Mike Moothart Benefit Update

We have been getting inquiries about how to donate to the Moothart benefit fund by folks that can't attend the benefit in Portland on May 18th.

It is easy to make a donation!  You can send checks to this address:

111 SE 214th Avenue
Gresham, OR  97030

Please make any checks payable to Mike Moothart.

That was easy!  Do  it today!

Some forthcoming musician benefits that you should know about...


1. Charles White Benefit Concert


Date: Sunday, July 11th
Time: 4:00 to 11:00 PM
Where: New Orleans Creole Restaurant
Address: 114 1st Avenue South, Seattle (Pioneer Square)


Seattle blues singer "Sir" Charles White has been diagnosed with and is battling Light Chain Myeloma cancer. This is a benefit concert to raise money to cover out-of-pocket expenses that his health insurance doesn't cover. Admission is $20 with 100 percent of the proceeds going to Charles' medical expenses.

Featured bands will include:

4:00 to 4:45 - The Fabulous Roofshakers
5:00 to 5:45 - Steve Bailey & Crossroads
6:00 to 6:45 - Tim Turner Band
7:00 to 7:45 - Mark Whitman Band
8:00 to 8:45 - Mary McPage Band
9:00 to 9:45 - Stacy Jones Band

If you plan on donating to the Washington Blues Society's (WBS) Musicians' Relief Fund (MRF) on behalf of Charles, you will need to identify your donation as such. All WBS-MRF donations earmarked for Charles will get to him. If you are unable to make the benefit, please consider mailing a donation (checks or money orders - no cash) to:

Washington Blues Society
Attn: Charles White MRF Fund
PO Box 70604
Seattle, WA 98127

For more information please contact:

Mary McPage: mary_mcpage_band@yahoo.com
Bill Blackstone: charleswhiteband@yahoo.com

2. Mauva Belle Family Benefit Concert

Date: Sunday, July 25th
Time: 3:00 to 6:00 PM
Where: Salmon Bay Eagles Club
Address: 5216 20th Avenue NW, Seattle (Ballard)

Leslie "Star Drums" Milton and Gael "Lady Keys" Kurath will host a benefit on Sunday, July 25th at the Salmon Bay Eagles for the family of premier singer and entertainer, Mauva Belle, who passed away on May 20th in New Orleans of pancreatic cancer. She was only 49 years young. After spending three months in the hospital with no medical insurance, donations are being requested to help her family with the medical bills. Her husband, James White, will try to fly up from New Orleans to attend the benefit, and is very appreciative of the Seattle musical community coming together to celebrate the life of one of our own.

Mauva's CDs will be auctioned off, and musicians are welcome to sit in with Star Drums and Lady Keys. Some confirmed musical guests (at this date) include: Mike Lynch, Bruce Ransom, Gary Lee Johnson, Walter Young, Matt Clausen, and Lonnie Williams.

For more information, please contact:

Barbra Crain: bcbayou@comcast.net

Now wasn't that a party?!

KT & Jimmie Jean Benefit Show - 9/14/08 at the Salmon Bay Eagles Club

Our long time friends Jimie Jean and Kirk (KT) Tuttle were recently diagnosed respectively with pancreatic cancer and advanced liver disease. Like many American citizens, they are under-insured - KT is a veteran, so he can go to the VA, but Jimie doesn't have any insurance. I had been trying to get the OK from KT to throw a benefit for them, but he kept putting me off until Sheri Humphres interceded and we got the green light to proceed. Sheri is the organizational machine behind the successful annual Jam for Cans benefit hosted by her husband, saxophonist Raven Humphres.

The show went off without a hitch from 3:00 PM until 12:00 AM on September 14th at the Salmon Bay Eagles Club in Ballard. Nine bands (plus Uncle Ray Varner, Duffy Bishop, and Chris Carlson from Portland, OR) donated their time and talents to the show, and total collections (including cover charges, silent acution, food, and donations) amounted to about $8,000! I am sooo impressed with the love and generosity shown by everyone that participated in this event, including all you fans!!

