A second fund-raiser has been scheduled for May 27th in California ... featuring headliners Bonnie Raitt, Leon Russell and Ivan Neville. Dennis Tufano will also be on board and several special "guest" musicians are also expected to attend and perform.
Vintage Vinyl News is reporting ...
The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, CA will be the home of three music greats on May 27 as they put on a benefit for legendary studio musician Marty Grebb.
Bonnie Raitt, Leon Russell and Ivan Neville will perform to raise money for Grebb, who has been fighting cancer for some time. The show is in conjunction with the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund with proceeds used for medical bills and living expenses.
According to a show announcement, Grebb "has already undergone numerous cancer-related medical treatments and surgeries, and the charges that are not covered by Medicare have exhausted his ability to pay with his income as a working musician."
Also on the bill are James "Hutch" Hutchinson, Jim Keltner, Johnny Lee Schell, Rick Braun and a number of others plus more special guests are expected to be announced.
Grebb was raised in Chicago and took up piano at eight, saxophone at ten and, later, guitar. In 1966, he joined the Buckinghams as their keyboard player and went on to play with the Fabulous Rhinestones, Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield.
As a session musician, Grebb has played with a who's who of artists including Raitt, Russell, Olivia Newton-John, Roger McGuinn, Maria Muldaur, Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson, Rosanne Cash and Buddy Guy.
Regarding this week's Chicagoland "kick-off" concert, Dennis Tufano adds ...
Getting together on stage for one night with all of Chicago’s legends of
the 60’s is truly a gas!
It will be a “live jukebox” of Chicago 60’s hits and for the first time
ever, I believe, all on the same show!
It’s a gift back to the fans in Chicago to get a taste of every song
they helped make popular and it will generate much needed funds for a very
special Chicago Musician and friend, Marty Grebb.
The most exciting moment for me was when we saw "Kind Of A Drag" in
Billboard at #1 with a BULLET!!!!! Everything that followed was super
cool, too, but that moment was FAR OUT, GROOVY and OUT OF SIGHT! And the
beginning of a long and wild ride in music.
Chicago musicians, fans, friends, family and Ron Onesti have all stepped
up to make this an historic event for Chicago music lovers. It’s all hard work
from many people … but WHAT A PAYOFF!!!
Thank you for your support on this event. You rock hard, my friend!
See you all there!!!
Dennis Tufano
Carl Giammarese concurs ... man, what a night this is going to be!!!
Hi Kent,
Carl Giammarese concurs ... man, what a night this is going to be!!!
Hi Kent,
When Dennis Tufano contacted me to participate in the benefit for Marty,
immediately I was all in. We were all like brothers back in the day ... we shared
a common goal, with all its success and failure, and experiences ... like I said,
we were brothers. I am confident the May 7th concert will help Marty so that he
can get all the medical treatment he needs.
On a happy and positive note, it will be an exciting evening to bring so
much Chicago talent together on the same stage. As far as I'm concerned, there
was nothing like the Chicago music scene in the 60's, with so many great bands
and talented musicians. Our concert will be special for me to once again share
the stage with Marty, Dennis and Nick for this one time only concert. Also
special is to have Danny Seraphine joining us on drums ... he is a tremendous
talent.
Thinking back to I believe it was the end of 1966 when we asked Marty Grebb
to join The Buckinghams. At the time, he was in a band called the Exceptions with
Peter Cetera when we asked him to join us. The Exceptions were an exceptional
band. They covered everything from The Beatles and Beach Boys to James Brown and
everything in between. The Buckinghams already had a # 1 hit with Kind Of A
Drag, so I think it was a no brainer to join us, ha. Marty immediately added a
dimension to our sound. His musicianship was far ahead of the rest of us, so it
was a welcome addition. When you look back through the years at his
accomplishments and who he has performed with, you understand how great a
musician he is.
I could ramble on, but I'll stop by saying its gonna be an exceptional and
special evening without losing sight of what this night is all about, and that
is we all hope and pray for Marty's health. He has a lot more music to give us,
God willing.
