Music Aid Northwest
"...doing something for a good cause…" Article written by Arny Bailey Back to Cover
You can’t talk about Pacific _______
Northwest cover bands without mentioning Shelly and the Curves (http://www.curvesband.com/ ). Bob and Shelly Tomberg perform in and manage the act, who have performed just about everywhere and for just about everyone. You know them, have heard them or at the very least heard OF them unless you’ve had your head in a closet for the past decade. _
That said, did you know that they oversee a non-profit organization called Music Aid Northwest that has to date raised over $50,000.00 through music endeavors?
It all started a few years ago while performing at a New Years Eve party for the Seafair Pirates. Guests and friends Alan White (drummer for Yes, John Lennon and others) and wife Gigi
Shelly and the Curves.
suggested they set up a collection box for victims of the Tsunami. “I thought that was a great idea, as did the Pirates,” says Bob. “Gigi made a box and that night we collected about $200.”
“We found that doing something for a good cause just made us feel good. We got together with another friend, David Harris (HTS Audio - and music festival organizer) and put on a Tsunami Aid concert with CARE as the beneficiary. This time we raised $10,000!”
Following this event, Alan White responded, "I am honored to be a part of Music Aid Northwest helping to bring relief to the victims of the Tsunami disaster. Music heals and through music I hope we can spread awareness and encourage people to get involved. These people need our help now and well into the future so we hope everyone will come out for an evening of great entertainment and help support this cause."
Liking the combination of music and philanthropy, Bob, Shelley & the other founding members got serious, applied and were granted nonprofit (501 (c) 3) status with the IRS that same year. When Rita and Katrina hit the U.S. coast, they put together another concert and raised nearly $26,000!
In addition to these major events, Music Aid Northwest has raised money through special musical _______
performances for Music Cares NW, and the Redmond Teen Center where Mike Hukabee performed with Alan White! “The money raised by Music Aid Northwest and donated to MusiCares helps support a health and human services safety-net for members of the Pacific Northwest music community in crisis situations. It is the generous donations and hard works of organizations like M.A.N that help musicians survive hard times.” __
MAN - More Music at the Moore Event.reports Ben London, Executive Director of The Recording Academy, Pacific Northwest Chapter.
“We began searching for a cause closer to home and our board member and current vice president, Reek Havok (Pointer Sisters, Motley Crue) suggested a music license plate project,” says Bob. This latest project is a self supporting fund-raising proposal to support music programs through sales of a distinct new vehicle license plate available through the Washington State Department of Licensing. Through the license plate endeavor, Music Aid Northwest hopes to invest in children’s musical education.
In order to make this new project a reality, Music Aid Northwest is embarking
on a signature campaign to garner the 3,500 signatures required __
to bring the project before the State Legislature for approval as well as raise $35,000.00 needed for initial license plate development costs.
“Reek’s daughter, Bernadette, designed the current prototype and we have all been working to provide a permanent way to fund music education that is not at the mercy of the legislators budget cuts,” explains Bob. If approved, the new license ____
plates are hoped to raise $200,000.00 per year and a whopping $400,000.00 in matching funds.
A specialty concert, “Music Matters” was held on Sunday, October 14, 2007 at the Upstage Theatre, in Port Townsend to benefit the Specialty License Plate Project. The event featured the legendary Alan White; American Scholars, a youth punk pop/rock band from Sequim; award ___
MAN - Music Matters Concert in Port Townsend.winning tenor vocalist Tony LaStella performing with Port Hadlock youth vocalist Arielle Hallinan; a progressive house music spinning session, featuring Mark Naficy, NAF Productions, Inc., and Dave Airborne, aka, 2002 Chimacum High School graduate, David Turissini. Shelley Tomberg, lead singer of Shelley and the Curves, and Reek Havok, known for his pioneering work in electronic percussion and studio electronics, also attended.
To download the signature form for the License Plate Project, got to http://musicplates.org/downloads.html . Also, to make a donation to this worthwhile cause, go to the home page at http://www.musicaidnorthwest.org/ and join MAN. There are different levels of membership and opportunities to contribute!
“I would like to invite all of your readers to join Music Aid Northwest (MAN). It is free and they can do it on the website!” says Bob who feels that MAN could be the galvanizing organization for local musicians…a way to get together for a good cause. “Maybe we’ll even put on a giant jam session!”
ARNY BAILEY
Click here for printable Music Aid Northwest brochure
MEET THE WRITER - ARNY BAILEY
President of In Form, Inc. Media Design and Chief Editor of Weekend Musician is a licensed architect practicing in the Pacific Northwest and weekend musician currently fronting ABOUT FACE, a classic rock cover band and The Grand Delusion a Tribute to the music of Styx and Journey.
