Several area high school and college students have come together to form Students and Rock for America (SARA), an organization that will help raise money for the American Red Cross and other nonprofit relief organizations that are assisting the victims' families from the September 11 terrorist attacks. A benefit concert featuring One Six Conspiracy, Dan Cho Band, My Personal Hero and The Jukebox Hero will be held from 5-11pm on Sunday, October 21, at Tremont Music Hall. Cover is $8, and additional donations will be accepted. A second show is currently being planned for November. Anyone interested in helping with the events or who may need more info can call the SARA hotline at 704-845-5600, ext. 1 or e-mail SARAconcerts@hotmail.com.
The Naked Truth (TNT), the Nashville-styled songwriters showcase which is held twice a month at The Evening Muse, now has its own television show. On the first Wednesday of each month, TNT can be seen at 10:30pm on Charlotte Time Warner Cable Channel 18. The show features video from the live performances. Producer Greg Baker says the show attempts to capture the ambiance and, most importantly, the music of each of the performers. For more details on the showcase or the TV program, visit www.mp3.com/thenakedtruth.
The Bill Hanna Jazz Jam has found a new home. The long-running Charlotte tradition (10 years and counting) is currently taking over Mojo Restaurant & Spirits each Thursday night from 9pm-12midnight. Along with Hanna, the open jam also features Ziad, Donnie Marshall and Gerard Benson with, of course, an array of "special guests" that varies from week to week. For more details, call the club at 704-523-0474.
John O'Gorman was recently back in town to record a song at the Sound Farm in Matthews (the long-time local music veteran moved to Bluffton, SC last January). O'Gorman recorded "NY 911 Kevin's Song" in honor of his first cousin, Kevin Flaherty, who's a New York City firefighter and was in the first World Trade Center Tower that collapsed. Flaherty miraculously survived the disaster, but his station's lieutenant, Glenn Wilkinson, did not. All the proceeds raised from the song will go to a fund set up for the family of Lt. Wilkinson, who left behind three children. Rusty Barkley, Rick Gentry and Mike Cline appear on the track along with O'Gorman, and Art Bordeaux engineered and co-produced the material. Cline and Chad Lawson will distribute the CDs around Charlotte.
Charlotte-based band Rodeo Flyer has also produced a song that will benefit the families of the victims from the September 11 attacks. The band penned a tune titled "They Call Us Americans," and 100 percent of the proceeds raised from the song will be donated to relief funds. To find out more about the song, go to www.Rodeoflyer.com or e-mail the band at Rodeoflyer@ctc.net.
And yet another CD is being produced for another good cause: Recordings from the Spread Your Wings Benefit Concert for Breast Cancer, which was held this past June at the Neighborhood Theatre, is being produced and will be available early next year. The CD, which was recorded by Mark Williams and mixed by Dave Harris, will feature a track from each of the artists (which includes Richard Buckner, Jim Lauderdale, Alejandro Escovedo, Gigi Dover and David Childers). The show itself raised close to $20,000 and orders for the disc have already started to come in. Another benefit show is already being planned for next year. For more info on the disc, e-mail M6913@aol.com.
Katerine Everhart of Bittersweet Promotions is now responsible for the weekend bookings at Cafe Bisous. Bands interested in getting a gig can send demos and press info to: Bittersweet, 722 Saint Julien St., Charlotte, NC 28205.