In The Springtime
When Sam Smith, director here at Freuds, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s just over 2 years ago, it brought great uncertainty. He is a passionate musician and one of his biggest concerns was he didn’t think he’d ever play guitar again. All of which makes today’s release of his first solo album, In the Springtime, all the more poignant.
For nearly six months, his right arm barely functioned and, as a lifelong musician, the prognosis didn’t look good. Fearing it might be his last recording he pulled together a roster of the world’s best musicians from Nashville and the UK, boasting 27 Grammy’s between them.
He then approached the BBC and Parkinson’s UK, offering to use his story as a case study to raise awareness and to inspire those with similar conditions that creativity doesn’t end with diagnosis.
Beyond that, his ambition is to kickstart a wider debate on how industry, academia and the like can use their extraordinary collective resources to help bring creativity - with all its powerful therapeutic properties- to those who need it most.
We are so proud that whilst Sam continues to support his clients and colleagues here at Freuds, he has also found time to show Parkinson's doesn't mean an end to creative passions.