By Cassie King
Dr. Dan Frick, a Fishers resident and family medicine physician at the Jane Pauley Clinic in Anderson, has found a way to balance his demanding medical career with his passion for music.
Frick grew up in Indianapolis and attended North Central High School, and his aspiration to become a doctor was influenced by his mother, a registered nurse, and his desire to positively impact people’s lives.
His journey into medicine began with a liberal arts education, followed by a delayed pursuit of medical school prerequisites.
“Life happened and my med school dream was put on hold for many years,” Frick said.
Despite the delay, he eventually enrolled in medical school at 36, becoming the second-oldest student in his class. Frick, now 50, chose to specialize in family medicine, drawn by the opportunity to develop long-term relationships with patients and address a wide range of medical issues.
As Frick’s medical career took shape, his musical journey also unfolded. He released his first album in 2000, followed by his second in 2017 and his third, “Chasing the Wind,” this year.
“Each time I’ve started working on an album, it has felt like I had to do it,” he said.
His “creative compulsion” has driven him to balance both careers, often finding time to play guitar with his son or recording music on weekends.
“Music isn’t really a profession for me; it’s more of a demanding hobby,” he said.
Nevertheless, he finds similarities between medicine and music.
“As a family med doc, I need to connect with patients on a personal level to provide the best care,” he said. “As a musician, I want to connect with people to feel part of a bigger community.”
Describing his music style as “singer-songwriter acoustic,” Frick said his albums explore themes of distance, isolation, love lost and love incompletely realized. His influences include The Beatles, Paul Simon and Dave Matthews.
Frick’s creative process involves composing with his guitar, often starting with random chords or notes and letting the music evolve naturally.
His latest album holds special significance.
“My son and I wrote a song about his guinea pig, and he sings on the track,” Frick said.
The album also features songs based on his great-grandmother Pearl’s poems and includes a variety of musical styles.
A memorable experience for Frick was arranging a string quartet part for his song “Stay” and recording it with local string musicians.
Frick said he has not widely promoted his music to his patients.
“I worry they might feel obligated to listen,” he said.
Frick occasionally performs at open mics, though, and wants to find a band to play regular shows.
Frick said he would like to play more shows and enjoy a break from album production while continuing his work as a doctor. As he navigates his dual careers, he remains committed to connecting with people through both his medical practice and his music.
Frick’s albums “Chasing the Wind” and “These Easy Nights” are available on streaming platforms and on his YouTube channel, youtube.com/@danfrickmusic.
