behind by family, friends, and those whom we have loved and still miss today."- Sounds of Comfort

Each CD is $16.95 + Tax & Shipping.

Proceeds will support outreach to undeserved and disenfranchised populations.

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