PHIL VASSAR BRINGS JAMIE REDFORD TOGETHER WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO RAISE ORGAN DONATION AWARENESS
Submitted By Elaine Schock
Dec 14, 2006

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) Hit songwriter and chart-topping Country artist Phil
Vassar maintains a hectic schedule these days in the studio and on the road.
But recently Vassar, along with his wife Julie Wood-Vassar, found time to
bring some of Music Row's most influential couples together for some food,
music and fellowship, all for a very worthy cause.

With a dinner party at their Nashville home, the Vassars welcomed 20 of
Music City's power couples ­ including Tim McGraw and Faith Hill and Tony
and Anastasia Brown ­ to a music-filled dinner reception in honor of Jamie
Redford, son of actor/director Robert Redford and founder of the Los
Angeles-based James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness (JRI).

The informal gathering, coordinated with the help of singer/songwriter
Nicholette Rock and Creative Artist Agency's Rod Essig, served as a warmup
for an upcoming benefit concert that will raise money and awareness for the
important work of the James Redford Institute. Many of the guests, including
Vassar, will perform at the March fundraiser, which will take place in
Omaha, Neb., where Jamie Redford received his own emergency liver transplant
at the University of Nebraska Medical Center back in 1993.

"There are a lot of myths out there regarding transplants," Vassar says.
"JRI is an organization that has grown out of Jamie's own personal
experience with Organ transplants, and works hard to create awareness of
what we all can do to help others. I am proud to be able to do whatever part
I can to help. It is not a pleasant discussion, but it is one we all need to
have. There are a lot of lives that can be saved through Organ donations."

An avid amateur guitarist, Redford likened his first trip to Nashville to a
"pilgrimage," taking the opportunity to visit some Music City landmarks,
including the Country Music Hall of Fame and Gruhn Guitars.
 
NSAI Songwriter/Artist of the Year Vassar, who the New York Times recently
called "one of country music's most appealing voices," kept guests
entertained from his familiar perch behind the grand piano, but the last
word, of course, went to the evening's hostess, Julie Wood-Vassar, who
described the event as "a nice Nashville welcome. We just wanted it to be
fun and casualSand informative."

© Copyright 1999 - 2006 by Thats Country  [ disclaimer ]