Boston Country Singers Annie Brobst & Samantha Rae
Country Women for Women’s Cancer Benefit at Hard Rock Cafe
By: Doug Hall - Oct 28, 2019
Boston’s country singers Annie Brobst & Samantha Rae are behind the Country Women for Women’s Cancer Benefit at Hard Rock Café. The sold out event will occur on Saturday, November 2 at 8PM. The fundraiser will help the Susan F. Smith Center Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
There was no pause in the response to “why” about this specific benefit concert. Both country music singer Annie Brobst (and her band – which just won Live Act of The Year from New England Music Awards) and Samantha Rae (with her band Whisky6) and Whisky6 drummer Jay Dellisola - all jumped in on the project. It was one year in the planning, with a community spirit of involvement.
The opportunity to “do” a fundraiser “is the feeling of giving – rewarding, not an obligation” as expressed by Whisky6 drummer Dellisola. He has had family challenges with cancer. They were “joining forces” as proclaimed by collaborating with country music singers; Annie Brobst (winner of the 2019 New England Country Music Award for Best Female Country Music Artist) with fellow country singer Samantha Rae of Whiskey6 and drummer Jay Dellisola. They intend to “blow-up” this show in turnout and performance – and all for a very worthy cause. As simply stated by Rae of Whisky6 “cancer affects everyone, one way or another.”
Statistically, approximately one in every three women in America will face cancer in their lifetime. In talking with these three musicians there is a feeling that they are summoning the healing powers of their music to reach an audience. It includes cancer survivors and their family and friends, with “an outpouring and support for people facing this battle every day.” 100% of the concert proceeds and donations will go to the Susan F. Center for Women’s Cancers at Dana Farber in Boston.
Both Brobst and Rae credit Dellisola with stepping-up to a commitment to organize this benefit performance and getting the Hard Rock Café to sign-on. Now, a sold-out show, with standing room only, the musicians are focusing-on delivering a “knock-out” performance with feeling. Popular selections will be expected but also songs from both Brobst and Rae with Whisky6 that speak to the benefit occasion and cause.
Being a special benefit concert, both Brobst and Rae will choose some material particular to the occasion, Brobst explains, “I want to choose some tunes about female empowerment, and strength and dig into some upbeat material.” Rae mirrored these thoughts about her setlist performance, “I’m already starting to look at specific songs besides wanting to rock-out as well.” Both artists acknowledge a more intimate connection with the crowd, with a focus on driving a positive energy vibe, as stated by Rae, “stripping it down to be one-on-one with the people in the room.”
Special guests will include international touring/session drummer Sandy Gennaro, (a close friend of Whisky6 drummer Dellisola), and Nashville recording artist, singer/songwriter Darren Bessette.
In conversation with all these musicians, one unanimous outcome is clearly the personal reward of participation felt by each artist and the contagious energy created by the effort to produce, support and perform for this cause.