Dr. Dendrite & The Twisted Synapses

With apologies to the Beatles, who sang, "I get by with a little help from my friends," a pair of classic rock enthusiasts might phrase that famous line "I get by with a little help from my doctor friends."
Jim Case and Ralph Reeder pooled their musical talents with a former faculty member and formed a rock band called Dr. Dendrite and the Twisted Synapses. Case, a neurologist and the lead guitarist, came up with the band's name. "A dendrite," he explains, "is sort of in the gray matter of the brain and a synapse is in the white matter.... Dr. Dendrite would be the head guy, the nerve cell, and the synapses are the connections. And if you change connections, hopefully for the better, you might twist them."

In addition to Case and Reeder, who is a neurosurgeon, the band's founding membership includes neurosurgeon Quentin Durward, a former assistant professor of neurology. Reeder is a lead vocalist and backup guitarist, while Durward is a self-taught bass player. All three practice full time at CNOS in Dakota Dunes, S.D. They met at Mary Hitchcock Hospital at Dartmouth in the '80s when Case and Reeder were interns and Durward was on the staff. After moving to South Dakota, they formed Dr. Dendrite in 1989.\

Over time, the band has gained five new members, including two more doctors. Orthopaedic Surgeon Tom Chopp plays synthesizer and organ, and otolaryngologist Tom Kenny is the drummer. Tim Cowles, an Iowa state patrol officer, plays lead guitar and functions as the group's technician; his duties include repairing Case's vintage tube amplifiers-- which Case says is a "lost art." Kelli Fernando, a classically trained singer, is a lead vocalist. And Michelle Gielski, a physician's assistant, sings backup vocals.

The group's repertoire is a mixture of classic rock, including the Rolling Stones' "Honky Tonk Woman" and Lynrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama," and songs of the Eagles, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joe Cocker, and Janis Joplin. They perform four or five charity concerts a year, including one called Neurorama, an annual benefit for three Sioux City hospitals that draws 500 to 600 people. The group has also done benefits for a wildlife museum in Neligh, Neb., and for STARS, a Sioux City horseback-riding program for children with disabilities.

Despite their busy work schedules, the Dendrites still manage to fit in several rehearsals a week before each concert. They also practice on their own using lead sheets-- "cheat sheets" for musicians-- with song lyrics, chords, and notes regarding tempo changes, breaks, and instrumental solos. "Many physicians are so busy with their professional life that to actually have the time or interest to do something like this, I find it a blessing," says Case.

Case grew up in South Dakota and started playing guitar when he was five. "My dad used to take me out to a New Yorker who migrated to a cave in the Black Hills," he says, "and she taught me guitar." He later played in high school rock bands and was a guitarist in a U.S. Army band in Chicago. With a busy general neurology practice, playing guitar is his main recreation. What he most enjoys about the group, says Case, "is working with good friends who are also dedicated musicians, the audience's response, and the fact that ... we're doing it to better some cause."