HELPING HANDS
Musos do their bit for Finch
LOCAL musicians; George Cooras and Bryan Daniel, Sobeit Union and Shirley and the Shotguns will put together a fundraising show tomorrow in honour of Brian Finch.
The singer, songwriter, known by his peers and fans as the “living legend”, recently performed in East London, on his way to headline the “Legends of the Fen” Stage at Splashy Fen Festival. Before he could end the SA leg of his tour and embark on a tour to Namibia, Finch was diagnosed with lymphoma, a curable cancer, and has a large tumour attached to his intestine. The good news is that tests show it has not spread elsewhere and doctors are positive that chemotherapy will be successful.
However, Brian will be out of action for several months. Musicians from all corners of SA and Namibia are organising benefit concerts to keep our hero afloat until he is up and gigging again.
Tomorrow’s gig will see East London musicians also doing their part in helping this living legend.
On the day, there will be be raffle tickets on sale for great prizes, including meal vouchers, hampers, and massages. Brian’s compilation CD and box set will be available, and two or three really special prizes – including a portrait and a weekend away – will be auctioned. People wanting to send donations can do so by using; Brian Finch Cancer Fund, Nedbank Current Account, Acc No: 1169173535, Branch -101009.
This great SA music personality is summed up by Howard Butcher, of the Peace of Eden Recording Studio: “Brian Finch, surely one of the most consistent, hardworking recording and performing artistes to leave an indelible mark in a unique genre of Folk Rock and acoustic music scene of SA across the last four-and-a-half decades.
“With a discography of 12 albums, and many thousand performances to his credit, Brian Finch is a credit to his country. Few, if any who have followed in his footstep, from Josh Sitole to Dave Mathews, would not acknowledge the influence of his powerful delivery and soulful candour. Brian is a true legend of SA music, synonymous with the Willie Nelsons and Johnny Cashes of America.”
Finch has recently released The Classic Brian Finch CD and is currently working on his new album. He also has plans to publish a coffee table book, entitled You were there! It’s a compilation of anecdotes and incidents related by fans over the past 50 years.