Steve Earle has announced the 6th annual edition of the John Henry’s Friends benefit concert, scheduled for December 13th. The event will serve as a fundraiser for The Keswell School, an educational program for children and young adults with autism.
The virtual engagement will host performances from Steve Earle & The Dukes, Emmylou Harris, Graham Nash, Jackson Browne, Lucinda Williams, Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires, Josh Ritter, Matt Savage, Shawn Colvin, The Mastersons, and Warren Haynes. This year’s John Henry’s Friends concert is also presented by Luck Productions and City Winery.
All donations from the free event will go directly to The Keswell School. As the event’s organizer, Earle has a personal connection to the educational program as his son John Henry—for whom the show is named—is a student. The organization was founded in 2002 on the belief that those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can still go on to live rich, productive lives. Through a series of educational, therapeutic, and supportive services, The Keswell School challenges students to succeed in an academic setting while preparing them for a lifetime of engagement in the world.
Earle said of this year’s event,
Well, 2020 has pretty much sucked so far. It’s been tough on everybody, including those of us in the performing arts, who, after all, depend on the patronage of live audiences for our very livelihood. Therefore, I’m especially grateful that some of my favorite people have come together against all odds to support a cause that is near and dear to my heart, the Keswell School. Since we’ve been doing these shows, they are always my favorite day of the year…good music, good friends, and a good cause. This year’s performers are alumni, one and all, and I’m eternally grateful to each and every one for suiting up and showing up in the hour of our school’s greatest need.
Tune in to the 6th annual John Henry’s Friends benefit on December 13th at 7:30 p.m. ET via Luck.stream.
