Editor

A concert is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 18th that will both honor the memory of a special young man and help children with cancer in Tennessee.

The "Daniel Brantley Foundation Music Festival" will be held from 12 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the old Claiborne County High School. It will feature a wide variety of music - bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, contemporary gospel, contemporary country, and rock and roll. Groups that are scheduled to appear include many local favorites such as New Road, S&S Express, One Way Track, True Life, 100 Proof, and The Silver Clouds.

All proceeds generated from the concert will go to the Daniel Brantley Foundation. The foundation is named in honor of Daniel Brantley, the son of Tom Brantley who plays fiddle for local bluegrass gospel group New Road. The younger Brantley passed away several years ago after battling leukemia and complications from a bone marrow transplant for more than 11 years. A gifted musician, he mastered the hammered dulcimer in only three years and even released two CDs entitled Hammer Dan and Hammer Dan Hymns From My Heart To Yours. A selfless human being that despite his young age, Daniel had a tremendous influence on those around him through his faith in Jesus Christ.

"In my years as a pediatric oncologist, I had the privilege to work with many patients who confronted adversity with great strength and courage, however, none more so than Daniel. I cannot remember a time that he responded with anger, fear, or self-pity to any of the setbacks he faced. His life was a sermon to us all," said Dr. John Lukens, Jr. of Vanderbilt University Pediatric Oncology.

The Daniel Brantley Foundation was established in his honor and memory, to financially help families of children with chronic illness due to cancer and its treatments. Having a child with cancer can cause many financial difficulties while that child is in the hospital. Expenses such as travel, food, lodging, or other unexpected expenses can add up quickly. Also, the financial burdens may prevent the families of children who suffer from cancer that are musically gifted to lack money for music lessons and studies. Money given to the families of childhood cancer victims by the foundation is not limited to any specific guidelines for its use as long as there is a justified need for help within a family that qualifies. You can send your donation and the names of families you know that need help to: The Daniel Brantley Foundation, P.O. Box 250, Beechgrove, TN 37018. To be a bone marrow donor, contact the National Bone Marrow Donor Program at 1-800-MARROW2 or online at www.marrow.org.

An annual concert and auction is held in Middle Tennessee for the foundation. This year that concert is scheduled for Oct. 7th and the group Mountain Heart is scheduled to perform. Last year, the concert and auction raised over $14,000 for the foundation.

Vic Graves of New Road, who helped organize the local concert, said he is not sure if there will be an annual benefit concert for the foundation in East Tennessee. He did reemphasize that the money raised from the concert will benefit children across the state. He also wanted to let people know that food vendors will be at the local concert and groups that have recorded projects will have those available as well.

Tickets for the concert are $10 each and may be purchased in advance at Turner Music or WTAZ. Tickets can also be purchased at the door.

To order one one of Daniel's CDs, go to www.newroadgospel.com and click on the Hammer Dan icon.