| Mirror
Magazine |
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| Country
Road’s gift to needy children Livingston’s arrival - almost 15 years after the Country Music Foundation’s (CMF) first unsuccessful effort to organize a Sri Lankan tour - will result in some good old country music being played to country fans here. A club of young business managers have come forward to underwrite a project to raise funds from the concert to help needy children and schools in Hambantota. In an unusual effort - normally a practice in the stockmarket where public issues to raise funds for companies are underwritten by financial institutions who agree to meet any shortfall in the money expected to be raised - the executive committee of The Sunday Times Business Club has come forward agreeing to cover any shortfall of funds for this project which is expected to cost around Rs. 250,000. Proceeds from the concert will be channelled through UNICEF to provide reading rooms/library with some furniture for three schools - Vauwwa Primary School, Moderawana, Heendeliya Primary school, Galagama South, Nakulugamuwa and Ranmuduwewa Junior school, Suriyawewa in the Hambantota district. “We would like to help these children,” said a spokesperson for the club. The bulk of the funds for the project which will benefit 400 students from these schools would be raised from ticket sales and corporate sponsorship. The landmark country and folk music concert is organized by the CMF in association with UNICEF, with main sponsorship from Emirates, the award-winning Dubai-based international airline and Cargills (Ceylon) Ltd., owners of ‘Food City’ the country’s largest supermarket chain. Held annually since October 1988, the concert series is dedicated to raising funds for underprivileged children in Sri Lanka through projects initiated and run by UNICEF. UNICEF officials said the project undertaken by the CMF is part of its ‘Child Friendly School’ initiative involving 320 schools across the island. The main objective of the project is to improve academic performance, child’s health and well-being and personal development utilizing the opportunities available in promoting child friendly schools. The Mavericks, a popular band from Germany and a frequent guest performer at previous Country Road concerts, Cosmic Rays -the kings of country music here - and other local artistes will join Livingston. The CMF is working with the US Public Affairs Office in Colombo during Livingston’s current tour in which he would be playing in the Maldives, Kandy (Hotel Suisse) and the Country Road concert. He is also due to perform at Clancy’s, the Irish pub and restaurant in Colombo. Livingston is not only a good singer/guitarist who has played with the likes of Willy Nelson, but an accomplished raconteur. He is renowned for drawing audiences into his performance through his songs, stories, and ingenuous humour. Since 1987, he has toured India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. During these concerts, he has invited local musicians to perform with him playing their indigenous instruments. He plans to do the same during the Sri Lankan performance accompanied by a local tabla player. The January
11 event will be in a Wild West format, with horseback riders, hawker
street stalls and barbecues adding to the ambience of the venue.
Country Road is Sri Lanka’s longest running concert series.
Tickets for ‘Country Road XII’ will be available at
the Taj Samudra Hotel Colombo, Taj Airport Garden Seeduwa and Cargills
Food City outlets at Staples Street and Majestic City. |
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