A Holiday Benefit, Vol. 3: Support Literacy in NYC By Listening To Music

If you plan on being in or near NYC this coming Wednesday, December 16, 2009, there's a musical benefit event that should not be missed. 

My friend, musician Benjamin Wagner will be performing along with a long list of some of the best emerging artists in NYC to support literacy.

Who is this guy, and why am I writing about him?

Benjamin and I met in the halls of 1515 Broadway something like a decade ago. We worked together on MTV News and Specials in a fishbowl of a room filled with computer and video equipment. We had an amazing team of people in that room. Paul Kamuf. Jeff Rabb. Erica Maresca. Robert Mancini. All incredibly multi-talented people, and it was truly an honor to work with them.

We've all since gone in different directions. Benjamin went on to become Vice President of MTV News and works with some of the most cutting edge technologies on the market. Yes, I know, you're thinking MTV -- because that's what we so often think about these 800 pound gorilla companies -- but one way or another, MTV Online was among the first to incorporate live news coverage on the internet, daily news updates and video on demand.

Who will be playing at the event?

Today, even with all his success as a music industry executive, Benjamin is still very much the musician, and anyone in NYC has the opportunity to hear him play along with Rogers, Dunn, Shea, Paula  Valstein, Emily Easterly, Chris Cubeta, Martin Rivas, Chris Abad, Misty Boyce, Ruby Rivers and Emily Zuzik. There will also be a silent auction.

Check out the music video for a preview.

Or download a bonus track from iTunes.

Comprising twelve tracks from some of New York City’s finest emerging artists, “A Holiday Benefit, Vol 3″ is a seasonal charity compilation spanning the delicate (Bess Rogers’ “Little Saint Nick”) to the downright bombastic (Bryan Dunn’s “Don’t Believe In Christmas”) with a dash of holiday hilarity (Casey Shea’s “The Chipmunks Song”) in-between.

Who will benefit?

All proceeds go to benefit 826NYC, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting creative and expository writing skills in students 6-18 years old.

For more information, you can read all the details of the event on Benjamin's blog.

“A Holiday Benefit, Vol. 3″ Release Party / Charity Concert
Wednesday, December 16th 8-11pm @ Pianos
158 Ludlow Street New York, New York 10002
(212)-505-3733

And hey, when you go, please tell Benjamin I say hello, then let me know how it was. I would love to be there myself.