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[Explanation] The band in front of me is called "Rock Granny Band" with an average age of nearly 70 years old. The 78-year-old Dong Yunrong is both the captain and the guitarist.
She started learning guitar after retirement and has now been playing and singing for nearly 15 years.
She has uploaded more than 200 songs on video sites, and has appeared on China's Got Talent and CCTV's Avenue of Stars.
In Dong Yunrong's own words, it was rock and roll that allowed these old people to live out their youth again.
[Concurrent] Dong Yunrong, leader of the rock band Granny
(Rock) I seem to have forgotten my age, I don't feel like I am in my 70s or 80s. Our average age was 70 years old. Now we add a few younger ones and are a little less than 70 years old. We don't feel our age. I just felt that my youth (coming back) lived out my youth again.
[Commentary] The outgoing, cheerful, and somewhat handsome grandma Dong has also experienced a low ebb in her life.
In 2005, Dong Yunrong's wife died of illness, so she was unhappy and unwilling to go out for a long time. During these days, music gave her great strength.
[Concurrent] Dong Yunrong, leader of the rock band Granny
At the beginning (husband) passed away in a very bad mood. He was reluctant to go out at home all the time. After coming into contact with music, he devoted himself to music, rehearsed and sang every day, and forgot all these unhappy troubles.
[Explanation] In 2009, Dong Yunrong and a group of friends who like to play guitar formed the "Hangzhou Fenghe Guitar Band".
Over the years, playing music has become Grandma Dong's "career", playing guitar, forming a band, singing rock and roll, and stepping on the stage of the Avenue of Stars three times.
Wind Lotus Guitar also changed its name to Rock Granny.
Grandma Dong introduced that the transformation of the band is not easy, and along the way, their band is getting better and better.
[Concurrent] Dong Yunrong, leader of the rock band Granny
As we are used to singing lyrical songs, we can't sing the taste of rock and roll, so we are slowly exploring.
After rock and roll, it will add drums, electric guitars, electric basses, and electric pianos. At the beginning, we didn't have so many (instruments), we only used the accordion and then he used the electric piano. Later, the bass gradually increased in the same way, so this taste I often look at how young people rock and roll, and learn from them little by little, so they start rocking.
Then, a group of younger ones were recruited later, and they also had a better understanding of this rock, so we may be a little better now than we originally belonged to.
[Commentary] Dong Yunrong said that now the members of the band gather together to practice songs when they are free. They also often participate in various public welfare performances, go to the community to serve the elderly, teach the elderly to use smartphones, etc. They use music and public welfare undertakings to convey their love for life, perception of life.
Grandma Dong still remembers the first time she did charity work.
[Concurrent] Dong Yunrong, leader of the rock band Granny
Our granddaughter also likes to sing and dance in elementary school, so I taught her the guitar, and if I taught her the guitar, she would do the same. I led my granddaughter to a charity event for the first time. When I arrived at the school for the blind, my granddaughter sang very loudly, "There is no fragrance of flowers, "No Tree Heights", it just so happens that those middle school students can also sing. Those blind people were very moved when they heard this kind of music. Later, they sang with us. From their expressions, I could see their desire for music and the significance of our charity work. That was the first time I felt this.
[Commentary] Grandma Dong said that although she is very busy and tired, her children are very supportive of her fulfilling senior life. She hopes to let more seniors see the diversity of a better life and contribute a little bit of power as a role model.
[Concurrent] Dong Yunrong, leader of the rock band Granny
Music can bring happiness and cultivate our sentiments. We are healthy, our children can work with peace of mind, and the burden on the country is reduced. We have a lot of fun and forget our age, and we all live more and more happily together.
Reported by Shen Yishan and Zang Chengeng from Hangzhou
Editor in charge: [Song Fangcan]