A Tucson-based community group has a huge benefit show lined up in the wake of the Laughner shootings.
Jackson Browne, Alice Cooper, David Crosby & Graham Nash, Sam Moore, Nils Lofgren, Keb' Mo', Jerry Riopelle, Dar Williams, Ozomatli, and Calexico are all signed up to play Tucson Convention Center on Thursday, March 10.
Money raised by the show will go to the non-profit Community Foundation for Southern Arizona's newly established Fund for Civility, Respect, and Understanding.
The cash will be used to support people affected by the January 8 shooting, an assassination on Tucson Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, and "promote civility and respect in public discourse, schools, and the community." as well as working "to increase awareness of mental health symptoms, prevention and treatment services."
All very, very worthy goals.
Legendary Phoenix promoter Danny Zelisko is behind this show along with Cooper, who lives here and will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame just a few days later.
There will also be speakers, including Ron Barber, who was among those wounded on January 8, as well as Gifford's husband, Astronaut Mark Kelly.
The Tucson-based Fund for Civility, Respect, and Understanding was initially set up with contributions from the family of Barber.
"When I was in the ICU, I thought a lot about what it would take to help our community heal and unify," Barber said via a news release. "There was a huge outpouring of goodwill, kindness and compassion after the shooting, such a contrast to what happened that day. My family and I wanted to find a way to harness that goodwill to do meaningful things in the community. In the short term, we can help those whose lives were affected on January 8. In the long term, we will work toward improving awareness of mental health issues and services and changing the tone of how we interact with each other in our schools, our communities, and in public policy discussions."
Tickets go on sale tomorrow, Saturday February 19, at noon via Ticketmaster.
