Jimmy Jam in Nashville August 6

Jim and Deseigne VanCleve with their children, Hudson, Ryann and GrahamWhen we covered the severe health scare that befell Mountain Heart fiddler Jim VanCleve earlier this year, we indicated that a benefit show was in the works. This week it was announced that August 6 is the date when friends and music business acquaintances will host Jimmy Jam at Nashville’s 3rd And Lindsley at 7:30 p.m.

Jim came down with dengue hemorrhagic fever while performing in St. Croix this past March, and spent several days in the hospital, and several weeks in bed before he could return to work. It was a scary time for him, his wife Desneige, and their three young children, as he was the sole breadwinner who, like so many musicians, had no health insurance.

The VanCleves have remedied that situation, but are left trying to recover from two months of lost income and some staggering medical bills.

The list of artists signed on to perform on the 6th is impressive:

  • Dailey & Vincent
  • Del McCoury Band
  • Sam Bush Band
  • The Grascals
  • The SteelDrivers
  • Mountain Heart
  • Guthrie Trapp & Friends
  • Jon Weisberger w/Sierra Hull, Justin Moses, Ned Luberecki and Stephen Mougin
  • Melonie Cannon & Friends
  • Buddy Cannon
  • Ronnie & Garnett Bowman
  • Bryan Sutton
  • Larry Cordle
  • Donna Ulisse
  • Matt King
  • Fred Knobloch
  • Josh Daniels (of the New Familiars)
  • Jeff King
  • Andrea Zonn
  • Playing on the Planet featuring Lisa Jacobi

Tickets are available at $25 for reserved VIP seats, and $15 for general admission. All proceeds, including those from the scheduled silent auction, will go to the VanCleve Medical Fund.

For those outside of the Nashville area who would like to make a contribution, donations can be sent via PayPal. Just use this link, and indicate the recipient as vanclevemedicalfund@gmail.com. Checks can be sent to:

VanCleve Medical Fund
105 Imperial Blvd.
PO Box 613
Hendersonville, TN 37077

Jim is one of the hardest working guys in bluegrass, and a dedicated family man.

Mountain Heart’s manager, Brian Smith, who organized Jimmy Jam, says that doing so has been a humbling experience.

“Jim brought me to Mountain Heart more than 4 years ago, and that introduction and signing with them launched my company. I think the world of him and his family, and this has been a labor of love for me to help orchestrate. To have this level of talent say “Yes” when I called was heartwarming and shows the true love, respect and care Nashville has for this man.”

Please help if you can.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.