A5

By ADAM BOWIE
bowie.adam@dailygleaner.com

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One of Newfoundland's most acclaimed singer-songwriters is in town raising money for a children's charity and hopes to entertain soldiers at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown.

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Adam Bowie Photo

Newfoundland’s The Eddie Coffey Band will perform a series of afternoon shows this week at the Regent Mall Wal-Mart in support of the Children’s Miracle Network. The band will donate 25 per cent of all T-shirt and CD sales to the cause, and use the rest of the money raised to continue a North American tour of military bases and hospitals.

The Eddie Coffey Band, famous for Celtic-flavoured songs such as Grey Foggy Day and Sweet Forget Me Not, is performing afternoon shows at the Regent Mall Wal-Mart this week, and is scheduled to perform at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #93 in Oromocto on Sunday afternoon.

Harold O'Connell, who splits his time performing with the group and managing the tour, said the musicians have been performing for soldiers across North America for the past few years.

He said the band performs in military hospitals, bases, and legions to raise the spirits of local service men and women.

"We took it upon ourselves - we had no financial help from the provincial or federal governments - to step up to the plate and support the people who are serving our country now, and the veterans who have served our country in the past," he said.

"So we did a 49-base tour across Canada and the (United States). We targeted bases in the (U.S.) that we knew had Canadian soldiers stationed there, so we brought a morale boost to them and it also showed compassion to the Americans, and showed that Canadians care about them too."

The band sells CDs and T-shirts at its shows, but the money raised through sales goes directly to its charitable efforts.

O'Connell said 25 per cent of those earnings go to help children through the Children's Miracle Network, and the rest of the money is used to keep the tour of military bases going.

He said the band has arranged an impromptu performance for troops at CFB Gagetown while its in town that should be held early next week at Griffins Pub in the Canex Mall.

Coffey said he's been writing songs and performing for 40 years and raising money for charity has re-energized his career.

And he said the tour may have inspired a few other bands to give something back.

"I remember one time in Idaho, (country legend) Charlie Daniels put on a show for the troops and he raised $75,000. I get $75, but that's Charlie Daniels we're talking about," he said with a laugh.

"I wish more bands were doing it."

For more information about the band's efforts, check www.eddiecoffey.ca.