Here's a special thanks shoutout to the following folks:

Sheri Humphres - The Woman Behind the Curtain
Don and the staff of the Salmon Bay Eagles Club
The Kitchen Crew - Spaghetti feed
Phil Chesnut - WBS print ad and event poster
Uncle Ray Varner - Master of Ceremonies
Conrad Ormsby - Backline drumset and floor monitor
Billy Reed - Backline keyboards
Tim Sherman and John Marshall - Backline guitar amps
Rob Moitoza - Backline bass amp and speakers
Little Bill & the Blue Notes
Sweet Talkin' Jones & the Muscletones
Nitelife
Chris Stevens' Surf Monkeys
Becki Sue & Her Big Rockin' Daddies (with John Marshall)
The Crossroads Band
The John Stephan Band (with John Marshall)
All Stars & No Stripes (with Duffy Bishop, Chris Carlson, and LJ Porter)
Paul Green & Straight Shot
Duffy Bishop & Chris Carlson

The band all came to play, and the standing room only crowd was treated to smokin' hot performances all around, including a memorable set by Duffy Bishop and Chris Carlson with All Stars & No Stripes. The day was really like a family reunion, with many musicians and fans getting reaquainted with each other, sometimes after many years. I just wish David Brewer could have been there!

Here's some photos from the show for ya'll:

Nitelife. Yep, that's Leslie "Star Drums" Milton! - Photo by Phil Chesnut.

MC Uncle Ray Varner and John Marshall. Photo by Phil Chesnut.

Sweet Talkin' Jones & the Muscletones

Chris Stevens' Surf Monkeys - Photo by Phil Chesnut.

Uncle Ray Varner and Duffy Bishop.

The show poster, created by Phil Chesnut.

Paul Green & Straight Shot - Photo by Phil Chesnut

Super blues fans Dave and Pam Konsa.

Vocalist LJ Porter and guitarists Fat James and Mark Whitman - Photo by Phil Chesnut.

Little Bill & the Blue Notes

The Kitchen Crew

John Lee and Steve Bailey from the Crossroads Band. Photo by Phil Chesnut.

The John Stephan Band with John Marshall - Photo by Phil Chesnut.

John Marshall and Becki Sue.

A lotta talent digging Sweet Talkin' Jones & the Muscletones.

The one and only Duffy Bishop and Chris Carlson. Photo by Phil Chesnut.

Guitar slingers Chris Stevens and Rod Cook.

Becki Sue & Her Big Rockin' Daddies with John Marshall - Photo by Phil Chesnut.

Jimie Jean & Kirk Tuttle Benefit - Update #1

Here's the band lineup for the Jimie Jean and Kirk Tuttle benefit scheduled for September 14th at the Salmon Bay Eagles Club in Seattle (I will fill you in on the actual appearance schedule in a later post):

• All Stars & No Stripes
• Mike Lynch & Nitelife
• Little Bill & the Bluenotes
• Sweet Talkin' Jones & the Muscletones
• The Crossroads Band
• The John Stephan Band
• Becki Sue & Her Big Rockin' Daddies
• Paul Green & Straight Shot
• Chris Stevens' Surf Monkeys

Can't attend the benefit? No problem! You can send checks to:

The Jimie Jean & Kirk Tuttle Benefit Fund
Wells Fargo Bank
2358 California Avenue SW
Seattle, WA 98116
Attn: Laine Rivera

It's gonna be a goon 'un - please come out and support this worthy cause!

Early Warning - September 14th Benefit

NW Blues fans - Please put September 14, 2008 on your calendars. Our long time friends, blues drummer Kirk "KT" Tuttle and his wife, Jimie Jean, the long time blues music coordinator (18+ years of Thursdays) at Seattle's Salmon Bay Eagles Club, are both battling severe health issues and need the help of our music community!

We are planning a benefit for KT and Jimie 0n September 14th, from 3:00 PM to 12:00 AM at the Eagles Club. We will have nine bands playing that day, about a gazillion jammers, plus food and a silent auction. Check back here for more details, including the band lineup, which should be finalized in a few days.

Here's some details about the gig:

Date; 9/14/08
The Salmon Bay Eagles Club
5216 20th Avenue NW
Seattle, WA 98107
206-783-7791
Showtime: 3:00 PM to 12:00 AM

Can't make the benefit? No problem - You can still send money to support this worthy cause.

Send checks to:

The Jimie Jean & Kirk Tuttle Benefit Fund
Wells Fargo Bank
2358 California Avenue SW
Seattle, WA 98116
Attn: Laine Rivera

Thanks in advance for your support!

Mike Lynch