Decatur resident Eric Hollingsworth, 28, has two main passions in life — playing music and helping the mentally ill.

He's found outlets for both those passions with his band, Dark Sundays, and with his job helping mentally ill patients transition into self-sufficiency at Central Mississippi Residential Center.

His passion for music began at an early age, and he began playing bass guitar when he was 12 or 13 years old. He chose bass over other instruments, he said, because he loved the bassline for the Pearl Jam song "Jeremy".

Once he began to play, bass became an irreplaceable part of his life. "There was just something that I liked about it," he said, "and so I stuck with it."

Both playing music and listening to it, Hollingsworth said, are things he wouldn't want to imagine life without.

"Music has helped me get through very hard times in my life," he said. "Whenever I get down, and even when I'm happy, I know there's certain music I can listen to that helps me with my mood. Music is very theraputic for me."

Currently, Hollingsworth plays bass with Meridian band Dark Sundays, an electro-acoustic original rock band.

"Dark Sundays is to date my favorite band I've ever been in," he said. "I think the songs are well-crafted. Everyone in the band puts forth a great effort and everyone's sound really clicks well."

Hollingsworth was older when he discovered his passion for working with the mentally ill. For the past year and a half, he has worked with clients at a CMRC group home as a mental health tech., helping mental health patients transition from a hospital environment to independence by teaching basic skills like cooking for themselves, washing their clothes, and general skills for taking care of themselves in a home environment.

"I love to help people," Hollingsworth said. "I love helping them and in return helping them helps me."

CRMC clients also learn how to make their way in the workplace by giving them transitional jobs as cashiers and clerks in a thrift store and snack shack open only to CRMC staff and other clients. This, he said, helps the clients get used to working before they try to find a job out in the community.

Though Hollingsworth said he loves his job at CRMC more than any he has ever had, he is looking for another job in the same field because his schedule at CRMC doesn't allow him to go back to school. Once he finds the right job, Hollingsworth plans to pursue his bachelor's and master's degrees to become a psychologist/counselor or social worker.

He has lived in Mississippi all of his life, and has been in Decatur since he was ten years old. He has two sisters, one brother, and eight nieces and nephews. His mother, Nancy Morgan, lives in Lucedale. His father, Rudolph Hollingsworth, served as a pastor at churches across the state.

One interesting tidbit about Hollingsworth's family: At 113 years old, his grandmother, Besse Cooper of Monroe, Ga., is the 11th oldest person in the world, and the 7th oldest in the U.S.

Hollingsworth said he loves music, family, friends, his parakeet Tinker, his job, and his life. If he could say just one thing to the entire community, it would be: "Come and see Dark Sundays."