Monday, November 11, 2013

Roger Waters, Bruce Springsteen and Comics Salute Wounded Vets at 'Stand Up for Heroes' Benefit.

Roger Waters fronts “Stand Up for Heroes” benefit.

Roger Waters took the stage last week to host and play with the MusicCorps Wounded Warrior Band - an ensemble that included a veteran playing drums with just one arm and a singer and bassist who lost both of their legs. Waters, whose father was killed in World War II and his grandfather in World War I, brought nearly two dozen veterans onstage with him to sing and play guitar. He often turned the lead microphone over to other singers during performances of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," John Lennon's "Imagine," Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come".



For Waters' finale, he strapped on his bass guitar for a resounding rendition of his hallmark "Comfortably Numb" backed by the Wounded Warriors and members of his band. There was not a dry eye in the house.


Springsteen auctions his personal guitar for $250K

Bruce Springsteen auctioned off the guitar he was playing for $250,000 to benefit wounded servicemen and women, at the seventh annual "Stand Up for Heroes" benefit run by ABC newsman Bob Woodruff's foundation.

Springsteen was joined on stage by NBC's Brian Williams, who helped auction Springsteen’s personal guitar. Springsteen sweetened the pot adding his a one on one-hour guitar lesson and an entry to a recording session at his New Jersey home. 


The Boss reworked "Dancing In The Dark" into a soul- laden solo acoustic number and then brought out his wife, and fellow E Streeter, Patti Scialfa for a heart wrenching version of "If I Should Fall Behind." The Jersey hero then stepped behind a pump organ for his first cover of Suicide's "Dream Baby Dream" to resounding applause.

Top comics add some levity to the event.

Jon Stewart, Bill Cosby, Jim Gaffigan and Jerry Seinfeld and several other comics also performed adding some levity to this star studded event.

The comics performed with themes that fit their personas. Stewart offered political satire, the veteran Cosby joked about families, Gaffigan riffed on junk food and Seinfeld talked about the foibles of married life

Springsteen also shared his comedic side by delivering a number of jokes during his three-song set.

Bob Woodruff escaped death and gives back to Veterans every year.

Woodruff, the newsman and founder of this event was nearly killed eight years ago by an improvised explosive device in Iran. He and his wife Lee now spend much of their time helping vets who need medical and psychological care for catastrophic injuries.

In its’ first six years, the event raised more than $16 million to support wounded warriors and their families. This year's benefit, from which the Woodruffs hoped to raise $20 million, had a special emphasis on family caregivers who nurse veterans back to health.

On this Veteran’s Day, we salute all the courageous men and women who fought for us and continue to fight for our freedoms; often at a very high price.

We also pay homage to the caregivers who devote their lives to nursing veterans back to theirs.


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