Music Man
From Buenos Aires to Willmar
“I don’t follow any religion,” says Lucio Minces, an infectious disease doctor in Willmar, “But that’s Mark Knopfler. He’s kind of a god.”
Lucio, who abhors formality, is in his basement studio. Just beyond a rack of guitars and a drum kit is a poster of Mark Knopfler, the British singer-songwriter, guitarist and former leader of the band Dire Straits. “And he is the reason I started playing guitar.”
“My dad played in the opera house back home,” he adds. Back home is Buenos Aires, Argentina, where Lucio Minces grew up. “The opera house is beautiful. One of the top 10 in the world.” Lucio’s father toured the U.S. and Europe. He played for great composers like Igor Stravinsky and Aaron Copland. He even played with Big Band clarinetist Benny Goodman.
“My mom plays piano and teaches in school. She also played the English horn in the orchestra. That’s how they met,” Lucio adds.
His parents divorced when he was a little kid, but Lucio would spend plenty of time in orchestra rehearsals and social gatherings with his parents’ musician friends. “They were the weirdest cats I ever met,” Lucio says, “Like they would say inappropriate things. Unhealthy family dynamics. See how fancy I put that?” he adds with an unmistakable laugh.
He described one rehearsal he attended as a kid, among many, in the basement of the opera house, “This guy was there and I’m like, ‘He looks like the fat guy in the cartoons with the funny hat and the scarf. That guy sounds familiar.’” It was the great opera singer, Luciano Pavarotti.
I don’t follow any religion, but that’s Mark Knopfler. He’s kind of a god. And he is the reason I started playing guitar.”
Lucio Minces, MD, infectious disease
Backroads is a new CentraCare podcast for us, about us. Each episode will reveal something that connects us all. Right now, it’s a Minnesota summer and how we’re filling ourselves up.
Listen to Lucio’s story in our first episode:
From Music to Medicine
“When I was 14 or 13,” Lucio recalls, “I saw a video of Dire Straits. A song called The Bug. My mind was blown, and I said, ‘I have to play the guitar.’”
Despite coming from a family of musicians, Lucio’s parents fought against the idea that he become a musician. “So I went to this high school where you learn manual things,” he said. “Half the day was regular high school and the other half you learn electricity, welding, carpentry. I was horrible at all of them!”
But like his older brother who would become a physicist in quantum physics, science appealed to Lucio, “I wanted to do origins of life research.” But the prospect of writing grants and sitting behind a computer most of the time wasn’t the life Lucio envisioned. Halfway through his first year in college, after a phone call with his dad from a pay phone, Lucio Minces crossed over from biology to medicine.
“Everything ends up not being what you would think,” he recalls, “The exception to that is art of any kind. In art, you are a kid forever. There is no limit, and nobody puts a limit on you. You can practice half an hour a day or 20 hours a day. There’s no limit on how good you can get. It’s kind of an extension of you.”
Everything ends up not being what you would think. The exception to that is art of any kind. In art, you are a kid forever..”
Lucio Minces, MD, infectious disease
Buenos Aires to Willmar
Lucio Minces did his residency in Detroit and then a fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh, “I was doing transplant infectious disease. Infection was pretty cool and really complicated stuff,” Dr. Minces says, but there came a time when he said to himself, “This is not going to fly.”
He specifically recalls a meeting in Chicago. “It was midnight and we’re talking about a presentation at seven in the morning. What would follow? Grants and the CDC, and I’m like, ‘I just want to play the guitar! I just want to bang on the drums.’”
“Thank goodness,” he says, “For people who are driven like that. That’s amazing we have those people, otherwise we would be nowhere.”
His U.S. work visa gave him options to serve people in rural areas, so with his Venezuelan wife, Dayling, who is also the bass player in the family band, Minces moved to Willmar, Minnesota. “At first, I didn’t know what to do here. Where are the big buildings, and stuff like that?” explains Lucio. “Then I discovered that to me, big cities are not my thing. I’ve connected with nature in a way I hadn’t.”
Ten years after landing in Willmar, and together with their two daughters —Lucia and Ayleen, “We’ve been to a gazillion national parks and all the states and put thousands of miles on the car,” Lucio says, “When I go to a big city, I love the music and the big stuff. But now I only want to visit. I don’t want to be there anymore.”
At first, I didn’t know what to do here. Where are the big buildings, and stuff like that? Then I discovered that to me, big cities are not my thing. I’ve connected with nature in a way I hadn’t.”
Lucio Minces, MD, infectious disease
The Family Band
Lucio plays in three bands. There is a Blues Brothers tribute band, a kind of mellow quartet, and a jazz combo. “Our jazz combo plays at grocery store openings and things like that, between the fruits and stuff,” he says with a laugh. Between the three bands, he is busy all summer long at street dances, festivals, and wineries.
But in their basement, the Minces family makes their own music. Lucio on guitar, Dayling on bass, Lucia on drums, and Ayleen on vocals. On this afternoon, Ayleen is shy and not sure she wants to sing. The others agree on a song from The Outfield and begin to play, I Don’t Want to Lose Your Love Tonight.
Ayleen drops in near the end on vocals, then disappears upstairs. Dayling and Lucia follow.
Lucio then plays a riff from Dire Straits—Sultans of Swing. Afterward he says, “What I really like to play is blues and have open solos and look at each other. I really like blues power trios.”
He grabs a different guitar and plays an amazing blues improv.
“I’m not good,” he says. (He is.) “But I don’t have to make a living at it.”
What I really like to play is blues….I really like blues power trios.”
Lucio Minces, MD, infectious disease
I am so inspired by the talent and skill that you bring to two disciplines, music and medicine. Both bring comfort and joy to your listeners, your patients and especially your colleagues! Thank you for sharing your talents with us.
What a great article! And how cool is it that your family is all involved in music, also. Glad you’re in our community!
Lucio, I don’t know you but I know you through a shared love of music! Stories of Pavarotti and having the privilege of attending Segovia’s 80th birthday party would be great conversation starters. WHEW..you can play a mean blues riff! I think many of us would love to come hear you play. When is your next gig? Oh and BTW, thanks for your leadership and expertise as a physician in our community. We’re fortunate to have you.
So much fun to see and hear Dr. Minces outside of his day job. Amazing talent! Can’t wait to hear the basement band someday.
This is so great! Fun to see the talents you have outside of work (to add to the talents and skills you bring to CentraCare!) I’ve been to the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires ~ amazing that you grew up attending rehearsals in the basement of this gorgeous opera house!