Spirit of Contribution ....

It's not a new concept for musicians to use their music to raise cash for humanitarian crises or to raise awareness for specific causes. I read recently that after Mozart died, his family needed financial assistance which led prominent musicians of the day to perform his music in a concert to benefit the Mozart family. Some memorable charity fundraisers of our time have been popular artists during the 80's forming Band Aid to release the single record "Do They Know It's Christmas" which benefited Ethiopian famine, Farm Aid to assist struggling Midwestern farmers, the Hurricane Katrina disaster fund and numerous others.

Perhaps my favorite concert for charity is George Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh which is an incredible show that was held in August of 1971.... which was shortly after the Beatles broke up and I believe this might've been the first performance of "Beatle royalty" since the split.  George Harrison says in the C for B video that he was simply "helping a friend"  (Ravi Shankar) whose countrymen were in trouble.  George didn't think twice about putting together a star-studded concert in Madison Square Garden, playing to over 40,000 people and raising in the neighborhood of $230,000 for Bangladesh.  You can rent this video at your local library, but if you purchase it, monies still go to UNICEF to benefit the country.  The show contains great performances by Harrison, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell, Bob Dylan and Badfinger.

During the summer of 2010 Abby, Annie & I attended a concert of the most awesome Jack Johnson.  I was floored to learn that he donated 100% of the proceeds from tour profits to the Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation to Support Environmental, Art & Music Education Around the World.  Annie gave me a Jack Johnson album for Christmas and I noticed on the cover that 100% of the proceeds from album sales go to the foundation as well.  Well...I'm here to tell you, you just don't see that kind of generosity very often.  Check out more at www.allatonce.org .   I really like their motto:   An individual action, multiplied by millions, creates global change.

Recipe Records is pretty small time in comparison to major rock artists such as Jack Johnson or George Harrison.  But the spirit of contribution is the same.  I would like to lend a hand to a cause in my city, Evansville, Indiana:  Holly's House www.hollyshouse.org which is a child and adult advocacy center for victims of intimate crimes.  It is a safe location where victims can be interviewed in a more private manner than a public hospital or police station. Victims are assisted through a network of public agencies working as a team to make sure victims are assisted properly and receive refuge and counsel. The professionals associated with this home are great visionaries who have organized this center and funded it completely from donations of time, talent and money.  I repeat... it runs completely on donations folks.

The co-founder of the home, Holly Dunn Pendleton, a native of Evansville is the only known survivor of the Railroad Serial Killer.  This brave young woman survived an attack that nearly took her life and she rose from the experience to create a center which has quickly benefited hundreds of abuse victims.  I toured the center and was very moved by the innovative methods used to comfort victims and allow them to retain their dignity and pride during a situation that can rob them of innocence.  My ultimate wish is that centers like this would never be necessary for children or women, but if they must exist.... then Holly's House is setting the bar for how victims should be assisted.

I'd like to recommend that you purchase Recipe Records, which will proudly contribute 50% of book sales to Holly's House.  The books can be purchased at the Holly's House location or on my website.  I will eventually have a spot on the website to order the book for Holly's House, but until then, just mention in the shipping instructions Holly's House and I'll make sure a donate of $10 for each book goes to the center.  My website is www.reciperecords.webs.com   books retail for $19.95 - and I have plenty of them .... !

Peace & Rock & Roll,

Lanea Stagg
Recipe Records
Evansville, Indiana
www.reciperecords.webs.com
www.rockblocks3.blogspot.com
reciperecordsml@aol.com