April 2003, Volume 14 No. 4
Blues are sung to help make the singer/listener feel better and forget the circumstances, if only temporarily, that caused the blues in the first place. Peach took this idea and propelled it much farther by hooking up with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and using her talents to make a permanent difference in other's lives.
"A life saved is a life enhanced" was the quote of the night as Dr. Michael Lill was introduced to the capacity crowd of over 300 at the Hollywood House of Blues.
As the director of the Blood and Marrow Transplant program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, more that 500 lifesaving transplants have occurred there.
The Rock 'n Cure benefit came about because of one of Dr. Lill's patients. Marion Isaac, a close friend of Peach, had her life successfully enhanced via Dr. Lill's expertise and decided to give something back or "pay it forward." Her impetus, combined with Cedars and other sponsors, crafted this benefit with Peach and the Delgado Brothers entertaining the crowd. A dinner and silent auction were included in the evening's activities. The most heart warming part of the evening was realizing that many of Dr. Lill's "life enhanced" former patients were in attendance.
Peach walked across the stage, smiled graciously at the audience, and, as she strummed her first chord, kicked her shoes off and sent them sailing in either direction. Barefoot blues were also part of the delightful evening! Armed with her Fender guitar and Rivera amp, her top-rated band included Gina Segall on drums, Eric T. Ward on bass, Marty Grebb on piano & organ, Jimmy Roberts on sax, Lee Thornburgh on trumpet, Denis Depoitre on harmonica, and Christian Hastings on lead guitar and vocals. They were tight. Her songs brought the capacity audience into the realm of blues music rather than medical banter now and she occasionally strapped on an electric resonator guitar. An ethereal moment occurred during her rendition of "Put on Your Dancing Shoes" an apt title for a barefoot performer! Joe Delgado joined in on a beautiful sunburst Strat and played the lead in an upper fret solo that literally sailed around the club until it landed into one's heart - one of those rare musical musical moments that occur briefly but are seldom forgotten.
The atmosphere was almost like a reunion amongst the patrons as many shared a common bond -- a renewal of the lives granted by some of the finest medical talent in our nation. It was this happy chorus of conversation that provided the background for the Delgado Brothers. With brothers Joey on guitar and vocals, Steve on drums and vocals, and Bob on electric and standup bass, Ray Solis and Dave Kelley completed the band with their talents on percussion and keyboards. The casualness of the evening seemed to transmit to the band as we watched Peach's harmonica player join in on a few numbers with the Delgado Brothers and their smiles gave the audience that rare feeling of having the music played with the intimacy of a private party.
I'm certain that next year's Rockin' Blues Concert will also sell out and it's an event that more Southland Blues readers will want to attend. See you there.
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