43
Rockin’ doctors have musical cure
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
AUSTINTOWN
Doctors rock!
To prove it, six local physicians who are in rock groups will take the stage Wednesday night in a benefit battle of the bands concert at Privilege nightclub in Austintown.
The event is dubbed Doctors Rock for Tots because all money raised will go to the free-care fund at Akron Children’s Hospital of the Mahoning Valley. The fund provides medical care for local children without insurance or for cutting-edge care that insurance doesn’t cover.
Gina Shutrump, manager of Howard Hanna real estate’s Canfield branch, came up with the idea. “Every year, each Howard Hanna office does a fundraiser for a children’s hospital in its area,” she said. “I had heard about something similar that was done for the Heart Association in Florida, and I also attended a similar event in Akron held by the United Way, and I figured we must have some talent locally.”
Shutrump placed an ad on Craigslist that said “Wanted: physicians/musicians.”
“We got an interesting response, plus there was word of mouth,” said Shutrump, who was able to put together a lineup of seven bands, each with a doctor as a member.
One of the bands is The Houseband, one of the Mahoning Valley’s most popular. It includes Dr. John Barrett, who also has entered his other band, Just Breathe, in Rock for Tots.
Also performing will be Like Father Like Sons with Dr. Ken Kuhn; The Smarties, Dr. Sandy Naples; The Chrome Brothers, Dr. Timothy Lee; Cherry Wine, Dr. John Dunne; and Take Two, Dr. Robert Walton.
The winning band will be selected by audience applause and will receive a trophy. Cornell Bogdan of WNCD-93 FM will be the master of ceremonies.
Shutrump said she plans to make Doctors Rock for Tots an annual event. She thanked a number of local businesses who donated services for the event, including Privilege nightclub, which donated its room, staff and security; 42 Inc. for sound; Hubbard Music, equipment; and the doctors and their bandmates.
There is another concert in town Wednesday night — Guns N’ Roses at Covelli Centre — but Shutrump said she doesn’t expect the competition will have that much of an effect on attendance at Rock for Tots.