Give Love Give Life Benefit Concert
Santa Fe, NM - The organizers of the September benefit concert for Give Love Give Life, a nonprofit started by poet, recording artist, actor and activist John Trudell, were recently notified that Kris Kristofferson will be unable to perform in Santa Fe because of a medical emergency. In a true testament to the dedication and intention of those involved with the event, renowned singer/songwriter Jackson Browne has arranged his schedule to take Kristofferson's place. Browne, along with John Trudell and his band, Bad Dog, will perform at the Lensic Theater on September 26, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. to benefit three New Mexico women's health organizations. Premium tickets will provide access to a special event at Vanessie of Santa Fe, also on September 26, where participants may meet the performers and discuss their commitment to women's health as a cornerstone to healthy and vibrant communities.
Tickets are available through the Lensic Performing Arts Center Box Office: www.ticketssantafe.org or 505.988.1234.
Kristofferson offered an apology in an official statement from his home: "Over a year ago John Trudell asked me to do a concert with him to benefit Give Love Give Life. I have been looking forward to this Santa Fe show all year. John has long been a true friend and hero of mine for his tireless work on behalf of his fellow man (and women and children). I've just learned I need an urgent eye surgery to preserve vision in one eye and must cancel my appearance. I hope to fully recover and perform for Give Love Give Life in the near future. My apologies to all at Give Love Give Life, who have been so understanding, and my thanks to another hero and friend, Jackson Browne for stepping up and saving the day."
Browne has written and performed some of the most literate and moving songs in popular music and has defined a genre of songwriting charged with honesty, emotion and personal politics. He has been honored with inductions into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. As influential and enduring as his music is Browne's legacy as an advocate for social and environmental justice. In 2007 he received the Chapin-World Hunger Year Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award. In 2004 Jackson was granted an honorary Doctorate of Music by Occidental College in Los Angeles, for a "remarkable
music musical career that has successfully combined an intensely personal artistry with a broader vision of social justice." In 2002 he was the fourth recipient of the John Steinbeck Award, given to artists whose works exemplify the environmental and social values that were essential to the great Californiaborn author.
The concert is sponsored by Give Love, Give Life, an organization founded by John Trudell and the late Marcheline Bertrand to raise awareness about the lack of affordable healthcare for women and children in our communities. Give Love Give Life has a special focus on fighting ovarian cancer, a disease that kills 30,000 women every year in the United States. In only one day 200 women will be diagnosed with gynecologic cancer. Galvanized by the loss of a loved one, John Trudell asked "How high does the body count have to go before we call this an epidemic? In a coherent, thinking society, we would recognize there is a cancer epidemic in this country. In a clear thinking society we would take responsibility rather than remain in denial about the seriousness of the issue. It's time to do something good for women."
All proceeds from the concert will go to support Women's Health Services, Tewa Women United and Young Women United. Women's Health Services (WHS), a non-profit health care provider, is the oldest and largest women-focused primary care practice in Santa Fe. For 30 years, WHS has provided superior health care for Northern New Mexico women and has tirelessly championed the need for research and clinical application of gender specific health care. WHS has been federally designated as one of twelve National Community Centers of Excellence in Women's Health. Established in 1989, Tewa Women United (TWU) is an independent, womencentered and Native women-run non-profit organization located within the Northern Pueblos of New Mexico. It started as a gathering of Pueblo women who believed in the inherent power of the Tewa woman and who felt the need to enhance that strength through a circle of trust, love, hope, forgiveness and sharing.
Young Women United is an organization created by and for young women of color in Albuquerque. Young Women United brings women together to support each other, educate themselves, and take action to build health and strength. They also work to reduce violence against women in their communities. Young Women United plays a strong role in legislative and political organizing in New Mexico.
The concert has been organized and produced by Olders Productions, a group of longtime New Mexican volunteers and friends dedicated to women's community health issues. Event sponsors include Vanessie of Santa Fe, Garrett's Desert Inn, Hotel Santa Fe, Lensic Performing Arts Center, McCune Charitable Foundation, The Santa Fe Reporter, New Mexico Community Foundation, Cancer Care Associates of NM, Christus St. Vincent Hospital, Bioneers and Con Alma Foundation. Community partners include International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), and BODY of Santa Fe. To arrange interviews with the John Trudell, or to request high-resolution photos for publication, please contact Jai Lakshman at Olders Productions, 505.920.2870 or jlaksnm@yahoo.com. For more information about Give Love Give Life, the special reception, beneficiaries and sponsors visit www.SantaFeGiveLove.com.
To purchase tickets, please visit www.ticketssantafe.org or call 505.988.1234.
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