Today, I'd like to welcome Jeff Hulett, coordinator for the Rock for Love benefit concert and musician also performing in the benefit in two bands. He answers the same questions as yesterday's guest J.D. Reager, sharing his involvement in the benefit and his thoughts on Memphis.
We are a big small town always getting looked over and underappreciated. It sucks, but I don’t mind it because I feel like I know something other people don’t.
~Jeff Hulett on Memphis
Tell us about your initial and present involvement with the Church Health Center.
My band Snowglobe played the first Rock for Love in 2007 and I learned a lot about the Center, but it wasn’t until later that year I was hired on as an intern. Since then I’ve been hired on as Public Relations and Communications Coordinator. This event is great because it ties together two things I love, raising awareness about the CHC and rock and roll.
How easy or difficult was it to get people on board in the initial year: musicians, sponsors, volunteers, attendees?
Just being a performer in year one I’ll tell you that we were more than thrilled to help out. We knew JD and Marvin and all they had to do was ask.
As the benefit is growing in recognition, is the event coordination getting any easier in any way or is it trying to work harder to stay ahead of last year?
It’s getting a little bit easier because more and more people are learning about the Center as the concert moves on up in years. We’ve got more sponsors than ever before and people are seeing flyers and bulletins via Facebook and MySpace and contacting us about how they can help. We are saturating the internet with messages about the event and painting the town red with physical flyers. And not to mention all of the media support i.e. the flyer, CA, Memphis Daily News, 730 FOX Sports, WEVL, etc. There’s much more to do than ever before, but that’s a good thing.
Was the Hi-Tone a key component to the success of the event? I hate to admit I haven’t seen a show there yet but would love to go just because everyone says it’s a great venue but I’m afraid that might be misstated. From your perspective, could it be the Hi-Tone's reputation as a great venue is gained from such great musicians consistently performing there?
This will be the second year in a row for the Hi-Tone and Jonathan and all of the staff there are amazing. It’s a great venue with great sound and ambience. They have a killer local lineup of shows as well as tons of touring acts that are awesome. They do so much extra including having a beer garden in the back this year and doing other awareness raising events for Rock for Love. They are a key ingredient and everyone loves going out to the Hi-Tone.
So you have the perfect mix of a great venue and great local music {smart groundwork for a benefit concert}, how much of your benefit audience would you guess is actually there just for the music?
I would say most people are there for the music, but a lot of people are there to just support the work of the Church Health Center. Last year there were several different pops throughout the nights. The bill is so diverse that there’s something for everyone.
Is the audience for an event like this any different than from your regular gigs?
If so, how?
Maybe a little bit- they know it’s a great cause so perhaps everyone is on their best behavior. No one wants to be the jerk that caused problems at Rock for Love.
{You & Memphis}
Tell us about your band and its music.
I play drums in Snowglobe and occasionally write some songs- our music is best described as pop psychedelic rock n roll. I also sing and play acoustic guitar in Jeffrey James and the Haul- our music is more rootsy, country rock. But it’s all rock n roll too.
Tell us a little about what the fans can expect from your performance at the benefit.
We got a few things up our sleeve.
What does it mean to you to be a musician in Memphis? Does being in Memphis have any effect on your music? It’s an amazing feeling to play music in Memphis and yes it affects my music in many ways. We are a big small town always getting looked over and underappreciated. It sucks, but I don’t mind it because I feel like I know something other people don’t.
The CHC and the Rock for Love benefit are 2 things I am sure many will say make them proud of Memphis. What are other things you would say Memphis can be proud of?
The U of M Tigers, WEVL, Overton park, Shelby Farms, the green line, Stax, sun, our history, MLK, the civil rights museum, live from Memphis, m-town bbq, cooper young fest, the list really goes on and on. I love this town.
Thanks Jeff!
Fans can expect a Rock for Love concert film set to be available around Christmas. Click here to find out more. Make sure to buy the latest albums “Ride the Wind Carnival” and “No Need to Light a Night on a Night Like Tonight” shown below.
Related Links Jeffrey James and the Haul / Snowglobe
Photos from band's website. Banner graphic design by Sophorn.
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