BurghSTOCK (Mike Fornear)

Interests

General
The sad, ridiculous and just plain unacceptable facts are that 30% of the homeless men in this country are military vets. There are reportedly over 2500 in the tri-state area alone, and those that assist them have waiting lists. Even worse, we have the 2nd highest percentage of homeless Vietnam era vets in the country. Some reportedly sleep under the Veteran's Bridge! This is all incredibly wrong. No one likes war, but we all kinda fell in love with the sacred premise of our military: we do not leave our wounded behind. Not on battlefields, not in wheelchairs and certainly not under a bridge. BurghSTOCK benefits local non profits that help those currently left beneath the bridges reclaim their lives. Most of the non profits that help them receive only a portion of what they need to continue their life saving work from the VA. The rest is up to those like us and it's a great honor to support their priceless work.
Music
The following PGH area bands have played a BurghSTOCK gig: The Next, Overdrive, The Upright Monkeys, Cellar Blues (with John O'Connor sitting in), Tim Grealish(with brother Dan sneaking in), The Blyth Brothers Band, Psalter, The Jades, Ruff House, Blueprint (2x), Sounds of Seattle, the Bill Alli Band (with Mike Fornear sneaking in), 33 and 1/3(with Sean McDowell sitting in), Matt Tichon, The Bears, Soul Source, Harmon Creek, Steeltown (3x), the Cropdusters, Jimbo and the Soupbones, Fynal Tyme II, Bill Couch (3x), the Phil and Matthias Acoustic Duo, The Sonic Blues Band, Vinylstatic, Lucid Factor, Copperhead Road and (kinda) The Todd Jones Band- they still owe us a gig. Also His Girl Friday, The Nevin James Band, The Matt Baranti Band, Mark Cyler and The Lost Coins, Whiskey Outlaws, Runnin Low (with saxmaster Mark Suhy and Al and Des from Skillet Hill sitting in), 28 North (opening for hookah), J.R. Rebello, Fungus (2x). Karaoke with Brett,
Movies
COMING LOCAL GIGS Bill Couch has designated the last Tuesday of every month's open stage night at Roy's as part of BurghSTOCK- next show's July 20. J.R. Rebelo also does a 2nd gig at The Beach House Tiki-Bar on Rt. 88 on July 24. Kevin Finn Band at the Lava Lounge Aug 26.. Venue and date TBA- Channel Scorpion News CD Release Party. Venue and date TBA- Brad Bendis. Hopefully other soon to be announced dates from those who have expressed an interest in joining us include Norm Nardini and The Stickers COMING MAJOR LEAGUE GIGS- The legendary New Riders of the Purple Sage made their 2nd BurghSTOCK appearance June 8 at the Thunderbird. Pure Prairie League joins us July 10 at the Laurel Arts Festival in Somerset. James McMurtry and Jonny Burke'll hopefully join us for the 2nd time at Club Cafe July 19. New York City acoustic wunderkid Kayte Grace joins us July 22 at Borders South Hills- 7:30 start.,
Television
Thanks to the following venues-The Rex, Rhythm House, Diesel, Altar, Pizzaz, Roy's, Badlands, RPMs, Port Vue Pub, Molly Brannigan's, Moondog's, 110 Lounge, Mr Small's, Warehouse Cafe, Scooby's, Thunderbird Cafe, Club Cafe, StonePeppers, and the Charleroi Legion, Old Large Hotel Also to Daryl Price, opusoneproductions, Moondog, Joker Productions and Drusky Entertainment. Blue Mountain Artists, Dennis McNally, Jenni Finley Promotions and DJs Sean McDowell, Jimmy Roach and Ken Battista have been a big help, as has Scott Mervis of the Post-Gazette and Aaron and Bill at the City Paper. Special thanks to Skip at Badlands and Roy and Laura at Roy's, these people got us started and keeps us going. Over $3300 has been raise at these two establisments and we are all deeply appreciative.,
Books
We'll soon have info on our book "A Sacred Calling: Fifty Inspiring Profiles of American Military Veterans" onwww.myspace.com/489754389.
Heroes
Everyone who's been part of this. To quote Kurt Vonnegut "All music is sacred", and it's been great fun hearing the work of all the different bands that have been a part of this incredibly unique venture, and meeting all their fans who support them and this Burgh based initiative. Also, the beneficiaries that do such great, life saving work with men who stood on battlefields in our place and now need a hand.

Stream

Mike Fornear is now friends with Kayte Grace
- Kayte Grace
  Band
  1484 friends - Add to Friends
2:13 AM Jul 7
- comment
Add comment...

