KCCI EIGHT NEWS AT SIX. MUSIC IS MAGIC FOR THE SOUL. WHETHER IT’S LISTENING TO IT, DANCING TO IT, OR MAKING IT, THIS WORLD WAR TWO VETERAN WHO’S A RESIDENT AT THE IOWA VETERANS HOME LIVES FOR IT. HE’S ALMOST 99 AND DOESN’T MISS A BEAT. CARBON, THEY TOLD ME, PA RUM PUM PUM PUM. IT’S A GIFT TO FIND SATISFACTION IN THE SIMPLEST OF THINGS TO SEE. PA RUM PUM PUM PUM. I JUST LIKE MUSIC AND PA RUM PUM PUM PUM. WHEN 98 YEAR OLD VON HAUSER HAS HIS DRUMSTICKS IN HIS HANDS, LIFE REALLY CAN’T GET ANY BETTER. JUST A LITTLE EASIER THAN THE SOME OF THE OTHER TRUMPETS AND STUFF. THE IOWA NATIVE IS NOW KNOWN SIMPLY AS THE DRUMMER THROUGHOUT THE IOWA VETERANS HOME. YOU’RE JUST A ROCK STAR ALL THE WAY AROUND. YEAH, RIGHT. HE HAS A RESIDENCY HERE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON AT THIS TABLE IN A JEWELRY BUILDING. WANT TO WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, HAUSER AND HIS BANDMATE, ACTIVITY ASSISTANT JIM COPPOCK. FOLKS JUST KNOW ME AS THE MUSIC GUY. SING, STRUM AND DRUM AWAY. LET’S DO JOHNNY CASH. I FELL INTO A BURNING RING. I’VE PLAYED WITH A LOT OF DRUMMERS, AND VAUGHN IS ROCK SOLID. ACCORDING TO HIS OLDEST SON. IT’S ALWAYS NICE TO SEE YOUR BOY. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. HE’S THE BEST BOY IN MY LIFE. THE PURPLE HEART RECIPIENT HAS ALWAYS HAD MUSIC COURSING THROUGH HIS VEINS. THAT’S MY GRANDFATHER, WHO ACTUALLY WASN’T A MUSICIAN. BUT HE LOVED MUSIC AND GOT ALL HIS BOYS INVOLVED. THAT’S DAD. IT’S AN UNCLE HAUSER PLAYED IN A BAND INTO HIS 90S. NEVER LEAVES HIM, AND HOPEFULLY NEVER WILL. THE ACTIVITIES ARE INTENDED TO BE NOT THERAPY, BUT THERAPEUTIC. THE ACTIVITIES ARE INTENDED TO HELP PEOPLE REMINISCE. I AM A POOR BOY TOO. PA RUM PUM PUM PUM. HE CLEARLY HASN’T FORGOTTEN HOW TO WORK THE CROWD. IF THEY CLAP AND I KIND OF LIKE, LIKE, LIKE TO LISTEN TO THAT AND IS AS WILLING AS EVER TO SHARE HIS GIFT. A SIMPLE THING THAT BRINGS EVERYONE SO MUCH JOY. AND MY DRUM. AND HAUSER GREW UP ON A FARM IN URBANA, WHICH IS NORTH OF CEDAR RAPIDS. HIS SON, GREG TELLS US HIS DAD JOINED THE NAVY WHEN HE WAS 18 AND WAS INJURED IN BELGIUM WHEN SERVING IN WORLD WAR TWO. A SPECIAL THANKS TO KCCI PHOTOJOURNALIST CHRIS HABERMAN FOR H
World War II veteran known as ‘The Drummer’ shares gift of music this holiday season
Updated: 3:25 PM CST Dec 26, 2024
Music is magic for the soul, whether you listen to it, dance to it or make it. A World War II veteran at the Iowa Veterans Home lives for it.Vaughn Hauser is almost 99 years old and doesn’t miss a beat. “I just like music,” Hauser told our Iowa sister station KCCI.It’s a gift to find satisfaction in the simplest of things.When Hauser has his drumsticks in his hands, life really can’t get any better. “It’s a little easier than having somebody, you know, the trumpets and stuff,” Hauser said.The Urbana, Iowa, native is now known simply as “The Drummer” throughout the Iowa Veterans Home. He has a residency this holiday season at a table in the Ulery Building at the Iowa Veterans Home. Hauser and his bandmate, activity assistant Jim Coppoc, sing, strum and drum away.”Folks just know me as the music guy,” Hauser said. “I’ve played with a lot of drummers, and Vaughn is rock solid,” Coppoc said. According to Hauser’s oldest son, the Purple Heart recipient has always had music coursing through his veins. “That’s my grandfather, who wasn’t a musician but loved music and got all his boys involved. That’s Dad. There’s my uncle,” Greg Hauser said, pointing to pictures hanging on his dad’s wall. Hauser played in a band into his 90s. “It never leaves him,” Greg said. And hopefully, never will. “These activities are intended to be not therapy, but therapeutic. The activities are intended to help people reminisce,” Coppoc told KCCI. Hauser clearly hasn’t forgotten how to work the crowd. “If they’re clapping, I like to listen to that,” he said with a smile. He is as willing as ever to share his gift — a simple thing that brings everyone so much joy.
Music is magic for the soul, whether you listen to it, dance to it or make it. A World War II veteran at the Iowa Veterans Home lives for it.
Vaughn Hauser is almost 99 years old and doesn’t miss a beat.
“I just like music,” Hauser told our Iowa sister station KCCI.
It’s a gift to find satisfaction in the simplest of things.
When Hauser has his drumsticks in his hands, life really can’t get any better.
“It’s a little easier than having somebody, you know, the trumpets and stuff,” Hauser said.
The Urbana, Iowa, native is now known simply as “The Drummer” throughout the Iowa Veterans Home.
He has a residency this holiday season at a table in the Ulery Building at the Iowa Veterans Home.
Hauser and his bandmate, activity assistant Jim Coppoc, sing, strum and drum away.
“Folks just know me as the music guy,” Hauser said.
“I’ve played with a lot of drummers, and Vaughn is rock solid,” Coppoc said.
According to Hauser’s oldest son, the Purple Heart recipient has always had music coursing through his veins.
“That’s my grandfather, who wasn’t a musician but loved music and got all his boys involved. That’s Dad. There’s my uncle,” Greg Hauser said, pointing to pictures hanging on his dad’s wall.
Hauser played in a band into his 90s.
“It never leaves him,” Greg said.
And hopefully, never will.
“These activities are intended to be not therapy, but therapeutic. The activities are intended to help people reminisce,” Coppoc told KCCI.
Hauser clearly hasn’t forgotten how to work the crowd.
“If they’re clapping, I like to listen to that,” he said with a smile.
He is as willing as ever to share his gift — a simple thing that brings everyone so much joy.
