Benefit for Haiti

Last week was sort of a whirlwind for me.  I was working in NYC, preparing for an event that honored last year’s greatest business authors and their publishers.  It happened to coincide with a concert that two of my friends were playing as part of the New York Guitar Festival.  Chris Rosenau, from Collections of Colonies of Bees, and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver crafted two wonderful scores for two Charlie Chaplin films.  It was a pleasure to listen to this music and watch such exciting yet utterly human visual stories.  I’m glad to hear they’ll be releasing this music along with the films so that the whole world has the opportunity to experience it.

The following night, I met these two for some drinks, and it so happened that some other friends had arrived in town.  Justin then asked if I would be interested in playing in an ad hoc group the following night, with him, Brad Cook, and others.  It was for a benefit concert for Haiti.

The company I work for had made a contribution to a Hatian relief fund, but I was interested in the idea of taking part personally, and figured this was a good way to do it.  “What will we play?” That question started an involved conversation about some pretty fantastic ideas – surreal, in fact.  But what ended up happening is perhaps even more strange than any of those ideas.  For the first time in my life (and quite likely the last), I found myself on the stage of a sold out Williamsburg Hall of Music playing songs by Neil Young, Tom Petty, Annie Lenox, and yes, Dolly Parton.  Though Zach Galifianakis opened the show, I’m betting there are some people who will find the idea of me playing Tom Petty one of the funniest things they’ve heard in awhile.

Here we are: Annie (St. Vincent), Brad (Megafaun), Justin (Bon Iver/Volcano Choir), and me playing Dolly Parton’s “Jolene.” Here’s to Haiti!