On Friday the 13th and Saturday the 14th of September, Big Johnny Blue, my band, is putting together a music festival to celebrate PEACE. Peace is a word which has been taken for granted and that can seem so hollow. I say that because over the past little while hate is creeping out from the dark and into every part of our daily lives.
I was raised to respect almost everyone. When I was young I was taught that not all people are created the same. My parents were typical of many of their generation who were suspicious of new comers. As I’ve grown and matured, and experienced life, I’ve come to understand that all human beings are basically the same. We all want the same things out of life: comfort, security, love and happiness. Hate, though, is an actual thing being taught.
I wrote the song I Weep For You when I heard the news about white supremacists killing innocent people because of how they were born. I wept because the inhumanity breaks my heart.
I decided to put together the Hamilton Concert For Peace, because I want to stand up to hate and I wanted to give the word “peace” meaning. I called Reverend Doug Moore at Laidlaw Memorial United Church and he offered his church to me for the concert. With a little help from my friends, the Hamilton Concert For Peace is a reality. Please come and listen to the great music of Alfie Smith, Sonny Del Rio, Big Johnny Blue, Charly Chiarelli, Thom Adkins, Ken Crawdord, Robert Tyler, Marcus Starr and many more great musicians/singer/songwriters from Hamilton to Brantford to Simcoe and beyond.
Let us all come together and sing and dance and laugh and cry and show haters that there are more of us around and they will never scare us to stop loving and helping everyone who needs it. Celebrate peace and love and leave fear behind.
A donation of $10 is welcome as an admission along with a non-perishable food item.
Click the event for the line-up:
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