This Sunday, Lucky Monkey Tattoo (Electric Superstition, Ritual Piercing and Lovely Monkey) is hosting an event to benefit Dylan (and myself) as he recovers from surgery. 1:30-9:30 at Cadieux Cafe in Detroit, all proceeds will go towards helping to pay bills through the end of the year. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.
You won't hear Dylan Dunbar playing his soulful guitar licks on Sunday, but artists on the roster include many of Detroit's finest that will play in his honor. Plus, there will be a silent auction with items from Midwest Freefall Skydiving Club, Grove Studios, Rooftop Recording, Whistle Pig Studios, instruments, lessons, merch, holiday stocking stuffers, artwork, gift certificates to local merchants, restaurants and more.
The legendary and thoughtful Patti Smith has send a box full of signed and limited books, recordings and career rarities. So if you are a fan of the Godmother of Punk, this is a great opportunity to snag something special. Keep scrolling for info about performers.
Performers for the afternoon include friends Kate Hinote Trio (contemporary, ambient folk) and Ladyship Warship (power rock duo) who many of you enjoyed at our mid-week events in Detroit/Ferndale. If you haven't seen them yet I know you'll love them. As well as Jimmie Bones (Blues/Soul/Roots Rock) who was a featured artist for our first "Detroit Sound" show last year.
Many know Jimmie for his work with Kid Rock and Uncle Kracker, but he's also worked with Bob Seger, Peter Wolf, Gordon Lightfoot, Sheryl Crow, Billy Gibbons, R. L. Burnside, Hank Williams Jr., Beth Hart, Mark Farner, Brad Whitford, Derek St. Holmes, Dick Wagner, Donald Kinsey, Robert Bradley and has songwriting credits with Loretta Lynn as well. As a songwriter and front man he will be bringing his gritty Detroit blues and soul infused rock. As a special treat for me he will have Johnny Bee Badanjek on drums!
Johnny Bee has been a friend and mentor and it will be a great opportunity for me and you all to see him live and maybe hear a rock and roll tale. He's performed and recorded with Mitch Ryder, Alice Cooper, Dr John <3, and you know what that sweetheart has me listed on his website for writing our "cowgirl blues" track and I think its time we get some collaboration gears greased again!
John Freeman will be bringing his rock band Livernois <3 John is a talented poet, published author, songwriter, musician and prolific ray of sunshine. It will be my first time hearing this band of his live <3
Brandon Calhoon is a well known and loved Detroit/Beaverton/Nashville singer/songwriter marking his first Detroit performance in a couple of years
Jeff Grand is the quintessential Detroit blues man bringing the blues guitar riffs to melt your faces with the Blues Guys!
Vinnie Dombroski, widely known as the frontman from Sponge with hits such as Molly, (16 Candles down the drain) and Plowed will be performing, backed by our friends Dana and James (Crud, Dead in 5, The Ruiners and owners of Lucky Monkey). Sponge's Andy Patalan will also be performing some songs.
Heywood Banks, Detroit's comedic singer/songwriter with a cult following around the world for songs such as "Toast" and "Butter Jesus", "Trauma to the Groin" and more will definitely lift moods and win you over if you've never heard him.
Chef Chris - the dynamic and vivacious International Blues Award Winning frontman for the Nairobi Trio, The Rumpshakers and perennial favorite at our Tom Waits tributes will be performing as the Calumet City Orchestra - A tribute to the Rumpshakers without Dylan on guitar. The band will feature our beloved brother from another mother, the son I wish I had but maybe not, Detroit Rocker Danny Muggs (The Muggs) and original drummer Jack Schneider.
DYLAN UPDATE
Many of you are wondering how Dylan's progress is coming along, and how both of us are doing. Dylan is indeed in physical therapy 3x a week. To be honest, we don't talk about it in great detail because we don't want to be preoccupied night and day with his recovery, which is hard when daily life is a reminder! We are both doing our best to put one foot in front of the other and repeat daily.
Strength is returning to his hand, but the nerve damage is still there, healing bit by bit. Nerves don't heal and restore themselves the same way muscles do, and this is where we must wait. However, he just finished this morning's therapy as I write this and it is interesting. They are not just working his hands and elbow/forearm, but all the muscle groups that will support them, with lots of shoulder and arm exercises, pretty much his entire torso and upper body. We are confident and grateful to have him in good hands.
Wednesday is his next follow up to his surgeon and we are optimistic to hear good news. To date, he has not picked up his guitar. As we always have to look many months ahead in our occupation to plan, I'm hoping to start planning some shorter set, multi act events like our Mid Week Service in the new year and we are fielding requests for summer festivals with the band.
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As difficult as some days may be, we have both looked at this as an opportunity for a fresh start on a personal level. What else can you do? I know many of you that work so hard know the feeling... When gears are always turning, so many important things can get neglected the regular maintenance of life gets pushed to the back burner, as you stop to make repairs, knowing more will follow. Worse, you neglect your own well being until something happens that forces you to reboot and set things right. We aren't taking any of it for granted.
We are two uniquely paired people and the more we learn about ourselves and each other, its a wonder. The term "a match made in heaven", has a whole new meaning to me recently. I don't think either of us would have predicted when we met and fell in love, that we would be so well suited to see each other through and mend parts we didn't know were broken, walk one another through the hard stuff to the next plateau.
We've made lots of changes and trying to navigate new ones and stick with those choices even when it feels like pushing a boulder uphill. Our friendships are indispensable- these are not just words. I can't tell you how many times we have heard just the right word, seen that friendly face right when we felt like that boulder was going to roll over us and it gives us what we need to say, "we can do this". Thank you for being there for us. We hope to return the kindness for years to come <3
Don't forget to say hi and tune in for serious stuff as well as nonsense:
Instagram: @jenniwestwood @thejenniferwestwood @DylanDunbar1944 and on Facebook at
If you can't make it Sunday and would like to send a gift to Dylan via Venmo or PayPal,
Venmo@@dylan-dunbar-1
or
Paypal@dylandunbar373
Please send along your mailing address if you'd like and haven't so we can send you snail mail thank you's!
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