El Paso Inc. honors Zuill Bailey with 2022 Community Spirit Award

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- He’s known worldwide, but more importantly, Grammy-award-winning Zuill Bailey makes no secret about calling the Borderland home.

It’s been said that human heartstrings hold the deepest emotions or affections. Listening to Zuill Bailey play, you get the sense this Grammy-award-winning cellist masterfully transforms these cello strings into heartstrings, stimulating the eardrum to reach the soul.

Whether he plays at home, at the El Paso Symphony, or outside the El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank as military members load food for families at the height of the pandemic.

“When we couldn’t get together during the pandemic, that became glaringly apparent, that it’s just getting together to be inspired. To think differently, to think outside the box through the best music on earth,” said Bailey.

Bailey plays the best music on earth in different parts of the world. You see, Bailey is a transplant. Born in Virginia, he came to El Paso at age 29. By 2002, he was named the new artistic director of El Paso Pro-Musica. He holds similar positions in; Juneau and Sitka, Alaska; Mesa, Arizona; Spokane, Washington.

“My back is getting sore from sitting on airplanes,” said Bailey.

But he makes it clear El Paso is his home. Bailey’s philosophy is that the grass is greener where you water it.

“This is where my people are. And I’ve seen the oasis happen here because of what the community has done together,” said Bailey.

Bailey spreads the love of music one event at a time. Whether at school functions, retirement homes, the Segundo Barrio, or the neo-natal intensive care unit at the El Paso children’s hospital.  Bailey started playing at age four and performed by age 10.

His playgrounds were world stages with the likes of Itzhak Perlman. His albums top the classical charts. Revered for his passionate playing, Bailey has won three Grammys. And he works tirelessly to spread his love for music, playing anywhere he can, and promoting El Paso Pro Musica concerts.

“El Paso is a big city but a small community. And I want people to feel like they’re walking into their home in each of our events," said Bailey.

The way El Paso has welcomed and embraced this maestro of the cello who is now El Paso Inc’s recipient of the 2022 Community Spirit Award.