Eric Sundberg has performed for audiences throughout the Western Hemisphere. Thanks to two tours of duty with an Army band, he was able to travel all over Central and South America.

“These were some of the best musicians I’ve ever played with,” he said.

Eric’s stint in the Army is even how he met his wife while performing in her home country of Venezuela. They’ve now been married for 41 years! “I got a lot of exposure to different cultures through the Army band,” he said. “It was worth a million dollars, just for the travel.”

But today, there’s no place Eric rather play than for seniors through Audiences Unlimited. “I really like the intimate setting,” he said, “and the fact that I can take time and talk to the audience and maybe get them laughing.”

Having played guitar since age 10, Eric has developed quite the repertoire, everything from the 1920s up to classic rock of the 1980s and 1990s. “I’ve always enjoyed a wide variety of music,” he said. “Classical, jazz, rock ‘n roll. I even like a little bit of country,” he admitted, “which is very popular with some of my audiences.”

After leaving the army, Eric added sacred music to his repertoire when he found his way to New Haven, Ind., where he directed music at St. John the Baptist Catholic Parish for over 30 years. “I had to learn how to play the pipe organ,” he admitted. “It was a great job. I was able to work with students at the Parish school. We even got some choirs going.”

In fact, it was through a Parish friend that Eric learned of AUI in the first place. “I played for AUI for about 3 to 4 years when I first came to the Fort Wayne area in the late 1980s,” he said. Eric even had a few conversations with AUI founder Lillian Embick.

After retiring from the parish in 2017, Eric reconnected with AUI and has been performing regularly ever since. “I always liked the idea of playing in long-term care facilities,” he said. He even plays some of his original music for AUI audiences, a skill he honed while pursuing his degree in music composition from Western Michigan University.

Whether he’s playing something new or something old, Eric’s main goal is to connect with his audiences in meaningful ways. “AUI is a unique agency,” he said. “For retired musicians such as myself, it’s a win-win.”