Greg MerrittThe "Jams for Joplin" benefit featured Greg Merritt, a veteran jam band guitarist/singer/songwriter from Frenchtown, NJ who has been playing in psychedelic and jam bands since the early 1990's. Greg has been a member of a number of successful jam band projects including Buzzuniverse and the frontman of Good Friend, whose album "Best Friend" was a hit on college radio with airplay from over 250 stations. Greg's first solo album "Dream Through A Leaf", debuted at #21 on jambands.com. Greg currently fronts the NYC jam band Heavy Road who just released the album "Everything Changed", which debuted at #12 on jambands.com. Greg decided to hold the "Jams for Joplin" benefit as a way to help out the victims in Joplin, MO. "After seeing all the devastation, deaths and homelessness caused by the tornado in Joplin, I felt I had to help out in some way. With four young boys of my own, I can only imagine what all those families who just lost their homes must be going through," says Greg. "Even though I don't know anyone in Joplin personally, I was incredibly moved by all the video footage and coverage and knew I had to do something. So I thought a music charity event would be a great way to use my talents and involve the community to help some people who could really use it right now." The tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri on Sunday, May 21, 2011 left at least 142 dead, over 100 persons missing as well as thousands of people without homes. According to CNN, this tornado "produced the highest death toll ever recorded from a single tornado in the United States since modern record keeping began in 1950." Greg held the benefit on June 23rd and July 7th, both at Tenth Rail Restaurant and Lounge, located in Tenth Avenue at 33rd Street. Joined by Mark Marshall, a multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger and session musician, on acoustic guitar, Greg performed classic rock and blues covers, including songs by the Beatles, the Grateful Dead, and Bob Dylan, as well as some originals songs of his own. Overall, the benefit raised over $200 which all was donated to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
Greg Merritt's band Heavy Road is also opening for The Aristocrats, featuring Guthrie Govan and Bryan Beller, at Hiro Ballroom on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 7pm. The Hiro Ballroom is located in The Maritime Hotel at 88 9th Avenue, between 16th and 17th Streets in New York City.
For more information on Greg Merritt and his band, Heavy Road, go to www.gregmerritt.com.
Greg Merritt's band Heavy Road is also opening for The Aristocrats, featuring Guthrie Govan and Bryan Beller, at Hiro Ballroom on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 7pm. The Hiro Ballroom is located in The Maritime Hotel at 88 9th Avenue, between 16th and 17th Streets in New York City.
For more information on Greg Merritt and his band, Heavy Road, go to www.gregmerritt.com.
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