Bruce Mandel: Blog

     I just want to say thanks to everyone who had the opportunity and made the effort to be at the "A Concert For Loved Ones In Haiti" last night at The Colonial Theatre.  

     It was a smashing success with fund raising goals being met and surpassed!  Johnny Irion and Sarah Lee Guthrie did a great job getting this event together. 100% of the net proceeds are going to the United Nations Foundation's Help us Help in Time: Central Emergency Response Fund.  Over $20,000.00.

     It was a wonderful evening with many magical musical moments! (please excuse the excessive alliteration here!).

     Doing things to help others, like "A Concert For Loved Ones In Haiti", or going to Hailti to help out those in need really feeds the souls and spirits of all of those involved.  Whether you are one who is giving, or one who is receiving.   

     I think I speak for all of us who performed last night when I say that the heart and love we put into our art becomes a whole new "thing" when there is a purpose like "Concert For Loved Ones In Haiti".  It becomes bigger than all of us.  The greatest reward for us as Artists, is to know that what we do has touched someone and effected their life.  In the case of last night, not only did we reach out for fellow Human Beings in dire need, but along the way, we reached a theater full of caring and supportive folks.  And you know what, as if that is not enough, on top of this, all of us musicians got to hang out and put our voices together at the same time, on the same stage.

     How often do we get to do that?  Speaking for myself, not enough. 

     So thanks to Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion, The Guthrie Family, Martin Sexton, Erin McKeown, Tift Merritt, Meg Hutchinson, Kris Delmhorst, Jay Unger and Molly Mason, The Mammals and, of course, Bobby Sweet and The BSweet Band (Pete Adams and Rick Leab, who I have the pleasure of playing with often but not often enough) for joining together on so many different levels!