Carl Giammarese
Do NOT miss this concert!!! A limited number of seats are still available through The Arcada Theatre Box Office ... order your tickets online at www.oshows.com!!!
And this just in!!!
FH Reader Clark Besch tells us that he's been working with Cary Mansfield (ALSO a Forgotten Hits list member) of Varese Sarabande Records ... and that together, they're putting the finishing touches on what promises to be the ultimate Buckinghams Hit Singles package right now ...
Do NOT miss this concert!!! A limited number of seats are still available through The Arcada Theatre Box Office ... order your tickets online at www.oshows.com!!!
And this just in!!!
FH Reader Clark Besch tells us that he's been working with Cary Mansfield (ALSO a Forgotten Hits list member) of Varese Sarabande Records ... and that together, they're putting the finishing touches on what promises to be the ultimate Buckinghams Hit Singles package right now ...
Kent,
A new exclusive for Forgotten Hits Readers!
Over the last two months, I've worked with Varese Sarabande Records' Cary Mansfield on a project that could be announced before the benefit for Marty Grebb this week. It's been awhile since the Buckinghams' singles have all been in print on CD, but that will change soon.
Varese will be releasing "The Buckinghams: The Complete Hit Singles" on CD early this summer. Taken from the original master tapes, this CD will have all 15 original "A" sides of the band's USA Records and Columbia Records singles. Not only will it include all of the national hits by the band, but also the local Chicago hits that were released on USA Records as well as the later Columbia singles that were just as exciting as the big hits, but lost out to the psychedelic music generation.
Cary Mansfield has LONG been a fan of Chicago 60's music and has veteran Steve Massie mastering the project that will include a booklet featuring new previously unpublished photos of the group in their heyday. For me, it will be a full circle occurrence. Cary asked me to write the liner notes for Varese Vintage's very first 60's compilation CD in 1993, "Bend Me, Shape Me: The Best of the American Breed." He's letting me reprise the role 22 years later for the Buckinghams CD. These Chicago bands have always been my greatest loves in music and I am thrilled to be a part of this project.
I know the Marty Grebb tribute will be a great event and I wish I were going to be with you all. Marty was a phenomenal part of the Bucks' success. During their time with Columbia, Marty wrote or co-wrote more of their recorded songs than anyone else. Many will know Marty only for his work with the Buckinghams, but his work previously with the super group, the Exception, as well as his work with the Fabulous Rhinestones in the 70's are well worth seeking out, as well. Good luck to Marty in the future and I hope all have a great time at this event.
Over the last two months, I've worked with Varese Sarabande Records' Cary Mansfield on a project that could be announced before the benefit for Marty Grebb this week. It's been awhile since the Buckinghams' singles have all been in print on CD, but that will change soon.
Varese will be releasing "The Buckinghams: The Complete Hit Singles" on CD early this summer. Taken from the original master tapes, this CD will have all 15 original "A" sides of the band's USA Records and Columbia Records singles. Not only will it include all of the national hits by the band, but also the local Chicago hits that were released on USA Records as well as the later Columbia singles that were just as exciting as the big hits, but lost out to the psychedelic music generation.
Cary Mansfield has LONG been a fan of Chicago 60's music and has veteran Steve Massie mastering the project that will include a booklet featuring new previously unpublished photos of the group in their heyday. For me, it will be a full circle occurrence. Cary asked me to write the liner notes for Varese Vintage's very first 60's compilation CD in 1993, "Bend Me, Shape Me: The Best of the American Breed." He's letting me reprise the role 22 years later for the Buckinghams CD. These Chicago bands have always been my greatest loves in music and I am thrilled to be a part of this project.
I know the Marty Grebb tribute will be a great event and I wish I were going to be with you all. Marty was a phenomenal part of the Bucks' success. During their time with Columbia, Marty wrote or co-wrote more of their recorded songs than anyone else. Many will know Marty only for his work with the Buckinghams, but his work previously with the super group, the Exception, as well as his work with the Fabulous Rhinestones in the 70's are well worth seeking out, as well. Good luck to Marty in the future and I hope all have a great time at this event.
-- Clark
