Doctor by Day, Singer-Songwriter by Night: Jesús Espinel Shares His Music
Jesús Espinel, 62, a physician at the Opias Unit of the university Hospital of León and HM San Francisco, has fulfilled a lifelong dream by releasing his debut album, Espinel, on Spotify. For decades, Espinel composed songs – amassing a collection of 60 – sharing them only with close friends and family. Now, he’s stepping into the public sphere, blending his medical career with a burgeoning musical passion.
the album, produced by singer-songwriter Tontxu, features twelve tracks: When everything goes well, You burned bay leaf precipices, The time came, Moments that I want, Share, I get phrases from my heart, That charm you drive, What a situation!, I leave with your people, At the time of silence, smiles in the sun, and guard your love and One day of these. Espinel describes his style as pop-folk and identifies himself as a “romantic singer-songwriter.”
His musical journey began during his university studies when he purchased a twelve-string acoustic guitar. The album release in August garnered over 4,000 Spotify visits in its first month. While he has no plans for live performances beyond informal gatherings with friends and family, Espinel is content with the positive reception.
The album cover was designed by Leonese artist Victoria Celemín.Espinel cites a diverse range of musical influences,including The Beatles,Supertramp,Eagles,America,James Taylor,Joan Serrat,and Los Secretos,with a particular fondness for Tontxu,who ultimately produced his album.
Tontxu, himself a prolific songwriter with over 300 compositions and a past nomination for Revelation Author at the music Awards, now focuses on producing albums for emerging artists like Espinel.
The journey to Espinel involved converting decades-old cassette recordings to a digital format, receiving encouragement from friends, and ultimately recording twelve songs in just four days at Tontxu’s studio in Extremadura.
Espinel finds synergy between his two vocations. He plays his music in the operating room before surgeries,and colleagues reciprocate,creating a positive atmosphere for both patients and staff.He believes core values like honesty, professionalism, empathy, respect, and humanism are essential in both medicine and music. He already has material prepared for a potential second album, demonstrating a continued dedication to his newfound musical outlet.
