Look To The Stars News: James Taylor

Celebrities Support Sick Drummer With New Auction

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:30:00 -0000

Pierce Brosnan, Tim McGraw, Nickelback, Donna Summer, Keith Urban, The Offspring, Red Hot Chili Peppers and many other big names in show business have come together to support one of their own.

The stars have organized a special benefit auction to help Allen Shellenberger, the 39-year-old drummer for Orange County rock band Lit, who was recently diagnosed with a grade 4 malignant brain tumor. The auction, sponsored by The Make A Noise Foundation through Ebay’s Giving Works Program, is being launched to help offset Allen’s medical costs.

The auction will include autographed items by various celebrities and fellow musicians including an archive-quality signed and numbered giclee of a painting by actor Pierce Brosnan, a custom tattoo session by Aces High, a guitar lesson with Grammy-award winning guitarist Steve Vai, a “Baby Taylor” guitar autographed by Tim McGraw, a “Knocked Up” movie poster signed by Judd Apatow & members of the cast, a dinner with the band Lit, an original lithograph of a painting by Donna Summer, a guitar autographed by Staind, an amplifier autographed by members of No Doubt, Drum Heads signed by The Offspring, a “Stadium Arcadium” CD by Red Hot Chili Peppers signed by the entire band, and autographed items from James Taylor, Nickelback, Maroon 5 and many other one-of-a-kind items. All proceeds from the Ebay auction will benefit Allen and Cedars-Sinai’s Maxine Dunitz Neurosugical Institute in Los Angeles.

In May, biopsy results identified Shellenberger’s cancer as malignant glioma. According to the National Cancer Institute, malignant glioma affects approximately 10,000 Americans per year. It is the same type of cancer Senator Edward M. Kennedy is battling. Shellenberger is under the care of world-renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Hunt at the Cedars-Sinai Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute where he is pursuing radiation and chemotherapy treatments. Despite the news, Allen is in good spirits and committed to the fight.

Lit, who has been both a brotherhood and a band for over 20 years, has enjoyed multi-platinum success and chart-topping singles including “My Own Worst Enemy,” “Miserable,” and others. After two decades together, the band continues to write, record and tour.

“Allen’s young and healthy and if anyone has a chance to beat this, it’s him,” says Lit guitarist Jeremy Popoff. “As sad and scared as we all are, we’re standing by him and staying positive. We’re going to fight this together.”

For complete info on the auction, visit Lit’s MySpace page: www.myspace.com/litlounge. To bid on the items in the auction, go to http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/make-a-noise!

Bob Dylan To Donate Concert Proceeds

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Bob Dylan is to donate some of the proceeds from seven shows on his upcoming tour of Canada to a literacy campaign.

The 67-year-old legend is lending his support to the Canwest Raise-a-Reader Concert Series, a campaign that supports local literacy groups across Canada while also promoting the importance of literacy among Canadian families.

“Bob Dylan has a repertoire of unforgettable lyrics that have put a voice to a variety of causes over the course of his impressive career,” said David Asper, executive vice-president of Canwest Global Communications Corp and chairman of the National Post. “He has made a profound impact in the worlds of both music and literature, and I am so pleased to have him join us in raising the profile of literacy in Canada as the newest addition to the Concert Series family of artists.”

Other artists to have joined the campaign include James Taylor, Michael Buble and Anne Murray, whose concerts have raised $500,000 for national literacy initiatives.

Dylan’s tour kicks off on October 23 in Victoria at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre before heading to Vancouver, Kamloops, Calgary, Lethbridge, Regina, and Winnipeg. Tickets are available through www.bobdylan.com and www.selectyourtickets.com.

Stand Up To Cancer A Huge Success

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

A multitude of stars came out on Friday night as part of the Stand Up To Cancer television extravaganza to raise money for cancer research.

The hour-long program – simulcast live on NBC, ABC, and CBS – featured celebrities such as Jennifer Garner, Halle Berry, Forest Whitaker and Casey Affleck reading accounts of people battling cancer, as well as musical items, comedy sketches, and the opportunity for people to ring up and pledge donations – with stars such as Ellen DeGeneres, America Ferrera and Kirsten Dunst answering the phones.

“This is an absolutely historic night, thanks to the unbelievable generosity of the three networks,” event organiser, producer and cancer survivor Laura Ziskin told the audience at Los Angeles’ Kodak Theatre.

The biggest surprise of the night was the appearance of Patrick Swayze, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier this year.

“He looks amazing,” former basketball player Charles Barkley told People Magazine. “For me, seeing Patrick Swayze, someone who is actually fighting this disease, was the best part of the show. Seeing him in person was amazing.”

The idea behind the event was that it is the lack of funding – and not just research – that is slowing the advance of cancer prevention and treatment, and over $100 million has been raised since the Stand Up To Cancer initiative was launched earlier this year.

The telethon – which was viewed by over 10.5 million people – also featured performances by Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, and James Taylor, as well as the television premiere of the star-studded charitable single Just Stand Up performed by Mariah Carey, Beyoncé Knowles, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Miley Ray Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Ashanti, Natasha Bedingfield, Keyshia Cole, Ciara, Leona Lewis, LeAnn Rimes, and Carrie Underwood. Everybody Loves Raymond star Brad Garrett underwent a prostate examination on the show, and cartoon character Homer Simpson had a colonoscopy.

