Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM MAY 26 - JUNE 1, 2021 UCW 15 FEATURE Be Good To Yourself, an organization com- mitted to providing mental health and sub- stance abuse counseling to North Carolina musicians, launched May 20. The nonprofit, fiscally sponsored by the 501(c)(3) organiza- tion Abundance NC, seeks to provide access to mental health treatment for uninsured North Carolina-based musicians battling addiction and severe depression. "Mental health and substance abuse issues touch all of our lives. And in 2020, it tou- ched the North Carolina music community like never before," said Mike Allen, board member, Be Good To Yourself. "Through the launch of Be Good To Yourself, we hope to give uninsured North Carolina-based musi- cians access to mental health care and sub- stance abuse counseling services when they need it most — in times of crisis and in times when they just need someone to talk to." To deliver on its mission, Be Good To Yourself has partnered with MindPath Care Centers to provide mental health and sub- stance abuse counseling. The services will be provided free of charge or at greatly reduced rates through sponsorship funds paid directly to MindPath on behalf of patients. MindPath has facilities in all major markets across the state, including the Triangle, Triad, Charlotte and Wilmington. The formation of Be Good To Yourself was the result of a fall of 2019 meeting between three veteran North Carolina musicians — Chris Garges, Ed Bumgardner and Rob Slater — who connected with the intention of recor- ding a benefit album to be titled "Be Good To Yourself." The purpose was to raise money to provide mental health treatment for unin- sured NC musicians battling addiction and severe depression. The original plan for the album was to include 10 tracks — a combination of retooled songs by area composers and national and international acts. Each track would feature a core band — the mysterious DeFacto Brothers — augmented by all-star guest musicians and different singers from the broader North Carolina musical community. "Then came the COVID-19 pandemic," said musician/producer Bumgardner. "The pan- demic has robbed working musicians of the ability to earn even a meager living. Health insurance has suddenly become a luxury. National statistics show a sharp rise in depression, drug addiction and suicide." W hat started as a 10-track concept is now 27 songs, featuring more than 60 musicians, all but three from North Crolina. Among the participating musicians are Rick Miller and Mary Huff of Southern Culture On The Skids, Libby Rodenbough of Mipso, Bill Lloyd, Mitch Easter, Peter Holsapple, Snüzz (Britt Harper Uzzell), Doug Davis, Don Dixon, John Howie Jr., Caitlin Cary, Rod Abernethy and Robert Kirkland, Jeffrey Dean Foster, Danielle Howle, Kenny Soule and members of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. Among the North Carolina song writers whose work appears are such well-known talents as Mitch Easter, Snüzz, Ben Folds, Peter Holsapple, David Childers and Terry Anderson, as well as less-known but extraor- dinary composers Peter May, Sunshone Still, Bruce Hazel (Temperance League) and Matt Faircloth (The Houston Brothers). Basic tracks were recorded at Old House Studio in Charlotte by Chris Garges. Due to the restrictions of the pandemic, 29 additio- nal recording studios chipped in to record vocals and overdubs during the recording process. "Be Good To Yourself" will be released as a 23-track, double CD, a 10-track vinyl album, and a limited-edition four-song vinyl EP containing tracks not found on the CD or the vinyl album. The project is in the manufactu- ring phase and will be released in the fall. "We are incredibly excited to release the songs in the fall, but you don't have to wait for the CD, album and EP to help," said Bumgardner. "In recognition of May as Mental Health Awareness Month, we hope that people will consider making a donation to the treatment fund. We believe that our North Carolina musicians are treasures. They enrich our lives and make our state a better place to live. W hen we lose an artist, we not only lose their talent; we lose a son, daughter, father, mother or friend." For more information on the project or to donate visit https://bgood2yourself.org/ or https://abundancenc.org/ Musicians, activists launch project to provide mental health and substance abuse counseling to North Carolina artists in need a STAFF REPORT Support your local business today! FOOD DELIVERY