Music man Keyboardist doesn’t let disability slow him down

SENIOR SERENADE: Jim-Bill Rasmussen will play his electronic keyboard at a free concert Saturday at the Union County Senior Center. - The Observer/DICK MASON

Rasmussen was told that he had been in an electrical accident weeks earlier, one which had cost him both his arms.

“A nurse told me. I took it pretty hard,’’ said the Island City resident, who was then 24 and lived in Great Falls, Mont.

Today Rasmussen, 62, has two hook-like prostheses, but when things are going well he feels like he has 13 fingers.

More on this later.

Following his 1971 accident Rasmussen did not play the piano for almost 20 years, but he felt little of a void, especially at first.

“I didn’t miss (the piano) because after the accident for the first eight or nine years I could not remember playing it,’’ he said.

Then the sight of someone performing on an electronic musical keyboard at a shopping center with the back end of a pencil rekindled his urge to play again. Rasmussen, now with essentially two metal fingers, could no longer play the piano but found he could make music on an electronic keyboard.

Using his latent piano playing skills, Rasmussen began mastering an electronic musical keyboard. It was a quick process since playing a keyboard is similar to playing the piano.

“It is like riding a bicycle. Once you learn it you don’t forget it,’’ he said.

It was not long before Rasmussen began performing in public and receiving enthusiastic responses from audiences.

Today, four CDs, a performance at the White House and countless concerts later, Rasmussen is continuing to entertain and inspire.

He is recognized by many as a keyboard player extraordinaire. His prosthetic arms make a keyboard sound so alive one almost expects to see an orchestra or band playing behind him. Rasmussen effortlessly plays a repertoire of popular songs from the 1930s, ’40s, ’50s, ’60s and ’70s.

“I have played four hours without a break (at concerts),’’ said Rasmussen, who moved to Island City from Pinehurst, Idaho, about two weeks ago.

Rasmussen’s performance venues have included the White House, where he played in 1992 at the request of First Lady Barbara Bush.

Grande Ronde Valley residents will get to see Rasmussen’s inspiring skills Saturday when he will

give a free concert from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Union County Senior Center.
Rasmussen, who has performed at about 100 senior centers, enjoys playing for people advanced in years.
“I love putting smiles on their faces,’’ Rasmussen said. “Making people smile makes you feel like a million bucks.’’
Rasmussen had precious little to smile about after receiving the grim news of his condition weeks after his May 11, 1971, accident.
“I looked out the window and turned to God, I’m not a religious man but I said, ‘Sir I have a problem and if you can show me what to do I’ll do what you want me to.’”
He believes God wanted him to perform for senior citizens, which is why he is conscientiously doing this today.
The accident that altered his life forever occurred while he was painting the office building of an electrical company he worked for in Great Falls. At 7:45 p.m. on May 11, 1971, a power surge went through a nearby 13,000-volt electric line and struck his aluminum handled paint roller. Rasmussen was thrown 33 feet off the roof of the building on to railroad tracks.
Today Rasmussen does not look upon his comeback as a credit to anything exceptional on his part.
“It was just a survival thing.’’
Throughout his road back Rasmussen has kept the words of a family member on the forefront of his mind.
“Accept the things you cannot change and change the things you can and hope you have the wisdom to know the difference,’’ are the words the relative once shared with Rasmussen.
Today the musician sometimes feels like he has 13 fingers when performing, especially when playing south- and southwest-based Honky Tonk music. Rasmussen explained that he earlier played Honky Tonk on the piano. Many say one needs 13 fingers to play such music on the piano.
“When I play Honky Tonk now I feel like I have 13 fingers. That is the wonder of electronics. That machine has given me my 13 fingers back.’’