Northern Nevada inmates say new songwriting program helps them 'feel human again'

Marcella Corona | Reno Gazette-Journal

Show Caption Hide Caption Watch: Prison inmates use music as therapy Inmates at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center participate in a music program to cope with life behind bars.

Anthony Greer was dead asleep when something woke him up in the middle of the night.

“I have a habit of thinking of songs and getting up and writing them down right away,” said Greer, 61.

So, he immediately wrote down the words before he could forget them.

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“The song I’ve written – ‘Give Me Your Love’ – is about someone that I was in a relationship with,” Greer said. “I traveled a lot. I played music a lot. I played sports. I played pro-ball and basketball and so forth. I was hardly ever home. And a lot of times I left her there alone by herself. I knew she loved me, and I needed to give her the love that I wanted to give to her.

“It’s pretty much about me letting her know how much I loved her.”

Greer is an inmate at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center. He said he’s been there since January for a crime that involved an incident at a Home Depot store.

Greer was convicted of attempted burglary and was sentenced in October last year.

“We’re separated right now, but there’s still love there,” Greer said. “I think of her all the time. Yes, I have sung the song to her a few times when we were alone by ourselves.”

Greer was among a group of inmates to participate in a songwriting workshop as part of a program recently implemented at the prison in January. The workshop was the result of a partnership between the Northern Nevada Correctional Center and Note-Able Music Therapy Services, according to Warden Isidro Baca.

On Friday, the inmates had a chance to perform in front of others at the prison for the first time.

“This music therapy program, it helps with both the mental illness treatment and substance abuse treatment,” Baca said. “Not necessarily that it helps with the actual mental illness and all that, but it helps them be better participants when it comes to their treatment.”

Volunteers with Note-Able Music Therapy Services contacted officials with the Northern Nevada Correctional Center with the idea of launching a songwriting workshop to help the inmates deal with the stress of prison life, Baca said.

So far, things have gone smoothly. The inmates were well-behaved and there haven’t been any incidents during the songwriting classes, Baca said.

“What I’ve noticed is just that, that we haven’t had any incidents here,” he said. “It’s nice and quiet, no real fights to speak of out of this unit.”

Baca said the prison has limited resources. Often times, he can’t provide programs that will help prepare inmates for re-entry into the community upon their release.

“We’re really not able to do extra programs like this and all that,” he said. “So, if not for the volunteers, we’re not able to do this.”

Richard Anderson, 59, has been in prison for more than 20 years. He said he was transferred to the Northern Nevada Correctional Center about nine years ago. He’s currently housed in a unit for older inmates.

Anderson was convicted of drug trafficking charges and was accused of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the inmate search at the Nevada Department of Correction website.

Although he doesn’t participate in the songwriting workshops, he enjoys listening to the music.

“Music is everything around here,” Anderson said. “It takes you out of where you’re at and calms you down. It just makes you feel human again.”

Jamaa Cinque, 68, said music has helped other inmates “come out” of their shells. He said the program has helped him get passed the guilt of hurting others.

Cinque, who is an ex-felon, said he’s been in prison for about 15 years and expects to be released within days.

“It has helped me by focusing more on doing right and being right and understanding, like I said, what I did to other people for years,” Cinque said. “If I get past that, I can straighten things out.”

Cinque wanted to participate in the program. He said he felt reluctant at first.

“It has helped most of the inmates here because most of us do have these mental health issues, and music kind of brings us back into focus and helps us relax,” he said. “It brings us back to one another in that comradery.”

For Greer, music has always played a big role in his life. He said he hopes to sing his love song at a future performance at the prison.

“Ever since I was a kid, my mom used to pull me from downstairs of the house and tell me to come and sing in front of her sisters and cousins and brothers,” Greer said, adding he lived in Alameda, Calif. during his childhood. “All I wanted to do was go play baseball. I tried to sneak out the back window, but she always catches me. And I always did it because I’m a straight mama’s boy, so I did what she wanted me to do.”

Greer described his three brothers and 10 sisters as entertainers. All of them have musical talents. Some play sports.

“I’m here in a place where I don’t want anyone in a relationship with or family members to come here,” Greer said. “I know it’s selfish, but I don’t want them to come see me in a place like this. But they know, and they understand. I’m dealing with it, it’s OK.”

Greer said he expects he will be released from prison in November next year. He said he plans to volunteer in the Special Olympics or at an organization that helps others who are suffering from a mental illness.

“The music helps people stay occupied,” he said.