(ed note: Readers of NashvilleHype! will without question be very familiar with Kelly Ray Davis and Crisp & Davis as they’ve been one of our flagship featured artists for a long time. This interview was conducted for the sister site to NashvilleHype! Nashville Benefits)
On July 7th 21 artists will come together at the Cadillac Ranch in order to raise money to help find a cure for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Among the artists scheduled to perform are Bridgette Tatum, Shawn Meyer, Gabe Garcia, Tommy Tutone, Amanda Williams, Memarie Gayle, Megan Linville, Rich Fagan, Larry Cordle, Spady, Kristi Manna, Kara Clark, Lila James, Diana Paul, Brittany Lee, David Brendan Hunt, Hoss Howard, Melissa Duvall, (host) Warren Silvers, and Crisp & Davis.
I recently contacted Kelly Ray Davis of Crisp & Davis and asked him to participate in a short interview about the event – and his own career.
How did you find out about the MUSIC FOR A CURE – SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHY BENEFIT?
Warren Silvers (the host) called me up on the phone and ask if Rodney and I wanted to be part of this benefit and before he could get finished with his sentence I interrupted him and said sign us up. I met Warren a few years back on myspace and he and I have been keeping in touch with each others work ever since. So when he decided to put this benefit together, Rodney and I was one of the acts that popped in his head to invite and we are very honored to be a part of something so great!
You’re coming all the way to Nashville from West Virginia to participate in the show – did you have any second thoughts about accepting the invitation?
Second thoughts? No way! Rodney and I are all about helping out and giving back. God blessed us with the greatest talent in the world * which is music *. Rodney and I both believe firmly that if you don’t use your talents for the right reasons they will soon enough be taken away! Like I told Warren just the other day, if it is just Crisp & Davis and Warren Silvers on the bill and we only draw a crowd of 3 people at the show we will be there Lord willing! My great friend and adviser Paul King from Nashville Hype ask us to do a benefit a little over a year ago for tornado victims and we was all over it with out question! We worked our butts off getting press, radio, etc… involved in that benefit that Paul and the Red Cross put on and I can honestly say I am proud that we was apart of the Supercell Benefit.
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Excuse me for being a wet blanket music lovers but I you need a dose of truth. Have you ever thought that if you added up all the money collected by modern medicine from honest Americans to find a cure for any disease that it would amount to trillions of dollars. And I am not even counting the money the government gives them. The reason I say that is because they have not found a cure for even one disease in 60 years. I remember giving donations for medical causes when I was a little boy and I am 64 now. What have they been doing all this time with all that money? I wonder if they are even trying to find a cure? Paul
Paul,
I believe there are certainly places (and people) who only make a good living ‘researching’ various things. Global Warming for example. Environuts who ‘study’ Global Warming only do so in order to get more grants and thus earn a living.
Medical researchers however, I believe, are different. I believe that in the medical field exist great individuals who really care about making a difference. These are people who may not personally be affected by the disease they are researching, but they certainly know the effects that disease have on the people who have it.
I personally would rather spend trillions of dollars giving families and those affected by such sickness hope of a cure, than simply throw it down the drain of corporate welfare. Despite the high cost and the seeming lack of movement in finding actual cures, progress is being made.
For example, Warren (the person holding this benefit) was told his son would die by the time he was 6 years old. Through events like this and others held throughout the country, researchers have given Aiden (Warren’s son) 14 years of life – with many more to come! They have made progress over the years in finding out the ‘what’s’ and the ‘why’s’ and the ‘how’s’. Much work is left to do, but Aiden is a wonderful, upbeat, positive kid who has really suffered more than anyone could possibly imagine – and I promise you he lives his life, to the best of his ability, to the fullest.
Everyone wishes that cures could be found for these diseases. And great strides are being made in numerous places – from diabetes to lupus and lymphoma to cancer – and yes, researchers are closer than ever to discovering a cure for SMA.
The bottom line is, what we do today isn’t always for those who suffer today. It’s for those who may suffer in the future. Those who could be cured. Despite the financial cost, I care more about the human cost – and sincerely believe that one day, God will give those who research and study these illnesses the answers we’ve all been looking for.
Thanks for reading NashvilleHype! Appreciate it.
I will be there! Thanks for sharing this on Twitter. If you hadn’t posted it on there-I wouldn’t have known.
Paul King, that is one of the best and most heartfelt replies to a negative comment that I have ever read! The world would be a better place if we had more guys like you in it! I understand what the guy was saying about wasting money but there are so many facts that people have not a clue about. One being * what we do today determines the future of our children*! I sure hope people don’t forget that.
Kelly Ray Davis
Researchers are working every day to find a cure for SMA! They really are because I know some of them and I’ve seen their work. They know EXACLY what causes SMA and that is more than what they know about other diseases. The problem with SMA is that no one has ever heard of it and so there is so little money given to find a cure. Families like mine have raised most of the money that goes to SMA research. Families shouldn’t have to take care of their kids and raise money. Most infants die that have SMA and it leaves families so sad that they don’t want to talk about it. There are already some drugs they found that if given early enough can help kids stand and take a few steps. I wasn’t supposed to live past 2 but my mommy researched the best way to help me and now I’m 12 but I wish i was stronger and could walk. I just hope I don’t get any worse- a drug to keep me at least the same would be nice. Please help! SMA is the #1 genetic killer that no one has ever heard of! How can that be?
Thanks Nashville Benefits and all those involved with the fundraiser. Prayers for Aiden!
You certainly ARE a princess! Thank you so much for your comment!