Other stars who were part of the show included Jennifer Aniston, Scarlett Johansson, Meryl Streep, David Cook, Christina Applegate, Lance Armstrong, Jack Black, Hilary Swank, Jimmy Fallon, and Keanu Reeves, all of whom wanted to do something positive to help the 550,000 Americans and six million people worldwide who die from cancer each year.

As part of Stand Up To Cancer’s efforts, there is also an auction running on eBay that offers the chance to meet the cast of celebrities such as Katie Couric, Stephen Colbert, and Jay Leno. It runs until September 15, and can be accessed through eBay.

Lance Armstrong Stands Up To Cancer Tonight

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:30:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Don’t miss Stand Up To Cancer on ABC, CBS and NBC today, Friday, September 5, at 8 p.m. (EST).

A spectacular line up of talent including Jennifer Aniston, James Taylor, Scarlett Johansson, Meryl Streep, David Cook, Christina Applegate, Lance Armstrong, Jack Black, Kirsten Dunst, Charles Barkley, America Ferrera, Halle Berry, Hilary Swank, Forest Whitaker, Jimmy Fallon and Keanu Reeves will appear on the one-hour telecast. The celebrities are set to educate you, move you and entertain you, and will even be on hand to answer your calls in the celebrity phone bank.

The premiere TV performance of Just Stand Up – the star studded charitable single in support of Stand Up To Cancer – will be performed by legendary recording artists Mariah Carey, Beyoncé Knowles, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Miley Ray Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Ashanti, Natasha Bedingfield, Keyshia Cole, Ciara, Leona Lewis, LeAnn Rimes, and Carrie Underwood.

Doug Ulman, President of the Lance Armstrong Foundation says, “Inspired to act by their own personal experiences with cancer, the Stand Up to Cancer team recognizes that we can no longer rely on the current system alone to give us the breakthroughs we need. They are calling on the public to help take matters into our own hands, investing in a revolution that will change the way scientists and clinicians work to understand and treat cancer. Stand Up To Cancer is more than a rallying cry. It is a galvanizing force created to urgently move cancer research forward.”

Tonight’s program is raising funds to build “Dream Teams” made up of scientists, clinicians, technicians and other experts.

For more information about Stand Up To Cancer, and a complete list of celebrities who will be appearing during the show, visit the Stand Up To Cancer Website.

Andre Agassi Plans Star-Studded Galas

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Five For Fighting’s John Ondrasik will join James Taylor for a special VIP event to raise money for the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation.

Andre Agassi’s 2008 Grand Slam for Children will take place on October 11 at Wynn Las Vegas and feature a concert by Grammy-award winning singer Sheryl Crow, with other performers to be announced soon. However, the gala will be preceded the previous night – October 10 – by a special show featuring Ondrasik and Taylor for Gold and Diamond sponsors.

The Grand Slam shows will follow the charity’s annual A Night In The Hamptons event on August 16 at Ross School. The evening will be hosted by Agassi and will include dinner, a live auction and a special performance by Matchbox 20’s Rob Thomas. Emcees for the evening will be Chevy Chase and Kelsey Grammar. The event is limited to 35 table sponsorships at $35,000 each, with 10 seats per table. Individual seats are also available at $3,500 each.

The Andre Agassi Foundation – which focuses on changing the lives of at-risk children through programs that provide educational and recreational opportunities and has raised over $70 million to support these programs in the last 14 years – hopes this will be a very intimate event where sponsors can hear directly from Andre Agassi how the Foundation is working to effect change in public education and at the same time, have a fantastic evening for a great cause.

More information about the events can be found at the Andre Agassi Foundation website.

Sting’s 20th Year Saving Rainforests

Mon, 05 May 2008 11:44:38 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Sting and his wife, Trudie Styler, will celebrate their 15th annual Rainforest Foundation Fund benefit concert, Some Kinda Legacy, at Carnegie Hall May 8.

The Rainforest Foundation Fund (RFF) came out of Sting and Styler’s Rainforest Foundation International (RFI), created in 1989 to raise awareness about the need to conserve tropical forests, support indigenous peoples, their land, their rights and to develop resource management. RFI began its focus on Brazil and then spread throughout Latin America, Africa and Asia. RFF has continued funding the programs and creating new ones to this end since 1999.

To help raise awareness of both the rainforest and the Fund’s mission, the Mayor’s office has declared May “Rainforest Awareness Month” and the Empire State Building will be lit in green Thursday evening during the event.

Besides Sting, the many other performers at the concert will include Billy Joel, James Taylor and Brian Wilson, followed with a gala dinner at the Grand Ballroom at Plaza Hotel, and then impressive items will be up for auction, such as a smart car, an opera night in Paris and stay at the Ritz, Bruce Springsteen memorabilia and concert tickets, tickets to a Police concert, a meeting with Tiger Woods, a visit to the set of Law & Order, and more.

Tickets to the concert range from $150 to $600, and can be purchased through Carnegie Hall

Look To The Stars News: James Taylor

Celebrities Support Sick Drummer With New Auction

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