Bruce Springsteen to Honor Pete Townshend for Addiction Charity Work
Bruce Springsteen will present Pete Townshend with the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award for his work supporting the MusiCares MAP Fund — a charity that assists musicians with addiction recovery — at a special benefit concert set for May 28th at the Best Buy Theater in New York City.
Townshend will also perform at the concert with members of The Who’s band including John Corey (grand piano), Loren Gold (keys), Pino Palladino (bass), Frank Simes (keyboard), Zak Starkey (drums) and Simon Townshend accompanying his brother on guitar. Joan Jett, Billy Idol and Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones are also slated to take the stage; additional artists will be announced in the coming weeks.
Manager Bill Curbishley, who has worked with artists like the Who and Judas Priest, will also receive the MusiCares From the Heart Award, which will be presented by Sony Music Entertainment CEO Doug Morris.
Mezzanine tickets for the concert are available for $65 via AXS, with all proceeds benefiting the MAP Fund. (Due to the nature of the cause, no alcohol will be served at the show.)
Additional support for the concert was provided by organizers of the DJ AM Memorial Fund, which was established in honor of the late pioneering DJ. The Fund has helped MusiCares provide musicians with addiction recovery treatment and resources for living sober, such as safe harbor rooms, support groups and a sober touring network that links musicians on the road with those who can provide recovery support.
On May 14th, A few weeks prior to the benefit show, Townshend and Eddie Vedder will hold a special charity concert at the Rosemont Theater in Chicago that will raise money for the Who’s Teen Cancer America and other programs dedicated to helping teenagers and young adults fight cancer. Both special gigs come amidst the Who’s sprawling 50th anniversary tour, which began its North American leg last week.