docworking_logo

Editor‘s Pick- Dr. Ysaye Barnwell: Singer & Composer From Sweet Honey in the Rock, Author, Actress, Educator

by Jen Barna MD | Podcast

“You know, I try to figure out:  What is not right here? And some things can’t be fixed. And then, if it can’t be fixed, I have to decide, do I want to stay here and be a part of this or is there a way that I can use my energies in a more positive way?” -Dr. Ysaye Barnwell, Retired Professor at Howard University College of Dentistry, musician, composer, actress, author.

 

Get One-on-One Coaching with Coach Gabriella Dennery MD

Get One-on-One Coaching with Master Certified Coach Jill Farmer

 

 In this episode, Coach Gabriella Dennery MD sits down with renowned artist and professor Dr. Ysaye Barnwell. Dr. Barnwell has enjoyed a successful career as a professor of speech pathology at Howard University College of Dentistry, and simultaneously traveled extensively worldwide as a member of the African American a cappella band, Sweet Honey In the Rock (1979-2013). In addition to composing many of Sweet Honey In the Rock’s songs, Dr. Barnwell has been commissioned to create music for dance, choral, film, and stage productions.  Dr. Barnwell’s acting credits include a principal role on a television series called A Man Called Hawk and a role in the 1998 film Beloved. Barnwell released a solo recording of stories and song, Um Humm, in 2000. She has also written a children’s book with CD, No Mirrors in My Nana’s House.  A second children’s book and CD set was released in March 2008: We Are One

 

Dr. Barnwell earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in speech pathology from State University of New York at Geneseo, and a PhD in speech pathology from the University of Pittsburgh. She earned a Master of Science in Public Health from Howard University. Wikipedia

She is an incredible woman with a wealth of knowledge to share.

Excerpts from the show (in no specific order):

Coach Dr. Gabriella: “What led you to a doctorate in speech pathology and a professorship at Howard University?”

Dr. Ysaye: “When I was about twelve years old, I went to my first play on Broadway and it was about Helen Keller. I never forgot how I was consumed by that. The things that drive me now and have driven me all my life were:

  •  How do you work with people who have differences where society would demand that they somehow or other deal with it?
  • Or, my own sadness of being enveloped in music all the time, and knowing that there are people who will never hear it. Is there a way to compensate for that? Is there a way to compensate for the skills that they don’t develop the way in which (so-called) “normal” people would develop them?

So sign language was so fascinating to me, and lip reading was so fascinating to me. I wanted to share all of the auditory things that I had grown up with all my life with people who somehow don’t have access to that. When I chose my major in college, I thought I wanted to go into deaf education, but then I realized that there were all of these other communicative problems that people have. I don’t like doing one thing, (because) it’s just going to help one person. It could help everybody, so I went into speech path and I learned about all kinds of facial abnormalities. It’s just been my life. I’ve had this kind of span of things that I’ve been interested in, and I’ve kind of poked my head in every now and then to see what I can learn, what I could offer,  etc. So I’ve had a really enjoyable life.” 

 

“Then on top of all that to be in Sweet Honey in the Rock and then, you know, say to myself, ‘Okay so what else can I bring to this group? Excuse me, there are people who can’t hear you. Can we add an interpreter here? Sure.’ So I became the interpreter and a singer. Then I realized, wait a minute, this is not working for me because there are five voices in this ensemble and we are adding a sixth (the interpreter). I cannot do two voices at the same time. If I was the lead on every song that would be different, but I’m not, and that’s cool and I like what I do in the background. But I can’t sign what the lead is singing when I’m doing a background thing. So that was the beginning of Sweet Honey in the Rock using a sign language interpreter as an integral part of the group.” 

 

Coach Dr. Gabriella: “Was there any point where you thought maybe you shouldn’t do that (be a professor while a singer, composer and traveling with a band), but you should just settle down and do what everybody else does? Was that ever a question for you?” 

