81-year-old Dave Williams recently surprised everyone with his remarkable vocal performance of ‘Unchained Melody’ at a fundraiser held in a nursing home in Liverpool. The retired medical assistant who had previously sung with The Beatles not only stunned the audience with his performance but also left a patient with dementia singing the song to herself.
At the age of 15, Dave began his employment at Sefton General Hospital while simultaneously honing his musical skills with his band, The Dices. The band had the opportunity to perform alongside Ringo Starr of The Beatles in 1958, and Dave himself had also taken the stage with The Beatles at Knotty Ash Village Hall in Liverpool in 1961.
For nearly half a century, Dave worked tirelessly in various operating theatres across Merseyside as a part of the NHS, all the while continuing to share his passion for music. At a charity event, the team at Park View Nursing Home in Liverpool organized a delightful picnic gathering with games and refreshments to enjoy for their residents, their loved ones, and visitors. Guests were watching the singer Toni Nesbitt when Dave asked if he could join in and sing a song too.
When he got up, his daughter was begging him to sit back down, but he did not listen to her and instead blew the entire room away with his singing. Wellbeing Coordinator Jodie Solaiman was amazed by his performance and discovered that he had previously sung with The Beatles three times.
Dave’s performance went viral after Jodie shared the video on Park View’s TikTok profile, which now has over 500,000 views. Dave’s passionate performance and powerful voice in the video have garnered comments from viewers worldwide, who praise him for his talent. Despite not using social media and not even knowing about the app before his viral stunt, Dave was astonished by the online reaction.
The following day, when he visited his local betting shop, the entire establishment applauded and cheered for him, leaving him speechless. Dave’s love for music has provided him with amazing opportunities, including performing in front of hundreds of people, including Mel C of the Spice Girls, at Paul McCartney’s 58th birthday at the Linda McCartney Centre in the Royal Liverpool University Hospital on June 17, 2000. Although his performance with The Beatles at Knotty Ash Village Hall in Liverpool in 1961 was slightly awkward, he received a good round of applause.
Dave attributes his life and happiness to the NHS and the people who put forth 100% effort into it. Despite acknowledging that the NHS is going through a tough time, he believes it remains an excellent service with outstanding individuals. Dave Williams’ outstanding performance and his passion for music has inspired people across the world, and he is a testament to the power of music and the impact it can have on people’s lives.