By Doug Barker

The Daily World

It’s more of a driveway band than a garage band, but Paul Miller and a couple of his trombone friends have a steady gig Sunday mornings playing hymns to a socially distant audience of the folks who live across the street from Miller at the Montesano Health and Rehabilitation Center.

It started Easter morning when Paul and Marilyn Miller were thinking about their neighbors at the center and others who couldn’t worship in a church as they normally would. “Paul and I, Christian people that we are, said, ‘We really need to do something for Easter Sunday,’ said Marilyn Miller. “I said, why don’t you play some hymns, so he stood in the driveway and played seven or eight hymns suited for Easter.”

Paul Miller, a retired music teacher, plays trombone in the Grays Harbor Symphony and reached out to Roger Lockhart and Andy Hall, fellow symphony trombonists, and a band was born. Marilyn has given them a name, Heavenly Notes. Social distancing configurations mean there isn’t room for many other musicians, but they are in the market for a singer/keyboardist and plan to play in Miller’s driveway on Medcalf Street Sunday mornings until the churches reopen.

On Sundays now at the rehab center, windows are opened and residents are alerted to listen, said Stacie Leach, the marketing and admissions director. “They can hear from their rooms,” she said. “They play beautifully. Our residents look forward to it and really enjoy it. They are a godsend. Leach said about 80 people live at the center, which provides skilled nursing and long-term care.

Marilyn Miller said others have spread the word on Montesano social media and last week some people came in cars and parked on the street nearby. They start promptly at 10 and everyone is welcome, but listeners should stay in their cars. “We want to keep within the boundaries, We definitely want to do this by the rules but … people need church.”