'Music and Memory' Performance to Raise Money for Alzheimer's Research
Leah Becoat is bringing the community together through Music and Memory at the Alton YWCA. Discover the personal inspiration behind an evening of regional performers supporting an Alzheimer’s cause.
Leah Becoat on Music and Memory, a Benefit for the Alzheimer’s Association
ALTON - Community members can enjoy a night of music while supporting a worthy cause.
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From 6–8:15 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, the Alton YWCA will host “Music and Memory” presented by 3 Purple Coats Productions. This performance will include spoken-word poetry, comedy and music ranging from blues and jazz to gospel. Proceeds from the event will go toward the Greater St. Louis Alzheimer’s Association.
“We want to know and remember and celebrate not just those who have gone on, but those who are still here,” said organizer Leah Becoat.
Becoat is a local playwright and storyteller who founded 3 Purple Coats Productions. The production company regularly puts on plays and shows for community members to enjoy.
This is their first “Music and Memory” event. Becoat decided to organize it in honor of her father, who passed away from Alzheimer’s last year.
She shared that she “grew up in a house that was filled with music” because her father was a recording artist. Even in the later stages of Alzheimer’s, when he had lost the ability to communicate, he would still tap his foot or hit his knee to the beat of music. The music “really touched his soul,” Becoat said.
She was one of his primary caregivers. As he experienced the seven stages of Alzheimer’s, Becoat compared it to watching him climb “an inverted ladder” — going down through the stages.
“You literally see your loved one disappear before your very eyes,” she explained. “I did not think that I would ever have to see my father deal with such a devastating disease. But you never know what life is going to present you … It’s not just about me, although my father was the genesis for it, but it’s about others who may be grappling with this very hard disease.”
While the loss of her father is difficult, Becoat decided to organize “Music and Memory” as a fun event. Performers from across the region, including a few of Becoat’s loved ones, will sing, play instruments, recite poetry and more. The goal is to honor those who have been lost while also bringing people together.
“Music and Memory” attendees are asked to “drop a blessing in the bucket” — it’s a $30 suggested donation. Proceeds will go toward the Alzheimer’s Association and their work to support caregivers and people experiencing dementia.
Becoat hopes to welcome a big group of people. She is eager to share her work with the community and excited to host an event in honor of her father.
“My father would always say, ‘Leah, if you quit while you’re in the middle, you’ll never know what’s on the other side. So we’re starting small,” she added. “Prayerfully, as long as I have breath, strength, and that creativity and memory, you know that we will do this every year in November.”
For more information, visit the official 3 Purple Coats Productions Facebook page.
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