Jacksonville Musician Advances in National Competition While Spotlighting Music's Role in Healing

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - EntSun -- Singer-songwriter and healthcare marketer Greg Dunkailo Davis has advanced to Round Two of the national Next Music Star competition, sponsored by iHeartRadio.

Like many national music competitions, the spotlight naturally falls on the performers. For Davis, however, the contest also provides an opportunity to bring attention to a topic he has become increasingly passionate about: the role music can play in supporting patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.

The competition's charitable partner is Musicians On Call, a Nashville-based nonprofit that brings live music directly to patients and families in healthcare settings across the country.

For Davis, the connection feels natural.

In addition to his work as a singer-songwriter, Davis has spent much of his professional career working in healthcare marketing and regularly performs for residents in senior living communities throughout Northeast Florida. He recently launched Compassion's All Around, a presentation and music program designed to celebrate healthcare professionals and reinforce whole-person care.

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"Music therapy has been around for decades, and there's a growing body of research showing music can help reduce anxiety and improve emotional well-being," Davis said. "It's always special seeing and feeling how people respond when a song reconnects them with a memory, a person, or a moment they care about."

That impact is increasingly supported by research. A 2025 review of 51 clinical studies found that music therapy produced meaningful reductions in patient anxiety across a wide range of healthcare settings. Music-based interventions have long been used in hospitals, rehabilitation programs, memory care communities, and behavioral health services as a complement to traditional care.

As Davis advances through the competition, he hopes to help elevate the conversation around how music can contribute to patient experience and quality of life.

"Advancing matters because it creates visibility," he said. "Every round puts more eyes on the cause, more attention on the research, and more opportunities to talk about what organizations like Musicians On Call are doing."

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That message may resonate particularly well in Jacksonville, a city with one of Florida's largest healthcare sectors and a music community that often flies under the radar compared to larger markets.

Davis believes Northeast Florida has a unique opportunity to become better known for initiatives that bring musicians, healthcare organizations, senior living communities, and patient advocates together around a shared goal of improving quality of life.

"Jacksonville already has reputable healthcare institutions and talented musicians," he said. "There are opportunities to do even more when those communities work alongside one another."

To make a donation or vote for Greg Dunkailo Davis as the Next Music Star, visit https://thenextmusicstar.com/2026/greg-dunkailo-davis