LL Cool J, Mick Fleetwood, Ziggy Marley, Lukas Nelson, Nathaniel Rateliff, Sarah McLachlan, The Police‘s Stewart Copeland, and more artists have gathered for a special YouTube livestream event. The concert will benefit Maui Strong Fund and MusiCares following the deadly wildfires that devastated the town of Lahaina on the island of Maui in August.
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The 120-minute livestream is produced by Rolling Live Studios and Licorice Pizza Records, in collaboration with Shiny Penny Productions, Riverstreet Productions and YouTube Music. It will air on Ziggy Marley’s official YouTube Channel on Friday (September 8) at 5 p.m. PST/8 p.m. EST.
Hosted by Jimmy Jam and Elvis Mitchell of KCRW, the livestream will feature eight unique segments featuring storytelling, art, and music, along with a Hawaiian Blessing with Lei‘Ohu Ryder. Additional cultural presentations include the hula and mele, and a Drums for Maui segment led by Copeland and backed by local musicians from the island.
Broadcasted from Maui and Sound City Studios in Los Angeles, additional featured guests and performers include Benny Uyetake, Fred Armisen, Gretchen Rhodes, Kai Lenny, Matthew Pinfield, Ryan Bingham, Skunk Baxter, Slim Jim Phantom, and Uncle George Kahumoku Jr.
Funds raised will support the Maui Strong Fund, which provides immediate and long-term recovery aid for the people and areas devastated by the Maui wildfires and MusiCares, which supports the health and welfare of those in the music community. Proceeds from the soundtrack produced by the event will also go to both organizations.
[RELATED: Stevie Nicks Speaks on Maui Wildfire Devastation, Fears for Family on Island]
Fleetwood, whose restaurant in Lahaina, Fleetwood’s on Front Street, was destroyed in the wildfires, has lived on the island for nearly 30 years and began organizing the benefit concert in August.
“I’ve already got a lovely sort of catalog of people that are concerned,” said Fleetwood. “I will remain mute on who they are, but I will either become part of something that we can do on a grand scale, which is great.” He added, “So, all of this is unfolding is something I feel I can be a part, or really be spearheading. And it’s not now, but music heals, and music does its version of what I’m doing now.”
Photo: Amanda Demme / Courtesy of Shore Fire Media
