Rock show prescribes love, funds for Church Health Center

The debate about health care is raging in the United States, with pundits and politicians arguing over the direction of the country's medical services. But, here in Memphis, there's at least one health-related cause most can agree on: "Rock for Love 3" -- a two-day, three-show concert event this weekend that helps support the Church Health Center.

Photo by Snowglobe photo by Tom Hibdon

Memphis musicians Snowglobe (from top), Al Kapone, Kate Crowder of Two Way Radio and Pezz (bottom) will perform at Rock for Love 3, a two-day concert benefiting the Church Health Center.

Originally started in 1987, the Church Health Center is a faith-based nonprofit that provides health care to qualified, working applicants starting at about $45 a month. More than 1,300 local businesses are signed up with the center's Memphis Plan, which provides coverage to some 4,000 individuals and their dependents. That figure includes a significant number of Memphis musicians.

Among them are "Rock for Love's" organizers: Church Health Center public relations director

Marvin Stockwell of punk band Pezz, his assistant, Jeff Hulett of Snowglobe and Jeffrey James & the Haul and J.D. Reager of the Makeshift Music label, and the Cold Blooded Three. In 2006, they helped launch the first Rock for Love to help benefit the center.

While the "Rock for Love" brain trust watched their event double in size and donations during its first two years, given the economic turmoil of the past 18 months, there were concerns about how difficult it would be to generate the same support this year.

"We had heard a lot of people saying how tough it has been raising money," said Stockwell. "And the Center's own funding and donations are off a little bit because of the recession. So we thought it could be a bleak year for the event."

Fortunately, though, Stockwell's worries proved false: Rock for Love's monetary sponsorships are on pace with last year's total. "So, if we pack out the Hi-Tone like we did last year, we could be knocking on the door of raising $25,000," said Stockwell.

"The significant thing about that amount is that it's the financial threshold for operating the Church Health Center systemwide for an entire week. And I just think that, symbolically and practically, that would be a great thing for the Memphis music and creative scene to have pulled off."

As Stockwell points out, while funding for the center has been slightly down, the organization has also "seen a 70 percent increase at our new patient orientations. That's a lot more people saying, 'I don't have a medical home. I'm uninsured and I need to find a place that I can call my doctor's office.'"

Stockwell notes that the success of the Church Health Center has become a blueprint for other similar organizations through the United States.

"There are between 20 and 25 such clinics that were founded on the Church Health Center model, so we're really starting to have an influence nationally," says Stockwell. "We are a faith-based organization, but we don't proselytize and we have a broad collation. I think that's the main reason why we've grown to become the largest clinic of our type covering uninsured working people in the country."

While the center has grown, so has its biggest charity event. For its small team of organizers, "Rock for Love" is a considerably more involved process than when Reager and Stockwell first hatched the idea on a lark back in 2006. "We had our first meetings about 'Rock for Love' in February this year," says Reager. "So it's really become a year-round project for us."

The upcoming event has expanded even further: In addition to the two nights of shows at the Hi-Tone, there will be a free, daytime concert outside at Shangri-La Records.

For Stockwell, perhaps the most gratifying aspect of "Rock for Love" is that "all sectors of the local music scene have their hands on the pile, so to speak," he says. "Makeshift Music a founding partner, Goner Records is on board in a significant way, as is Shangri-La Records, and Ardent has been a sponsor every year. And this year, Elvis Presley Enterprises is on board too."

Stylistically, the lineup runs the gamut of Memphis music -- from pop to country to roots rock to garage rock (although due to scheduling issues, Reager notes there will be less of a hip-hop presence than last year's event which was headlined by Lord T. & Eloise and Al Kapone). "But we still wanted to reach out to as many different kinds of bands as we could," he says. "It's definitely by design. We've always been inclusive."

Beyond the music, several high-profile local personalities will be serving as emcees for the event, including local rap great Kapone and sports radio hosts Chris Vernon and Gary Parrish, while the ladies of the Memphis Roller Derby will be hosting the silent charity auction.

Reager adds that Live from Memphis and Rocket Science Audio -- the Memphis video and audio production teams that produce the Gonerfest DVD's -- will be capturing the event for a future commercial release.

"It's not like we're inventing the wheel doing a benefit show for a charity," says Reager. "That said, the Church Health Center is incredibly unique and vital to the community and to Memphis. As Marvin is fond of saying, it's a feather in the cap of Memphis and its music scene that we support this. Maybe that's a cliché, but it also happens to be true."

-- Bob Mehr: 529-2517

ROCK FOR LOVE 3

The High-Tone: Friday and Saturday, 9 p.m. at 1913 Poplar Ave. Tickets are $10 per show, or $18 for both nights. For more information, call 278-8663

Friday

John Paul Keith & The One Four Fives, The Warble, Pezz, The New Mary Jane, Blair Combest. Master of ceremonies: Gary Parrish of CBSsports.com.

Saturday

River City Tanlines, Two Way Radio, The Magic Kids, Jeffrey James & The Haul, Jason Freeman. Master of ceremonies: Al Kapone.

Shangri-La Records: Saturday, 1 to 7 p.m. at 1916 Madison Ave. Free show:

The Simpletones, Snowglobe, J.D. Reager & The Cold Blooded Three, The Bulletproof Vests, Organ Thief. Master of ceremonies: Chris Vernon of 730 Fox Sports, who will be doing a live remote broadcast.

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