Benefit Number Two for our friend Harry Gale and family.
Harry Gale Go Fund me:
Sunday January 12th was our second benefit to help in the support for our friend Harry Gale and his lovely family. Exactly four months ago, on September 12, 2024, the unexpected happened to the Gale family and Harry suffered a massive stroke. During most of the last four months Harry has been in a coma. During November 2024 both of his children, Issy and Nick, have turned another year older and Harry turned 60 - all from his hospital bed.
If you don't know Harry Gale...apart from being a very devoted family man, he is also a talented guitarist, music lover and owner of Route 44, a boutique Sonoma County Music Studio. Harry has worked with literally hundreds of musicians over the past 35+ years since he moved out west from his hometown in New York.
This past Sunday, my friend and former workmate, Andre de Channes and I organized a benefit for the support for Harry Gale to help raise funds for his ongoing medical expenses and help for his family. A couple of months ago we were also a part of a larger team that put one on in November. Both were a huge success.
This one took place at one of our favorite local music venues, the HopMonk Tavern in Sebastopol. Both times there were more than enough volunteers to wrangle to perform. Last time musicians that don't usually play together all participated onstage throughout the day. As well as a silent auction to help raise funds. This time we wanted to focus on the music alone and did not have an auction but what we did offer is FUN with a capital F, and three epic bands. It turned into a true "FUNdraiser".
Andre de Channes and I had previously worked together for a decade at Wine Country Radio. After the last benefit we saw that the Gale family would need ongoing help so we
decided to organize this benefit and keep it focused on music. I asked three of the bands to donate their time and talents to give the county a dance party to help in the ongoing support for Harry and family. And we did!
Before the day of the event, the lead up was filled with daily radio promos mostly conducted by the lovely Doug Jayne at KRCB 104.9fm. Doug has been a dear friend of Harrys' for years and he's been doing whatever he can for the cause, both now and for the benefit last November. And personally, I think Doug is one of the finest humans you'd ever want to meet, as is his lovely wife, Barrett. I also asked David Gross, (another former workmate of mine at the Krush) to provide some shout outs and PSAs for us on the Krush. A big thank you to both Doug and David for their kindness in helping to get the message out for these events. Doug at KRCB had someone in his studio on his show nearly everyday leading up to the benefit. Tuesday, The Musers were on Dougs' show, Wednesday David Noble from PTI had a phoner with Doug, Thursday Spike was on, and Friday Andre and I were guests on Dougs' show. We got to spin Harrys' music and discuss the bands playing at the HopMonk. As I am in close contact with Harrys' wife Annie. I asked Annie to have the radio that is next to Harry in the hospital switched on at the time during Dougs' show and we got to 'talk to Harry' through the airwaves. Annie was texting me telling me that Harry is definitley responding to our conversation about him and his music. That was a tremedous bump in all our moods to know that Harry was indeed hearing us and reacting to our talking about him on the air!
The day of the show came and we had sold 80 tickets in advance. Most people bought tickets at the door and by the time the attendees were all in, the room was packed and near capacity-170 tickets sold! We were all so elated that it had such a great turn out and everyone seemed to be having such a great evening of fantastic music and lotsa love!
The Musers opened up with a slightly different twist to their normal set and spiced up the folky americana driven set list with some rockier tunes, by introducing Musers' versions of a Jackson Five tune and a Led Zeppelin anthem. And with Megan Mclauglin on strings and lead vocals, Leslie Jackson on strings, percussion and cajon, and Tom Kuhn on standup bass...they performed an amazing set and got the attendees well warmed up for what was to come next that evening. The members of The Musers are all super talented, kind hearted musicians and it shows every time they play! Then, Pardon the Interruption took the stage.
All rockstars, with David Noble on lead vocals and guitar, Rob Hooper on drums, Rob Fordyce on bass, and Jamison Smeltz on sax, these guys provided us with enough dance music to keep us moving! Pardon the Interruption, (PTI) is a band that can even get the most sedentary up and moving! With sounds from the 70s, 80s and 90s and original tunes that are so good you'd think you've heard them before. Excellent musicians, and top notch original music. I adore this band. And where else can you hear original ska to rockin R&B, and I even heard something sounding like a perfect Jamiroquai sound in the set! And all the guys are great people as a nice bonus. Tonight they had an added secret sauce, Adam Bernie on keys. After PTI's insanely energetic set, Spike Sikes and His Awesome Hotcakes took the packed crowd to an even higher place. Although The Musers and PTI were both tough acts to follow, Spike Sikes and his Hotcakes are always a big beautiful delicious main meal if they were on the menu in a restaurant. They deliver high energy indescribable original music that is an undefinable genre but its definitley music to move by. If you close your eyes, Spikes' voice is nearly identical to Van Morrison but with a human kindness that is nothing like that of Morrisons. On a personal note, I've had the pleasure of getting to know Spike in the last year and I can honestly say he is one of the nicest people I have had the pleasure of knowing. We have spent time working together at numerous events. We worked a party together a few months ago, and have done radio segments and gigs together many times. I got to know his music and I am definitly now a fan of both his music and his human kindness. He is also the one who contacted me the morning of Harrys' stroke to let me know. His Awesome Hotcakes include, Mingo (I call him 'the octopus') Lewis Jr on percussion, Tracy Rose on drums, Mark Milazzo on bass, Ray Fernandez on sax, George Humphreys on keys, Rick Clifford on sax, Tony Davids on trombone and last year before Harry had the stroke he also played in Spikes band on guitar. The Music Soup published a review of one of their shows last year and goes deeper here: https://www.themusicsoup.com/post/the-unique-sound-of-spike-sikes-and-his-awesome-hotcakes
"The Village" showing up to absolutely pack the Abbey at the HopMonk was so heartwarming. The morning of the show Andre and I were crossing our fingers that people would attend...and attend they did, only a few bodies short of the room at capacity! It was an amazing, fun evening filled with fantastic music and an energy we rarely get to experience. The musicians were all so generous with their time and kindness. So many open hearts came out to support the Gale Family. It turned out to be a most beautiful event. Thanks to all who attended and a big heartfelt thank you to the 15 muscians who donated their time and talent to making this a day to remember. Some day I will show Harry the video and photos of this event and all who came out to support he and Annie with their love of the Gale family and music and of our beautiful music community. As always, remember..."Life is so very very short...forgive quickly, always apologize, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, break the rules, have the hard conversation today cause you may not get the opportunity tomorrow, be kind to each other, never regret anything that made you smile"..... And of course, listen to music and always turn up the volume!
With peace, love, art and music,
The Music Soup ☮ ❤️🎵
© Cheryl Alterman Photography 2025
© Cheryl Alterman Photography 2025
Comments