Timing, they say, is everything.
While Sunday’s benefit for Rick Young raised some serious cash for the cancer-diagnosed singer and musician, it also raised high the spirits of a close-knit community of musicians and live music followers still reeling from the recent sudden loss of singer and guitarist Jan Schoute.
“It’s been a hell of a couple of weeks emotionally,” says Gailie Young, Rick’s wife and longtime musical partner in the aftermath of the “I Get By With A Little Help From Friends” benefit held on November 19th at The Venue.
“The benefit was the release of positivity. Everybody just wanted to be happy and have a great time. The room was so full of love.”
And full of people. According to event organizers, some 500 tickets were sold, with every penny of the $25 cost assisting the Youngs as Rick continues his battle against non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Combine that with the $10,335 raised to date via a GoFundMe campaign, along with raffle and 50-50 draw proceeds brought in at the event, and you get the picture.
With music performance the sole source of the couple’s income, the proceeds will go a long way in easing their burden.
Also playing a huge role in the event’s success were sponsors The Venue, kawarthaNOW.com, Kawartha TV and Stereo, Long and McQuade, Signarama, and Porter Sound. And artist John Climenhage donated his talents, creating two paintings live at the event that were then raffled off.
Meanwhile, a small army of volunteers took on various roles, including Andy Pryde who technically managed the stage for each act.
And as is often the case at such events, spontaneous acts of kindness abounded, including the donation of $120 by Washboard Hank and Catfish Willie — the contents of their tip jar from their Sunday afternoon gig at The Black Horse.
While Rick couldn’t be at the benefit — he’s resting in anticipation of his third round of chemotherapy in early December at PRHC — he watched the nine-hour event at home via a live stream feed set up by Sean Daniels. Gailie’s mother, Beatrice McLaren, also watched from her home.
“Gailie and I are used to doing benefits for other people,” Rick says, a reference to their stepping up big time at previous benefits for Bobby Watson, Buzz Thompson and Lydia Black, the granddaughter of drummer and singer Al Black.
“When it’s turned around and it’s all aimed at you, well, I felt like I was being a bother. It took me awhile to accept the love and generosity … to learn how to do that. That was something new.”
What wasn’t new was the outpouring of support Peterborough’s music community showed one of their own.
A total of 10 acts — Jackson Delta Electric, Bobby Watson and Kate Kelly with The Crown Royals, The Fabulous Tonemasters, Al Black and The Steady Band, The Rob Phillips Band, House Brand, Max Mouse and The Gorillas, Groove Authority, The Quickshifters, and Dennis and Michael O’Toole — took to the stage, each performing for free. Like Rick and Gailie, all have called The Black Horse Pub home at various times over the years.
“We would go out and do our gigs but we had no idea the impact of that until Sunday … people came out of the woodwork,” says Gailie, who’s performing Monday nights at The Black Horse with several musical friends stepping in to fill the void created by Rick’s absence.
“This has really lifted Rick’s spirits,” says Gailie, noting he has lost 35 pounds off his already lean 190 pounds.
“Like anybody who has an illness, he was pretty down. But he has seen the messages on Facebook. He knows he’s got so much love behind him. There are days when he’s okay and bopping around. Other days, he feels really tired and weak from the chemo but, overall, the man is so optimistic, it’s amazing. He still has his hair … he still has the white mane.”
“I have to do everything in slow motion” is Rick’s self-assessment.
Following his fourth and final chemotherapy session in early January, Rick will be assessed to determine what course of action, if any, will be required moving forward.
“I hope to return to the (music) scene some time in February or March … it was nice having a little break for awhile after playing every weekend for 12 years but I miss it,” says Rick.
Meanwhile, Sunday’s benefit also saw the official release of The Lost Album, Rick and Gailie’s first CD. Comprised of 16 original songs penned by Rick, it was produced by Pryde and finished in time to be ready for the benefit.
“We’re starting to get some really nice reviews,” says an elated Gailie.
“You never know. You do the work, a labour of love, and you put it out there and then you sit there with your hand over your mouth going ‘Oh my God, what have I done?'”
The Lost Album is available for purchase for $20 on Rick and Gailie’s new website at therickgailieband.bandzoogle.com/music and, according to Gailie, possibly soon at Moondance Music.
VIDEO: “The Wall is Up” by Rick & Gailie
Meanwhile, the GoFundMe campaign for Rick is set to close down by week’s end. Until then, it can be found at www.gofundme.com/hbp3c2-a-little-help-from-my-friends.
Peterborough-born Gailie met Toronto-born Rick at a house party in 1971 and struck up a close friendship.
In 1992, her marriage at an end, Gailie reconnected with Rick, who moved with her back to Peterborough to live with Gailie and her young daughter Stephanie. They married in 2003.
It was at Historic Red Dog, at the urging of singer Charlotte Melby, that the duo first performed at open mic events. That marked the start of a four-year Wednesday evening gig at the Hunter Street West pub.
A fixture at The Black Horse Pub since it opened 12 years ago this past August, Rick and Gailie are known for their uniquely harmonized covers of Beatles music as well as hits by other 1960s British Invasion bands such Herman’s Hermits and Gerry and The Pacemakers.