 

Dr. Ysaye: “No, that was never a question. Everything seemed to fit together for me, which is really weird but true. Even in terms of being a songwriter, because you know I did a post-doc in public health and I was in Sweet Honey in the Rock at the time and that’s when I wrote “More Than a Paycheck” because we had been invited to sing with steel workers and different conventions and things like that and for me all of that began to come together. Well, so how can I sing to this group and not share what I’ve just learned with other folks who don’t realize what the commonalities are? But if you write a song like “More Than a Paycheck”, you know, where everything I’m doing is more than the paycheck I’m getting and I am collecting things that are hazardous to myself or dangerous to myself and others or things that kind of make relationships a little bit difficult. I mean we all do that and so “More Than a Paycheck” for me is about exploring and discovering what’s positive and negative about what I’m exploring. Can I make a change in it or should I just leave it alone? And those are really my questions. You know, I get involved in things and I see what it is. If I’m going to leave, I want to leave positively or else I have to figure out ways to make it work not only for me personally but for the whole community that it’s part of.” 

 

Correction: During the recording, it was mentioned that Dr. Barnwell holds a PhD in Speech Therapy. She holds a PhD in Speech Pathology. 

 

To claim the DocWorking discount and learn more about how EmpathIQ can help you build more positive reviews online, click here

Find full transcripts of episodes on the DocWorking Blog 

Our New DocWorking THRIVE  Membership is here!! You’ll get ongoing Small Group Coaching with our Experienced Team, Ongoing Coaching Support in a Private Community that Fosters Peer Support and Mentorship, and superb virtual courses to include ‘STAT: Quick Wins to Get Your Life Back’ with Gabriella Dennery MD and Master Certified Coach Jill Farmer, ‘A New Era of Leadership’ and ‘Communication for the Win’ with Lisa Kuzman, and so much more! 

 

Join our community by clicking here.

 

At DocWorking, our specialty is Coaching Physicians. We bring an exceptional experienced team to Coach Physicians to achieve the Best in Life and Medicine. 

 

Doctors devote their lives to caring for others. But does that mean they must sacrifice their own health and wellbeing? Absolutely not!

 

At DocWorking, we have developed a unique way to embrace it all.

 

The caring for others that you do so selflessly AND the caring for YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY that you crave in order to bring it all into the perfect balance specific to YOU.

 

What if we told you that you CAN have it all? The career you dreamed of when you decided to become a doctor AND the life outside of medicine that you desire?

 

DocWorking empowers physicians to get back on the path to achieving their dreams.

 

Ace the Boards and Max Your CME

Preparing for your board exam or looking for a quick and convenient way to earn CME? Study for your board exam and fulfill your CME requirements with BoardVitals. BoardVitals is the leading online board review platform, with question banks and CME activities available in more than 50 medical and healthcare specialties.

 

Save Money Now: Refinance Your Student Loan Debt

 

Take Back Your Time: Get a Virtual Assistant

Working in the medical field is fulfilling but it can also be exhausting. Physicians often sacrifice their personal time to carry out their duties. They want to go on vacations, start passion projects, or start side businesses but finding the time seems impossible. Recently, more and more physicians are giving outsourcing a try. Outsourcing allows you to delegate tasks to virtual assistants so you can free up your time and finally do whatever it is you’ve been wanting to do.

 

Become a Medical Legal Consultant

We at DocWorking are excited to collaborate with Dr. Armin Feldman to bring you this opportunity to develop a side income or even a full time income while using your clinical skills!

 

Achieve Financial Independence with a Financial Planner/Advisor

Change your trajectory: build financial independence and strength by working with our trusted resources. Working with a trusted financial planner and/or financial advisor can help you to create a specific plan that works for you. The right advisor can help you stay on track to reach your financial independence goal and your next vision.

 

Protect Yourself and Your Family with the Right Insurance

Doctors and their families need many types of insurance–and inadequate coverage can cost you dearly. Connecting with trusted insurance professionals in your area is recommended to be sure you’re appropriately covered.

 

Are you a physician who would like to tell your story? Please email Amanda, our producer, at [email protected] to be considered.

And if you like our podcast and would like to subscribe and leave us a 5 star review, we would be extremely grateful!

We’re everywhere you like to get your podcasts! Apple iTunes, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Google, Pandora, PlayerFM, ListenNotes, Amazon, YouTube, Podbean

You can also find us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter

 

Some links in our blogs and show notes are affiliate links, and purchases made via those links may result in payments to DocWorking. These help toward our production costs. Thank you for supporting DocWorking: The Whole Physician Podcast!

Occasionally, we discuss financial and legal topics. We are not financial or legal professionals. Please consult a licensed professional for financial or legal advice regarding your specific situation.

 

Podcast produced by: Amanda Taran

Board-certified practicing radiologist, founder and CEO of DocWorking, and host of top ranked DocWorking: The Whole Physician Podcast

You May Also Like….