Great White Return to Stage - Band's first show since fire to benefit late guitarist's child

Rolling Stone ^ | March 28, 2003 | Gil Kaufman

[Timesink]

Great White Return to Stage

Band's first show since fire to benefit late guitarist's child

Ty Longley

Two months after a fire at their Rhode Island show claimed nearly 100 lives, Great White will regroup to play a benefit for the unborn child of late member Ty Longley. The thirty-one-year-old guitarist was killed in February 20th fire, which was caused by stage pyrotechnics.

The benefit, one of several worldwide, will take place April 29th at the Key Club in West Hollywood, California. The members of Great White -- Jack Russell, Mark Kendall, Eric Powers and Dave Filice -- will perform one as yet undetermined song.

"They're all going through a tough time, obviously," says Paul Woolnough, the president of the band's management company. "This will probably be the hardest song any of them have ever performed."

Proceeds from the show will go to the Ty Longley Memorial Fund, set up by Longley's parents to provide financial support to the child being carried by Longley's girlfriend, Heidi, as well as other victims' families and arts scholarships. Also on the bill are Eighties band XYZ and 5 Cent Shine, the group Longley was a member of prior to joining Great White. Woolnough says that more national acts will be added to the bill soon.

Great White members are also expected to be present, but not necessarily perform, at an April 17th benefit at the Hard Rock Cafe in Beverly Hills, California, which will benefit the Baby Longley Fund, specifically for Longley's unborn child. That show will feature Happenin' Harry and the Haptones, and Yuko Tamura, keyboardist in the Jack Russell Band.

An April 19th U.K. concert benefiting the Longley and Rhode Island Relief Funds is slated to feature a mix of original and heavy metal cover bands. Among the groups expected to play are Tygers of Pan Tang, Unleash, Blackfire, Tycho, In Extremis, Super08, Oliver Dawson Saxon, Dirty DC (an AC/DC tribute band), Stone Free (a Jimi Hendrix tribute), Ironically Maiden, Queen Rocks and Fake No More.

Black Knight records is preparing a May release for an album that will benefit the Ty Longley Memorial Fund called Ty Longley: Regular Guy. Woolnough said the album will contain two live Great White songs, an acoustic performance from frontman Jack Russell, songs by 5 Cent Shine, and "Vacation," the first song Longley recorded for Regular Guy, which was to be his solo debut.

Contributions can be sent to:

Ty Longley Memorial Fund
c/o City National Bank
400 N. Roxbury Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

The Baby Longley Fund
c/o First Midwest Bank
2300 Illinois Route 59
Plainfield, IL 60544

GIL KAUFMAN
(March 28, 2003)

[Timesink]

[insert joke here]

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

I thought they were in jail for murder!

[Pern]

Their opening song will be a remake of 'Burnin' Down the House'.

[LizardQueen]

I wonder how many will go. And of those who attend, I wonder how many will bring their own fire extinguisher (I would).

LQ

[Professional]

Would be more appropriate if it was a benefit for the children of ALL those that died, not just their own member.

[Jorge]

It's still just beyond comprehension that so many lives were lost in that fire.
This is heart-breaking.

[Timesink]

Would be more appropriate if it was a benefit for the children of ALL those that died, not just their own member.

THEY'RE going to get millions from lawsuit money. This guy's family (including the estate of the kids) are probably going to be amongst those sued by the subhuman savage trial lawyers.

[Timesink]

Their opening song will be a remake of 'Burnin' Down the House'.

I was expecting a certain Doors cover myself...

[Captainpaintball]

1. The lead singer was quoted as saying "Usually, it's the drummer that dies. Which would have been a real bitch, because it's so tough to find a good drummer on such short notice..."

2. Rumor has it they are going to perform an updated version of their hit song, and call it "My My My... Once burned, twice shy, baby!"

3. They are also thinking of changing their name to "Charred Black"

Hello? Is this thing on? Tough crowd. You've been a lovely audience, good night! ..

[supercat]

Is there a one-stop-shopping archive thread discussing Great White and the fire? What's the current status of investigations?

[Timesink]

I think a keyword search on "Great White" is about as close to a one-stop shopping thread you're going to get. Seems pretty comprehensive though.

[SouthernFreebird]

I thought they didn't even bother to show up for his funeral?

[I still care]

Proceeds from the show will go to the Ty Longley Memorial Fund, set up by Longley's parents to provide financial support to the child being carried by Longley's girlfriend, Heidi, as well as other victims' families and arts scholarships.

[HAL9000]

I was expecting a certain Doors cover myself...

I'd suggest "Fire" from the Crazy World of Arthur Brown.

[csvset]

Will the stage show include pyrotechnics?

[HAL9000]

Would be more appropriate if it was a benefit for the children of ALL those that died, not just their own member.

At least Great White is getting some money to some of the victims.

Bill Clinton did a concert this week as a "tribute" to the astronauts who perished in the Columbia space shuttle tragedy - but the money raised from the event went to the Clinton Library, not the families of the victims.

[Professional]

Thanks for pointing that out.

[Professional]

Bill Clinton did a concert this week as a "tribute" to the astronauts who perished in the Columbia space shuttle tragedy - but the money raised from the event went to the Clinton Library, not the families of the victims.

You've got to be kidding?!

[HAL9000]

Excerpt from Associated Press -

The event was a fund-raiser for the orchestra and the William J. Clinton Presidential Foundation, which is building Clinton's presidential library here. William Vickery, director of the orchestra, said the expected $125,000 in proceeds will be divided equally.

The fund-raiser originally was planned to honor King, President Lincoln and the astronauts who died on the Columbia space shuttle.