Music is a Life-Saver

By Rachel Story for Festively Local

There is no doubt that music has healing powers, but can music save your life? Well, if you ask songwriter Julie Rust, she’ll tell you that it can. These days, she is using her songs to heal others. If something happens to be ailing you, hold off on that psychologist appointment, and instead come to the Hook Stage on Saturday, October 17th from 7-8:15 p.m. to see Julie and a few other talented pianists. You can also catch Julie on Sunday from 10:30-Noon as part of the Positive Music Association of Nashville.

Julie Rust

I read in your bio that you became very ill and was told you would die if you did not play music. Can you elaborate on that for our readers?

No one could figure out what was wrong with me. Seven years ago my system was compromised by toxic mold, so my immunity system was not as strong as it once was. I was doing a graphic design business at home and homeschooling my two daughters. Before, during, and after the mold I was working on my fourth album “Leap of Faith”. I started playing piano at 9 and started writing music at 16 and with this album I felt like I had found my voice. I felt like this was the best thing I had done in my career so far. I tried to sell the album everywhere I could online but I wasn’t getting anywhere with it. I was so frustrated with everything going on; something had to give. I decided to totally cut myself off from music. It was like ending a long-term relationship. I stopped playing piano and stopped listening to the radio because I was exhausted! For about a month I felt relieved, like I was on vacation, and then I started sinking like a stone. I started getting weaker and weaker. I would go to the grocery store and have to lie down for 2 hours. I kept hearing about this book called “Awakening Intuitions” by Dr. Mona Lisa Schultz. In the book, she says all your illnesses are tied to emotional issues. Then, I found her on the internet and found out she does readings. All she knew was my name and my age, and she told me all my symptoms. She asked what my life goal was and I told her that I thought it was music. She asked me why it wasn’t. Basically, she said here’s the emotional issue, here’s what’s happening and this is what you need to do. She told me I had to get back in to music or I was going to die. I did everything she said. I dove into my music and was happier than ever in a years’ time. All this music came out of it and I recorded two albums in 6 months.

I know that you also write poetry. Does it translate into your music?

The poetry started when I had the experience with the mold from which I almost died. It’s a different process than the music. All my friends have a special thing about them and I thought I should write them all poems. So I wrote a poem for all of them and it turned into a book called “Little Awakenings“.

Do you play other instruments besides the piano?

I play flute and recorder. Started flute at 10 and piano at 9. I majored in theory composition at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. My husband plays guitar with me. He’ll be at the festival as well.

What do you plan to do next musically?

At this point I’m playing songs that I wrote for my healing process and now it’s healing others. It feels like I had to go through this process for my songs to carry the weight and now I’m in the process of writing songs that are just fun!

For more on Julie Rust, visit her website.

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