A group of musicians meets to play music every Thursday night.
Dr. Ken Rothfield, 61, the chief quality and medical officer at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital, practices in two fields — anesthesiology and bass.
“I was born to rock ’n’ roll but forced to anesthetize,” Rothfield said. “My dad programmed me from birth to be a doctor. I’m the youngest in my family and my older brother and sister did not have the grades but I did. That was my destiny either way, but I always was very involved in playing music.”
What started as a journey as a tuba player, later evolved with the sounds of the times into more instruments, including Frank Sinatra-like vocals, bass and synthesizers, Rothfield said. Into college, Rothfield played in a punk-jazz band, then a synth-pop band, and eventually became a crooner.
Dr. Ken Rothfield, left, and his band’s vocalist, James Whitney, prepare for their performance May 12 at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital for National Hospital Week. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report) 
James Whitney, the vocalist for Rhythm Company, sings a Marvin Gaye cover May 12 at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital for National Hospital Week. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report) 
Guitarist Jim Hopkins plays music with his band Rhythm Company May 12 at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital for National Hospital Week. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report) 
James Whitney, the vocalist for Rhythm Company, performs May 12 at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital for National Hospital Week. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report) 
Dr. Ken Rothfield, the bassist for Rhythm Company, performs May 12 at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital for National Hospital Week. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report) 
Rhythm Company, a band partially made up of medical professionals, performs May 12 at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital for National Hospital Week. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report)
“It was during 2020, when I started with Texas Health, I was in a virtual meeting with a guy named Ed Archangel at corporate,” Rothfield said. “I found out that he was a musician and he said very nonchalantly, ‘I made a record in Nashville.’”
The band calls itself Rhythm Company. It played a show May 12 for National Hospital Week at Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital, where some of them work. During the two-hour performance, which kicked off with a Marvin Gaye cover, the musicians showcased their talent.
“We haven’t played in public for over a year, mainly because of either people in the band getting COVID, work commitments or getting booked for a gig and then the host comes down with COVID,” Rothfield said. “I love being a doctor and I guess I’d rather be a doctor who wishes he was a bass player than a bass player who wishes that he was a doctor.”
Cristian ArguetaSoto is the community engagement journalist at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him by email or via Twitter. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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