Rockin’ With Spirit concert with The Marshall Tucker Band June 16 at Stone Pony to benefit Spirit of a Child Foundation

Some music fans and supporters of charitable causes will be traveling from Southern and New England states to join hundreds of others at the Rockin' With Spirit concert featuring The Marshall Tucker Band on June 16 at the Stone Pony to benefit the Spirit of a Child Foundation. 

The appearance by The Marshall Tucker Band, one of the major Southern rock bands of the ‘70s with hits such as “Heard It In a Love Song,” “Fire On The Mountain,” “Can’t You See,” and “Take The Highway,” will be their first in Asbury Park in 12 years.  They will be joined at the Rockin’ With Spirit benefit concert by the Nick Clemons Band and Donovan Chapman and Band.  Radio personality Chris Varacchi of 105.7 The Hawk will be master of ceremonies.

Formed in Spartanburg, South Carolina in 1971, The Marshall Tucker Band’s style combines rock, country and jazz.  The group issued their 38th album, "Live! From Spartanburg, South Carolina / The South Carolina Music Hall of Fame Concert" on May 28.  Four of their albums have attained Platinum and five Gold sales status.

“After being around for over 40 years, it is an honor and gives us great pleasure to support the Spirit of a Child Foundation and the families they help,” said The Marshall Tucker Band founding member and lead singer Doug Gray.  “Giving back to these organizations is the least we can do for the people who have been our family and friends for all these years.  Looking forward to seeing old friends and our new families there.    

“I have been watching the devastation in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. If this had been Myrtle Beach, Charleston or any of our coastlines we would be so sad to lose family, memories and property,” Gray wrote on Facebook three days after Superstorm Sandy struck last autumn, shortly before The Marshall Tucker Band’s semi-truck full of relief supplies headed north.  “I have donated and will continue to work to help these people, many of which I know and love. They not only have supported the band forever but also support our beaches and South Carolina by visiting and having homes here.“

Shortly before hosting President Barack Obama, Asbury Park Mayor Ed Johnson said, "I am pleased to support the Spirit of a Child Foundation and look forward to attending the Rockin' With Spirit benefit concert at the Stone Pony. Their work is critical to our overall efforts to rebuild the spirit and hope of our children and families after Superstorm Sandy. This past year we learned the importance of working together to support each other in our time of need. We learned that together, we as a community - our children and families - are Stronger Than Any Storm!"

“The Stone Pony was chosen to host the event in order to help bring business back to the local economy of the Sandy-savaged Jersey shore,” said Spirit of a Child Foundation President Sharon Wynn, a former resident of Wall.

The Rockin’ With Spirit event will help fund the Spirit of a Child Foundation’s 2013 Parent-Child Project, a nature retreat for low-income families to participate in environmental education and activities that require family members to work together and build healthy communication skills on July 26-28 at NorthBay Adventure Camp in Elk Neck State Park, Maryland.

“The criterion for the participating families is that they are in a situation of financial hardship, such as a parent living with cancer, a family living in extreme poverty or a military family adversely affected by combat who may suffer from a physical or emotional injury, including post-traumatic stress disorder or a loss of a parent,” said Wynn.

If the Spirit of a Child Foundation meets its fundraising goals with the Rockin’ With Spirit concert event, 10 families will explore and learn about the ecology of the Chesapeake Bay wetlands, which includes access to hiking trails within Elk Neck State Park. They will also experience the highest ropes course in Maryland, a newly-constructed low ropes course, 500-foot zip lines over the Chesapeake Bay, and an indoor and outdoor rock climbing wall.  In addition, the foundation will sponsor a country music concert during the weekend.

This year, the Spirit of a Child Foundation has sought families in dire need of help because of Superstorm Sandy from Operation Homefront Tri-State, which serves New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut, and from UrbanPromise in Camden, New Jersey to attend the Parent-Child Project.   

VIP packages that include passes to a pre-concert reception party, a meet and greet opportunity with the performers, and two tickets to the evening's concert are still available.  Meet and greet packages that include concert tickets and an opportunity to meet the performers afterwards are also available.  For more information, and to purchase tickets for the Rockin’ With Spirit benefit concert event, go to www.spiritofachild.org.

--Charley Bruns, Long Branch NJ