L’il Derek and the Haemo Blues Band, along with special guest Charlie A’Court, will hit the Marigold Cultural Centre stage Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Derek Caine and McCallum Settlement native A’Court joined forces before to offer their musical energy and talents in fundraising support for patients who are dealing with cancer treatments, first with the QEII Foundation and now with the Colchester East Hants Health Centre Foundation.
Caine was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in 2004. After his diagnosis and six months of treatment, he developed a passion for advocacy and music. He is a board member of the CLL Patient Advocacy Group in Canada, and a director of the Little Derek Leukemia Fund, which provides financial support for patients at the QEII.
Along Caine’s journey, he turned to music. He had no formal training but he loved the blues, especially the wailing blues harmonica, so he started to play and found a release in music that helped him cope with his disease. But music did more than that – it was healing.
As he travelled on his musical journey, Caine was introduced to A’Court and the rest is history. The first CD, Little Derek and the Haemo Blues Band, raised $20,000 for cancer patients at the QEII and the second CD, the Red and White album, continued to raise funds and gain attention, winning the Jazz/Blues Recording of the Year at the 2006 Music Nova Scotia awards.
The net proceeds from Friday’s performance will go to the local We Care About Cancer Fund, which provides financial support to cancer patients fighting the disease at the Colchester East Hants Health Centre.
Tickets are $35 and available at all Ticketpro outlets and online at www.ticketpro.ca. They can also be purchased at the Marigold Cultural Centre on Prince Street or by calling the Marigold at 902-897-4001.