Submit
1 comment total show more hide all show

Details

Status: Single
Zodiac Sign: Aries

Blurbs

About me:

On behalf of a couple hundred Pittsburgh area bar band musicians and our friends in the major leagues, welcome to a work in progress, the BurghSTOCK (kinda like our Woodstock) page. We celebrate the beauty and power of live music played by friends for their friends. We do so by playing one regularly scheduled gig annually either for free or at a reduced rate. We then donate along with our fans (we pass the hat at each show) to local non-profits that assist homeless and disabled military veterans. Why? Well, because this is America. There's a million good cause out there that people ask us to play benefits for, but this one really hit home with all of us. If a man stood on a battlefield in our nation's uniform and now needs a hand we're glad, in fact we're honored, to help. We don't much care what addictions he battles, what other mental illnesses he suffers from, or why his family and friends gave up on him. One homeless vet is simply one too many for us and we hope you'll join us in doing something about it.

Who I'd like to meet:

We started in Finleyville on Veterans Day 2008 and we've since had help from a rather impressive array of major leaguers. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Garth (and Maud) Hudson first sent kind words of support and led us to believe we might be on to something. Since then, Little Feat (2x), New Riders of the Purple Sage (2x), ekoostik hookah (4x), Jones For Revival, Jonny Burke, Americana Artist and Album of the Year Award Winner James McMurtry, Hall Of Famer Donna Jean Godchaux Band with Jeff Mattson, Great American Taxi, my pals Yarn (soon to be #1 on the Americana charts), Carlos Jones and the P.L.U.S. Band, The Supersuckers (2x) and Pure Prairie League have all designated local tour stops as part of BurghSTOCK. Also, Hall of Famer Levon Helm, The Paul Barrere and Fred Tackett Acoustic Duo, Dennis McNally (publicist for the Grateful Dead and author of the only band authorized biography) and Doug Lubahn (bass player on most of the Doors records) have helped us out, sending stuff to auction off/ use as enticements to get locals involved. Bill Payne of little Feat is an accomplished photographer as well as (along with Garth Hudson) one of the greatest keyboardists alive. Bill gave us a print of his patriotic themed work, "A Sacred Calling", that raised quite a few bucks from an anonymous donor. We presented it to one of our beneficiaries on Veterans Day 2009 and it was one of the nicest moments of my life. It has been one of the greatest honors and pleasures of my life to meet and have these wonderful people and musicians involved in our effort to end homelessness among our area's veteran population. NOTE-THE GUYS IN LITTLE FEAT WERE THE FIRST MAJOR LEAGUERS TO GIVE US A HAND, AND NOW IT'S TIME TO SHOW OUR THANKS. RICHIE HAYWARD, DRUMMER EXTRAORDINAIRE,IS BATTLING LIVER CANCER-WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE. WE'RE GONNA SEND AT LEAST 10% OF EVERY PENNY WE RAISE TO RICHIE ALONG WITH OUR BEST WISHES FOR HIS RECOVERY. IF YOU'RE A FEAT FAN AT A BURGHSTOCK GIG AND WANT TO SEND A DONATION OR CARD DIRECTLY TO RICHIE, WE'LL GIVE YOU THE ADDRESS.

Friends

Doug Lubahn Doors/Squie…Doug Lubahn

Comments

Kayte Grace
thanks mike! i just sent you an e-mail : ) see you at the show!

Posted Jul 9 2010 10:51 PM
BurghSTOCKMike Fornear
Welcome to our first corporate sponsor, the StonePeppers Grill restaurant chain. Any other firms, groups or organizations interested in joining the figth to end veteran homelessness can reach me at 412-726-7206

Posted Jun 30 2010 5:11 PM
BurghSTOCKMike Fornear
Participation is simple. Just pick a scheduled gig as part of the deal. Designate a quarter, half, or all of your performance fee as your donation. We'll have someone there to spread the word and pass the hat. At the end of the night they'll write a check to one of our beneficiaries for the total amount generated. You mail it and the thank you note comes to you, with the venue cced. In this fashion there's no question about where the money goes. Learn more about what our beneficiaries do by watching the biker video at www.shepheart.com. We are not affiliated with any of our beneficiaries in any fashion and have no position on their religious or political beliefs. We just like what they do.

Posted Jul 30 2009 11:34 AM

MySpace

BurghSTOCK

Mike Fornear

Interests

General

Music

Movies

Television

Books

Heroes