photo by Mark Herndon
On Oct. 21 at Songbirds South, friends and family of local drummer Hunter White paid tribute to him with an evening of music and remembrances called "Hunter's Gift: A Musical Tribute with a Message of Hope."
Mr, White played in numerous Chattanooga bands before taking his own life in July 2018, and the event also raised awareness about mental illness and the agencies and organizations that offer help to those struggling with mental wellness.
Performers at the event included Dubconscious, The Fridge, The Communicators featuring Members of Mdhats, Doghouse Riley & Digital Butter, Jordan Hallquist & The Outfit, Slim Pickins, B.J.
Hightower, Amber Fults, Jonathan Wimpee, Function: With A "C" featuring Darren Self & Brittany Ammons, Mike McDade, Tiffany Taylor and Carden Smith & The Heat.
All of the proceeds from the event, which totaled over $8,000, went to the local arts non-profit organization The Shaking Ray Levi Society to sustain and expand its local outreach work in cooperation with The Rhythmic Arts Project (TRAP).
TRAP is an award-winning non-profit with a program that addresses cognitive, emotional and physical disabilities using a percussion-based curriculum, which has been used by The Shaking Ray Levi Society in local schools and facilities including Signal Centers, Dawn School, St. Barnabas Healthcare Center, T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital at Erlanger, Hospice of Chattanooga's Grief Camp, Chattanooga Therapeutic Recreation Services and the Chattanooga Zoo's Camp ZooAbility and VSA Tennessee.
"The tremendous gains that I have witnessed my preschool students make through drumming has made me believe wholeheartedly in the TRAP program," said Lee Garner, of Signal Centers. "Playing a drum builds bridges, uniting people of all abilities and all ages, and connecting them to their environment. It is joyful, uplifting, instructive and inspiring."
Call 855-CRISIS-1 (855-274-7471) if you or someone you know is experiencing feelings such as: sadness or loneliness, depression, sleeping too much or too little, mood swings, desperation, racing thoughts, thoughts of harming yourself or others, helplessness or hearing voices. The Tennessee Statewide Crisis Line is operating 24/7/365 to help anyone experiencing a mental health crisis. All calls are routed to a trained crisis specialist within the caller’s area. The service is free.
The Shaking Ray Levi Society is an ArtsBuild Community Arts Partner.
photo by Mark Herndon