Michael McDermott, Heather Lynne Horton to headline benefit concert for Mercy Home
When Pete Miscinski helped put together plans for a benefit concert at The Venue in downtown Aurora, he knew exactly whom he wanted to see center stage July 23 - Michael McDermott and his wife, Heather Lynne Horton.
"Michael and Heather are my favorite performers," he said in an email.
The Glen Ellyn resident has been raising funds through concerts and as part of a team of Chicago Marathon runners on behalf of Mercy Home for Boys & Girls in Chicago, which has helped more than 30,000 at-risk youth since its founding in 1887. This fall, he's running in the New York Marathon.
After previous benefit concerts in Glen Ellyn and Lombard, Miscinski is bringing back McDermott and Horton, fiddle player and background vocalist, both standout solo artists who will appear as a duo for the concert.
They will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 23, at The Venue, 21 S. Broadway Ave. (Route 25), a few blocks south of the train station. Doors open at 7 p.m.
The proceeds from the concert and silent auction will benefit the charity.
Advance general admission is $40.
To purchase tickets, go to The Venue Aurora site on Eventbrite.com.
About the artist
Michael McDermott's brand of rock 'n' roll brims with the kind of well-honed style and wisdom that can only come from a career on the road and a pedigree in the studio, concert organizers stated online, noting he effortlessly blends natural folk sensibility, pop hooks and honest rock.
"It's an exploration of the dark corners of life's journey, and it resonates middle class truths through the passionate filter of a kid that grew up on Chicago's Irish South Side," organizers said. "If you are a fan of Springsteen, Van Morrison, John Steinbeck, Patti Smith ... McDermott's inspirational rock is in your wheelhouse, waiting late night with a guitar ... and stories of the American heart."
Counting himself among McDermott's fans is author Stephen King, who called Michael McDermott one of the best songwriters in the world.
McDermott just released a new album, "St. Paul's Boulevard," to critical acclaim and is releasing his memoir in September, Miscinski said.