The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.
Home  >  Entertainment  >  Music

Benefits to help Jeff Madewell

Hot Topics

Jeff Madewell (right) with his musical partner Erin Higgins.
Contributed photo Jeff Madewell (right) with his musical partner Erin Higgins.
ENLARGE PHOTO

    Latest entertainment headlines

    Suggested for you

By Don Thrasher, Contributing Writer 4:53 PM Thursday, January 21, 2010

Jeff Madewell is a fighter. The West Milton native had Hodgkin’s disease when he was 19, which resulted in the loss of most of his vision. That didn’t prevent him from becoming one of the region’s most respected musicians.

Over the last several years, Madewell has faced numerous health problems, including respiratory disease histoplasmosis in 2007 and a benign skull tumor in 2008. In 2009, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He’s currently undergoing chemotherapy. In late February, he’ll head to the Cleveland Clinic for a bone marrow transplant.

“I don’t want anybody to worry or feel bad because to me it’s just another challenge,” Madewell said. “You always learn from the roughest paths, so this is just another chance to learn a little bit more about life and move on and make a good story one day.”

This positive attitude has always been one of the hallmarks of Madewell, who has spearheaded an annual clothing and toy drive for children on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in the Dakotas for more than a decade. He was recognized for his charity work last year when he was named one of 10 finalists in the national contest For All the Ways You Care, sponsored by CVS Pharmacy.

Over the next few weeks, Madewell’s friends and family will be joining forces for benefits at The Brig in Troy on Saturday, Jan. 23, and Toll House Tavern in Union on Saturday, Jan. 30.

“We’re trying to get as much money for Jeff as we possibly can,” said Erin Higgins, Madewell’s musical partner in the acoustic duo Higgins-Madewell. “We’re trying to raise money to pay for medical bills and any other bills he might have. Our duo was his primary source of income. He did some radio jingles and things like that on the side, but he obviously can’t play right now.

“We’ll have six main raffles at The Brig,” Higgins added. “We’ve had so many things donated. There’s going to be a couple of guitars, a flat-screen TV and thousands of dollars in gift certificates, which is awesome.”

Madewell says he is humbled to be on the receiving end of such generosity.

“I’m very honored everyone is doing this,” Madewell said. “Erin has just been an absolute priceless friend. It’s hard for me to be on the receiving end of something like this. It’s awkward, but I’m very honored and touched by all the hard work Erin and everyone else has put into all this. It means so much to me.”

Contact contributing arts and music writer Don Thrasher at donaldthrasher8@aol.com.

How to go

Who: Paul David Bach, Brothers in Arms, The Drive and others

Where: The Brig, 118 W. Main St. in Troy

When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23

Cost: $10

More info: (937) 335-3717 or www.troybrig.com

Who: Diddley, Undone, Spoonful and others

Where: Tollhouse Tavern, 128 N. Main St., Union

When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30

Cost: Free, donations accepted

More info: (937) 832-2010 or www.myspace.com/tollhousetavern

User comments are not being accepted on this article.

Get e-mail tips on things to do

ActiveDayton.com's free twice-a-week e-mail newsletter highlights five things you can do in the Miami Valley.

See Sample | Privacy Policy
SIGN UP
Latest videos: Entertainment news

Happy Valentine's Day

Our Valentine Guide has everything you'll need for a fun-filled holiday.

  • Find romantic dining options
  • Get help with your love letters
  • Find ways to celebrate

> View the guide

Can you find 5 changes?

We give you an image to look at paired with an altered version of the same photo. Can you spot the five differences between the images? > Play the game

Entertainment photos & videos

Latest Entertainment blogs


Submit your things to do

Can't find your event?

Got a really cool event that you want to promote on our site? No problem. It's easy to create and share events with our FREE online events listings. > Add your event

About our ads

About our ads

Home | News | Sports | Business | Entertainment | Opinion | Life | Recreation | Photos & Video | Cars | Homes | Find Dayton Jobs
Advertising Media Kit | Online Ad Studio | Advertiser Tools | Customer Service | Contact Us | Our Partners | RSS | Site Map

Copyright © 2012 Cox Ohio Publishing, Dayton, Ohio, USA. All rights reserved.

By using this site, you accept the terms of our Visitors Agreement and Privacy Policy. About our ads. You may wish to note our other business policies.

This website is ACAP-enabled