Natalie Merchant to be Honored at 39th Annual John Lennon Tribute

In celebration of what would have been John’s Lennon’s 79^th birthday, grassroots non-profit Theatre Within has announced artists for the 39^th Annual John Lennon Tribute on Friday, December 6. The event will be held at Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space on Broadway and 95th street.

In addition to artist-activist Natalie Merchant, who will be honored as the sixth recipient of the “John Lennon Real Love Award,” the Tribute will feature performances by Joan Osborne, Rachael Yamagata, Sam Amidon, Willie Nile and Raye Zaragoza, backed by a band led by drummer Rich Pagano, one of the founding members of the Fab Faux.

Merchant, who will be appearing in the long-running charity concert for first time, said in a statement:

 “John and Yoko’s activism had a profound impact upon me as a child. Through their ingenious war protests they challenged the entire world to reflect upon itself. In my estimation, ‘Imagine’ remains the most powerful three minutes and eight seconds of music ever recorded. It contains a vision of our highest aspirations in the most concise language and simple melody. John and Yoko realized that popular art and celebrity could be used to push society closer toward equity and compassion. I’ve tried to follow their example throughout my life, as an artist and citizen. It’s such an honor to be recognized for my work with the John Lennon Real Love award this year.”

Source: Pete Mason/nysmusic.com

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