CHARLOTTE, N.C. --  One retirement community in Charlotte is trying to cheer up its residents with a weekly parking lot concert. They aren’t bringing in outside musicians. Instead, one of their own employees has stepped up in a big way.

Samantha Duncan is the programs director at Brookdale Carriage Club in Charlotte.

“When she was out there singing in the parking lot, I thought 'Oh my goodness somebody has their radio turned up loud,'” resident Judy Link said.

To Link’s surprise, it wasn’t the radio. It was the voice of Duncan.

“She has a beautiful voice,” Link says.

Normally during this time of year, Brookdale holds concerts for their residents every Friday night, but due to the stay-at-home order and social distancing, those have been canceled. It’s been tough on a lot of people living there.

“A lot of them don’t have interaction with family besides phone or FaceTime,” Duncan said. “They are in their rooms trying to keep themselves safe.”

Duncan started weekly parking lot concerts last week with other staff members. Thursday afternoon they played old classics like "Macarena" and "Cha-Cha Slide."

“It was so nice to get out and just be around people, to see people,” Link said.

“I think music is very therapeutic for our residents,” Duncan said. “I think it is therapeutic for any human being.”

It’s a simple act that brings a smile and even laughter to a whole community of people in desperate need of human interaction.

“It makes us feel so good when those people are out there singing and playing for us,” Link said.

Duncan said she plans to continue the parking lot concerts every week until their normal concert series returns.