“I planned the entire show and helped book LARRY, Lee Harvey Haight, The Heartlanders, Supernobody and Sacred Rats to see if they were down to perform,” Josh Brown, the booking coordinator of Casa Nueva, said.
After Johnny Wayne Knievel, lead singer of the Athens band Supernobody, injured himself while making a music video, Josh Brown, the booking coordinator of Casa Nueva, decided to create an event dedicated to his recovery.
“I’ve known Johnny (Wayne Knievel) for a while now,” Brown said. “So when I saw his arm in a sling, I thought maybe a show is the least I can do for him.”
Several local bands will perform at Casa Nueva, 4 W. State St., on Thursday for a benefit show to raise money for Knievel’s medical expenses.
“I planned the entire show and helped book LARRY, Lee Harvey Haight, The Heartlanders, Supernobody and Sacred Rats to see if they were down to perform,” Brown said. “Most of us are all pretty close to Johnny, so it was just a way to help him out and pay for the medical bills.”
Mike Rutushin, lead vocalist of LARRY, said he is thrilled to perform at Casa for Knievel’s benefit show.
“Helping Johnny and playing for the people, especially in Athens, makes us very excited,” Rutushin said. “He is a friend of the community, so it’s just a great opportunity to get together and show our support.”
Knievel, an Athens resident and member of the Athens music scene, is often regarded as a “staple in the music community,” according to Zack Fuller, bass player of The Heartlanders.
“I grew up in Athens and eventually met Johnny through work at the Blue Eagle (Music) and Union (Bar and Grill),” Fuller said. “All of us are old friends, so when Josh gave us a call, I thought it would be a good fit for a very casual event.”
Fuller’s band doesn’t perform in public a lot, but he said getting together at Casa and performing will be a good way to bring all of Knievel's friends together.
“There’s definitely a list of solid players that will be playing Thursday night,” Fuller said. “A lot of parents and friends will come out and see us perform for Johnny, and it will just be a great time for music and drinking.”
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