Ken — ​“It’s given me a new lease of life”

Ken Haddock is a singer-songwriter based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. At 62, he’s spent decades immersed in music, carving out a life rooted in the local scene. ​“I became a professional musician around 1995 or 1996,” he says. ​“Music was probably the most natural thing I could do, and it seemed to benefit other people too.”

Ken’s musical journey has taken him through solo performances, gigs as part of bands, and collaborations with other talented artists. He’s released a couple of albums over the years — ​“not internationally recognised,” he says, ​“but very popular locally, especially around Belfast and the surrounding areas.” For years, he played exclusively in bars across the city, building a loyal following and becoming a fixture in the local music community.

But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, everything changed. ​“Obviously all the bars were closed, and that was me, out of work,” Ken recalls. It was during this time that he first heard about Help Musicians. ​“Someone told me, ​‘You need to contact these guys — Help Musicians — because they’re giving out a grant.’ It was £500.”

That initial support was a lifeline, but what followed was even more meaningful. In 2021, Ken received a phone call out of the blue from a staff member at Help Musicians. ​“She just wanted to check in and see how things were going. I remember sitting at the side of the road talking to her on the phone. She was very sympathetic. We were going through a lot financially, and my dad was dying. It was a really difficult time.” 

The charity helped Ken apply for another grant and stayed in touch. That ongoing relationship became crucial when Ken began experiencing serious issues with his hands. ​“Around 2018, I started to notice swelling in my knuckles and lumps in the palms of both hands. My little fingers and ring fingers started to curl inwards and became very sore.”

After mentioning this to Help Musicians, they arranged a Zoom consultation, which led to a diagnosis of Dupuytren’s disease. ​“They helped me get treatment. I couldn’t have afforded to get that done myself.”

Ken worked with a therapist, Michelle Razo, who monitored his progress closely. ​“She’d measure the angles of my fingers, how far they could stretch, and how much strength I had using gripping devices. She used a vibrating massage tool to work deeply into the affected areas, gave me elastic bands to stretch, and Play-Doh-type materials to keep my fingers moving.”

The therapist was strict about home exercises. ​“She said what she was doing in the sessions wouldn’t be enough. I had to keep up the work myself. So I did that, and that’s how we’ve ended up here, with my hands in much better shape.” 

Now, Ken is back performing, and thriving. ​“It’s given me a new lease of life. I’m taking on gigs again, and now I’m doing theatres, not just bars.” He’s especially excited about a new trio he’s playing with. ​“The cellist played with the Perth Harmonic Orchestra in Australia — she’s a top-level musician. And the harmonica player is brilliant too. He plays chromatic harmonica, not just blues style — he’s properly trained.”

Their last gig drew a crowd of 300 people. ​“The feedback was fantastic — everyone really raved about it.” Their next performance is part of the Atlantic Sessions in November, held on the north coast of Ireland. ​“We’ll be playing a concert in a church, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Ken’s story is one of resilience, talent, and the transformative power of support. ​“It was just what the doctor ordered,” he says. ​“Someone saying, ​‘Let’s try to take the pressure off.’”