By Victoria Mullen, WKTV
Animals. Music. Nature. The river. These are just four things that Grand Rapids resident, Bruce Ling holds dear.
During his lifetime, the Chicago native has lived in many locales, always near water — from the Calumet River, the Pacific to Cape Cod — currently on the Grand River with wife and musical partner, Becca.
Bruce and Becca sat down with VOICES recently to talk about Bruce’s musical background, his affinity for animals and nature, and life on the river. According to Becca, Bruce is considered a kind of Michigan treasure when it comes to old-time music, being a collector of tunes, and teaching them to younger generations.
“Music has always been a big part of my life,” said Ling, who began playing slide guitar when he was 4 years old and whose father and uncle are both professional musicians. “When I was 8, my band made $5 playing in a basement for a birthday party. I’ve been playing ever since.”
After injuring a finger in an industrial accident, Ling turned from guitar to mandolin and fiddle out of necessity, mastering those instruments in very little time. Ling founded the ‘Hawks & Owls’ band in 1997, so named as a tribute to the many birds of prey that have crossed his path over the years.
In addition to music, Ling has enjoyed stints as a self-employed electrician and volunteer animal caretaker at Blandford Nature Center.
“I was the kid on the block with a menagerie in the basement,” he said. “People would bring me animals and birds that were injured. I could feel bones for a break and crafted popsicle stick splints with some paper medical tape a number of times on wings and legs and whatnot.”
He holds a reverence for all creatures, and it was an encounter with a red-tailed hawk years ago that led Ling to volunteering at Blandford Nature Center back when it had an animal hospital on site; he focused on the care and healing of raptors.
“I learned a long time ago that sometimes if you’re very quiet, a creature will tell you what needs to be done,” said Ling. “Whether it needs to go away and be euthanized with a quick crack and it’s done, or if it needs the energy of healing.”
Living on the river can be rejuvenating, exciting, challenging; the Lings and their neighbors always help each other out. The flood of 2013 wrecked the Lings’ house, and making matters worse, a vandal came in and destroyed the interior; Bruce and Becca were homeless for five months. Then out of the blue, an older couple with a house the Lings had coveted for years made it possible for them to obtain the title to that property.
“It was a karmic thing,” said Ling. “We try to help out where we can and now live just three doors down from the old house, but on higher ground.”
Listen to Bruce and Becca’s VOICES conversation here.
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