The Talking Stick in Venice

I had the honor of sharing the bill with Jude Johnstone and Gretchen Peters last Saturday at the Talking Stick in Venice, California. The event was a benefit for the Alzheimer's Foundation, and over two thousand dollars was raised during the evening. (You should know that I was the only one tasteless enough to make an actual Alzheimer's joke about remembering lyrics. What can I say.)

Anybody who is not familiar with these two outstanding artists should be. They both have written hit songs out the wazoo, for the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, and on and on. Their discography is enough to keep you humble, believe me. And they each have released multiple outstanding albums of their own material. They are compelling, gifted, and seasoned performers. 

The Talking Stick is a legitimate coffee house in Venice... so legitimate you can hear the grinder making up cafe lattes and such as you perform. But the audience is attentive, and appreciative, and in the end, giving.

Mark Islam was responsible for the event. He runs a non-profit organization called Grassroots Acoustica, whose sole purpose is to raise money for charity. Mark is an accomplished singer/songwriter himself, in addition to being a wonderful host and organizer. He has been responsible for raising money for multiple charities through the years, benefiting the homeless, the downtrodden, and the misunderstood, among others. He is, in a nutshell, a gentle, caring and giving soul.

Sometimes, in this world in which so much is wrong, it is a privilege to be involved in something that is so unequivocally right.