The healing power of music will be on display in Cochrane tomorrow night, as the warm tones of Michael Averill ring out in support of the Alberta Children’s Hospital.
The benefit performance is set to run March 28 at Legacy Guitar and Coffee House. Doors will open at 7 p.m., with singer-songwriter Averill taking the stage at 8 p.m.
Proceeds from the event will support Hockey Marathon for the Kids — an 11-day hockey game played to raise money for the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation and Southern Alberta Flood Relief.
“The Alberta Children’s Hospital is such an important place — we’re so fortunate,” said Louisa Neufeld, organizer of the March 28 benefit concert. “Any illness is awful but when children are ill, it really hits home.”
Neufeld hopes the concert collects $1,000 for the hockey marathon.
The hockey-playing cause, which will run May 4-14 at the Chestermere Rec Centre, is aiming to raise $2 million. The majority of funds will benefit the children’s hospital.
In addition to the performance, concertgoers will have plenty of opportunities to donate, including a silent auction. Anyone interested in donating an item for the auction can contact Neufeld at [email protected].
Gracing the stage of the coffee-sipping venue will be the folk sounds of Vancouver’s Averill.
Travelling through Alberta with his guitar and a kick drum, the musician said he couldn’t turn down the spontaneous opportunity to support Hockey Marathon for the Kids.
“It’s something I can relate to,” said Averill, who has a background in exercise physiology and competitive sports. “It enhances the experience a little bit when you can think about what you’re playing for. It becomes more than money.”
The singer-songwriter is no stranger to raising awareness. Upon the release of his 2013 album I’d Rather Walk, Averill kicked off a walking tour, stopping to play and visit in towns Canada-wide. The trek was two-fold for Averill: he was encouraging Canadians to be active, while healing from the loss of a family member.
“I wanted to share my music and connect with people across the country,” he remarked. “But it’s taken me by surprise how much music heals — I used to feel like the world was ending when I talked about important stuff. People are more inclined to talk when the conversation is in musical form.”
I’d Rather Walk is a collection of songs inspired by his father Garry — a singer-songwriter who was making a name on the Canadian music scene in the mid-’70s. Ultimately, Garry put his career on the backburner. He died a few years ago.
“This pursuit — I’ve learned so much about my Dad and my family history,” he said. “And through the stories I’ve heard about my father, I’ve learned about myself.”
Tickets for the family-friendly fundraising concert are $20 and can be purchased at Legacy Guitar and Coffee House.
