It's no Folsom Prison, but some McLennan County inmates are singing the blues.

County jail and mental health professionals are bringing music therapy to inmates in hopes of reducing recidivism.

The McLennan County Jail has had a reintegration program since November of 2016, but a music class has been added to the program's curriculum thanks to a local country music artist.

"I think at first it was like OK this will be cool because it’s something different, but once we got into the meat and potatoes of it…it really started to work,” said Kayla Ray, a musician and licensed chemical dependency counselor at McLennan Community College.

As part of her student internship, Ray, who has been singing and writing songs since she can remember, came up with the idea to use the healing power of music to help county inmates choose a different path once they’re released.

As part of the six-week course, Ray comes and performs for a group of inmates once a week and brings other songs and sounds for them to listen to.

"There are 10 grown men going 'I feel something,' like - that's crazy,” said Ray.

She said they spend between one and four hours analyzing and dissecting songs and lyrics; on Wednesday she played the inmates two of her original songs plus songs by Otis Redding, Townes Van Zandt, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and even some meditation sounds.

"We listen to them, everyone has their own sheet of paper that they keep and they just write down things that stick out to them, and we've discovered a lot that way about ourselves and one another,” said Ray.

Jail officials said the inmates were grateful, even receiving letters from ones in the program.

“It’s amazing to be able to walk down the halls and hear someone in the orange and white uniform say 'captain, thank you,’” said Capt. Ricky Armstrong, the county's jail administrator.

Inmate Matthew Snokhous, 40, of West, has been in the reintegration program for about nine months.

He said he entered the Texas criminal justice system when he was 18 and served nine-and-a-half years in prison.

"I don't want to make no promises, I just want to get out and do the right thing and show them that people can change,” said Snokhous.

The father of two said his two teenage sons only know him as a criminal and a drug user.

"My new high is to give back, I want to help others,” said Snokhous.

About two dozen inmates are currently in the program which provides drug and alcohol counseling, job training, mentoring and other services to inmates to help them find success in the outside world once they’re released.

"The culture of the jail is changing to: we don't just lock you up and feed you, we're here to help you as well,” said Armstrong.

Inmate James Stokes, 33, is originally from Georgia but came to Waco to be a floor technician at Gander Mountain, however, once the company went out of business, he said work was slow, and he got involved with the wrong people to make extra money.

He said he’s struggled with drugs and alcohol and has multiple driving while intoxicated convictions, but he wants to change for his children and to inspire youth.

“I knew I wasn’t doing right,” said Stokes. “This program has helped me a whole lot.”

He said the music therapy was helping him connect with other men and learn how to dig deeper.

"It's all words of motivation, encouragement, and it can also steer you back to some dark days that you did not like, but you can have the power to change that, and that's what this class is doing for me,” said Stokes.

Ray said the sessions with the inmates have inspired her.

"I sit around and pick apart songs daily, all the time, but to learn that I'm not alone in some of the thoughts, it really has helped me also,” said Ray. “It grows me every week, I can only hope it does something for them.”

Some of the inmates are so motivated by the program, they write their own material to share with the group.

At the end of six weeks, Ray will provide each of them with a folder of all of their songs, poems and notes to help them stay on track once they’re out of jail.

According to Jamie Schmitt, Reintegration Program Manager for the Heart of Texas Region Mental Health Mental Retardation Center, of the more than 200 inmates who have graduated from the reintegration program, only seven have returned to jail after committing new offenses.

At first the program was only offered to trustee inmates in “F” wing, but in less than 18-months the program has expanded to include “D” and “E” wings, and will eventually be offered to the women’s wing and “C” wing, which houses maximum security inmates.

“We work with our justice involved clients to ensure they have the best possible support prior to, during, and after their release to ensure that they can become the individuals that they were meant to be – contributing, law abiding, tax-paying citizens of McLennan County who are our neighbors, employees and family members,” said Schmitt.

“The clients are able to work with individuals who have walked in their shoes, have obtained long term recovery and who volunteer their time to mentor the justice involved clients who are seeking a new life free from substances.”

The program, the result of a 2012 task force with the goal of helping ex-offenders reintegrate back into society called the McLennan County Reintegration Steering Committee, is funded by The City of Waco, McLennan County and Heart of Texas MHMR.

The program currently partners with the Baylor School of Social Work, Tarleton State University School of Social Work and the McLennan Community College Mental Health Department with an intensive interning program for social work and licensed chemical dependency students.