LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Benefit-concert producers the Wild Honey Foundation will present a playlist of songs from the legendary Buffalo Springfield, performed by a star-studded house band featuring Richie Furay, Buffalo Springfield co-founder, with guest singers. The event, which will benefit the Autism Think Tank, will take place at the historic Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd. in downtown Glendale Saturday, February 17 at 8 p.m.
Led by acclaimed musical director Rob Laufer (whose credits include George Martin’s Hollywood Bowl tribute to Sgt. Pepper), the Wild Honey Orchestra and Friends will explore 30 plus songs of earth-shaking folk/country/psychedelic rock from the short-lived but legendary band that featured Furay, Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Bruce Palmer, Dewey Martin, and later Jim Messina. In addition to Richie Furay singing many of his seminal Buffalo Springfield songs, the show will include fully orchestrated versions of the Jack Nitszche-arranged classics “Expecting To Fly” and “Broken Arrow.”
No musical detail will be spared as the Wild Honey Orchestra cuts to the heart of these iconic songs with help from guest performers in addition to Furay: Micky Dolenz, Carlene Carter, Susan Cowsill, Elliot Easton (Cars), Martha Davis (Motels), Dream Syndicate, The Three O'Clock, Iain Matthews (Fairport Convention), Syd Straw, Gary Myrick, Stephen McCarthy & Greg Sowders (of the Long Ryders), Claudia Lennear (Twenty Feet From Stardom), Cindy Lee Berryhill, Joss Cope, Steve Stanley, Carla Olson, Darian Sahanaja (Brian Wilson Band), Brent Rademaker (GospelbeacH, he Beachwood Sparks), Nick Guzman, Bebopalula, All Day Sucker, and the always-possible Very Special Guests. Once again the Wild Honey event will be hosted by acclaimed author/journalist Chris Morris.
Current members of the Wild Honey Orchestra include a who’s who of respected L.A. recording artists: director Laufer on guitar, vocals; Dan Rothchild, background vocal coordinator; Jim Laspesa (Dave Davies/Susanna Hoffs); Randell Kirsch, guitar; David Goodstein, drums; Derrick Anderson (The Bangles) and Robby Scharf, bass guitar; Bob Glaub, bass; Morley Bartnoff, and Willie Aron, keyboards, vocals; keyboardists Jordan Summers and Danny McGough; guitarists Andrew Sandoval and Rob Bonfiglio; Probyn Gregory, Nelson Bragg (Brian Wilson Band), percussion; Nick Vincent, drums; Kaitlin Wolfberg (L.A. String Explosion) and Lyn Bertles, strings; and Tara Austin, vocals. After performing at the 2015 Wild Honey White Album show, Chris Collingwood of Fountains of Wayne declared the Wild Honey Orchestra to be “just about the most cracking backup band I’ve ever heard. I told my friends that playing with that many amazing musicians behind me felt like piloting a 747.”
As with last year’s sold-out tribute to The Band at the Alex, the concert will benefit the Autism Think Tank. This non-profit organization brings together a team of top autism specialists, via an Internet medical conference, to tackle the medical and psychological problems faced by children and young adults with autism like Wild Honey co-organizer Paul Rock’s 13-year-old son Jake, whose own issues have improved since his involvement with the organization.
Dating back to 1994, the 501(3)(c), non-profit Wild Honey’s numerous grassroots benefit events have featured appearances by Brian Wilson, Dave Davies (Kinks), Garth Hudson, Jackson Browne, Carlene Carter, Alex Chilton, The Bangles, Beach Boy Al Jardine, Micky Dolenz, Mike Mills (R.E.M), Al Stewart, Denny Laine, Tony Asher, Dave Gregory of XTC, Danny Hutton, Terry Reid, Chuck Negron, Matthew Sweet, Colin Hay, Dan Wilson, Jody Stephens of Big Star, The Continental Drifters, the late P.F. Sloan, Jon Brion, Peter Case, The Plimsouls, Victoria Williams, The Williams Brothers, Dave Alvin, The Blue Shadows, Aimee Mann, Michael Penn, Scott Miller from the Loud Family, Ann Magnuson, and many others. The shows have been produced at the Alex Theatre and various Los Angeles-area locations including the Morgan-Wixson Theater, the Roxy, the Knitting Factory (Hollywood) and the El Rey Theatre.
Besides the Autism Think Tank, Wild Honey shows have raised funds and awareness for the Children’s Music Fund, Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, Habitat for Humanity, the Liberty Hill Foundation, USC Norris Cancer Center, and the Coalition to End Gun Violence while paying tribute to musical idols such as Brian Wilson, The Beatles, The Kinks, Big Star, The Byrds, The Everly Brothers, The Hollies, Harry Nilsson, Pete Townshend, Paul McCartney, and Elvis Costello.
For more information about the Autism Think Tank please go to:
http://www.autismthinktanknj.com/ http://thecmf.org/who-we-are
For more information on the Wild Honey Foundation, please go to: https://www.facebook.com/groups/183120448393501/
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For more information regarding the Wild Honey Benefit at the Alex Theatre, please contact:
Paul Rock • Wild Honey • (323) 255-8839 • gorky15@yahoo.com
Cary Baker • Conqueroo • (323) 656-1600 • cary@conqueroo.com
Photos below:
Top row L-R: Richie Furay, Carlene Carter, The Dream Syndicate
Bottom row L-R: Martha Davis, Elliott Easton, Micky Dolenz.
