Breastfest performers band together against breast cancer
For the ninth year in a row, women musicians from Northeast Ohio will be singing the blues – along with folk, rock and jazz – in the fight against breast cancer.
The annual concert was conceived by singer-songwriter Tracy Marie Greenberg, who was inspired by a similar fundraiser called Femfest that was held in the late ‘90s. Ms. Greenberg decided to revive the event because she liked the idea of showcasing women performers in support of a common cause. The first Breastfest took place in 2001.
This year’s lineup at the Brothers Lounge in Cleveland features 14 different bands and solo artists, who will take the stage Oct. 25 from noon to 8 p.m.
“We just thought it was a really good cause and also an opportunity for performers to get their names out there in exchange for their talent,” says Ms. Greenberg, who performs under the name Tracy Marie. “Over the years, I’ve learned so much about breast cancer and how many people get it. A lot of people don’t really know the importance of detection.”
Proceeds from the concert will go to Look Your Best, Check Your Breast, a program that trains hair stylists about how to talk to their clients about breast health. It targets underserved and at-risk urban women who don’t always have access to health information, says Angela Bailey, Administrative Program Coordinator for Community Outreach at Cleveland Clinic’s Taussig Cancer Institute. Ms. Bailey started the Taussig program in partnership with NEON (Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services Inc.).
Look Your Best, Check Your Breast fits well with Ms. Greenberg’s overall philosophy, says Dot Martin, a Breastfest volunteer and fan. “Tracy Marie is always looking to serve the underserved and reach out to people who are not always able to speak for themselves.”
Ms. Martin promises that the concert will be as first-rate as the program it benefits. “The music lineup is incredible,” she says. “This year is the first time for Miss Butterscotch, a retired Cleveland schoolteacher who sings the sassiest blues you’ll ever want to hear. Becky Boyd is the premier blues and jazz singer in Cleveland; Ki Allen is the queen of jazz, definitely a jazz diva. Many of the other ladies performing are folk singer-songwriters.”
Ms. Greenberg, who has been performing professionally for a little over a decade, is one of the featured performers. “She’s an inspiration to me because she’s so driven,” Ms. Martin says. “As a musician, she’s such a mentor to other singer-songwriters even though she’s only 32 herself.”
The ninth Annual Breastfest will be Oct. 25 from noon to 8 p.m. at the Brothers Lounge, 11609 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland. For more information on this and future Breastfest events, contact Tracy Marie Greenberg at breastfest@tracymarie.com.
To make a gift supporting the Taussig Cancer Institute, OB/GYN & Women’s Health Institute or any area of Cleveland Clinic, visit iSupport, our secure online giving site, or call Institutional Relations and Development at 216.444.1245 or toll-free at 800.223.2273, ext. 41245.
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