Relief from the routine
By day he's a pyschiatrist, after hours he's part of a local legend

By Nathaniel Lukefahr

JUNE 15, 2005--For one UTMB doctor, music has been a welcomed relief from the daily routine of life. By day, Dr. Dwight Wolf is known as an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and serves as the medical director for the department’s outpatient clinic. But after hours, the avid George Jones fan practices his guitar skills as a member of the local band Midlife Crisis.

“Music is an escape.” Wolf said. “You get to put on a different identity.”

Wolf joined Midlife Crisis in 1995 and said he is the new guy. He joined the band after he ran into Dr. Brent Masel, president and medical director for the Transitional Learning Center, at a charity event. At that time Masel just happened to be looking for a guitar player, an instrument Wolf knew well.

“We started talking and everything went from there,” Wolf said.

Among them, the five members of the band boast two medical degrees and three law degrees, making it hard to find time to play together. Wolf said they play once or twice a month and finding a weekend when all five members can commit is tough.

“We all have families and careers, we can’t just pick-up and go anymore,” Wolf said.

On keyboards and guitar is David Salyer, an attorney with McLeod, Alexander, Powell and Apffel. Jim Galbraith, an attorney in the same firm as Salyer as well as a board member with The Sealy & Smith Foundation, is the band’s bassist. On drums is Neal Matlock, a research contact analyst here.

Midlife Crisis started playing cover songs of such artists as Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, Elton John and the Beach Boys but now write original songs.

“Brent Masel is one of the most prolific writers and writes a lot of original music,” Wolf said. “We have 8-to-10 original things we are working on.”

Matlock said Masel is the best country-western songwriter to come out of Chicago.

The band has done many voluntary performances for the UTMB community over the years.  Other recent shows including a March performance at Tideway, a long term brain injury rehabilitation facility.  “It was a lot of fun. I think the residents really liked it,” Matlock said. The group also shared billing with Beausoleil and Eric Johnson at Galveston’s Mardi Gras.

Wolf said the band played classic rock at first but eventually began to play country and honky-tonk as time went on.

“We play everything from Pink Floyd to George Jones,” Wolf said. “I was from Southeast Texas’ Golden Triangle area and was influenced by mostly country music. I grew up listening to George Jones, Waylon Jennings, ZZ Top and local Cajun bands, and those influences still ring true.”

Wolf earned his way through college by playing music with his brother.

“My brother and I played music at bars and nightclubs to have some extra money,” Wolf said.

In 1990, he received his medical degree from UTMB. Although he’s always loved music, he did have other plans, Wolf said.

“I’ve always been a musician, but I always had it in mind to be a physician,” he said. “I always had a long term plan.”

Matlock said Wolf has been an integral part of the band since he joined the group.

“Dwight has a very good sense of how a song should feel. It is great to see a song come together,” Matlock said. “When it comes together it is very nice.”

Wolf said the band hopes to record an album in the future, but schedules are a problem.

“Making a record is a goal of ours. I guess you can say we are keeping the dream alive,” Matlock said.

Your next chance to catch Wolf and his fellow Midlife Crisis players will be July 2 at Gravity Restaurant and Bar, 2120 Strand.   

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