POWELL RANDOLPH BENEFIT FEATURING CARBON JAM, BUTTER, LEWIS MCGEHEE AND MORE

COURTESY OF THE VIRGINIAN PILOT:

BENEFIT FOR POWELL RANDOLPH
Pay-back time for a music man
By Cindy Butler Focke
Correspondent
LYNNHAVEN
Jay Windsor will never forget the night Powell Randolph surrendered his spot on drums to him during a performance at 501 City Grill.

Jay was only about 11 at the time. The song was The Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women.”

“It was a really cool experience,” said the 17-year-old Great Neck resident. “He had enough faith in me to let me sit in with his band.”

Jay’s band, Carbon Jam, will return the favor by performing at a Sept. 18 benefit at The Jewish Mother in honor of his 44-year-old mentor, who was diagnosed earlier this year with salivary gland cancer.

Jay was about 6 when he began taking drum lessons from Randolph. “I owe a lot to Powell. He was patient, easy to understand and taught me how to read music.”

Carbon Jam – five teens who perform mostly classic rock from the 1960s and ’70s plus some original songs – opened for Jefferson Starship in Charlottesville last month and recently released their first CD.

They’ll be joined by Lewis McGehee, Jesse Chong and the bands Tailgate Down and Butter. Other local musicians and Randolph’s fellow Alpha Music instructors will stop by and jam during the afternoon of an eclectic mix of music, said Mark Dunn, a musician and longtime friend.
“Everybody knows Powell,” he said.

Dunn and Dan Clemens are spearheading the event, which also will include a silent auction. Clemens, a bass guitarist who has played music with Randolph since they were teenagers, said his friend is one-of-a-kind.

“I can honestly say he is the type of person who would do anything for you,” Clemens said.

The pair are part of the local band Spin City and Wind-borne Music, a classic-rock orchestra show that performs around the country. Randolph is “a phenomenal drummer,” Clemens said.

“He had a drum solo in the middle of our Led Zeppelin concert and got a standing ovation.”


The Randolph family – which includes wife Robin and sons Logan, 16, and Hunter, 9 – lives in Red Mill. About a year ago, Robin Randolph said, her husband began experiencing slight swallowing problems. In June he was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer and a month later underwent surgery to remove lymph nodes and part of his tongue.

Thankfully, her husband’s vocal chords were spared, she said. “It happened so fast.”

Now it’s chemotherapy and radiation treatments through September. “At this point, he is cancer-free,” Robin Randolph said.

And although the family has insurance, expenses are mounting as her husband is unable to work while undergoing treatment.

They were surprised to learn about the benefit concert, she said.

“We are floored with the number of people who have come out of nowhere to help,” she said, pausing to take a breath. “It’s overwhelming.”
Cindy Butler Focke, butler496@aol.com



Carbon Jam will perform at the Sept. 18 concert to raise money for fellow musician Powell Randolph.
COURTESY OF THE BAND
going?

What Benefit concert for Powell Randolph, featuring local bands and musicians
When 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18; doors open 2 p.m.
Where The Jewish Mother, 600 Nevan Road, Hilltop
Cost $10 donation for adults at the door
Info Email mark@ markdunnguitar.com or visit www.powellrandolph.com