Hello--Posting this for an encore; I'm not sure how much I was
able to post the first time out--Hope some of you in SoCal can come out and 
support a great cause--Thanks, Steve. And thanks to Audities...

TRIBUTE SHOWS: Dave Alvin, Sven-Erik & The Wild Truth, and the remaining
members of the Farmers will headline a May 4 tribute and benefit concert for
Buddy Blue's family at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach. Blue, who
co-founded the Beat Farmers (as the band was then known) in 1983, died
suddenly April 2 from a combination of heart ailments. He was 48 and left
behind his wife, Annie, and their 3-year-old daughter, Tallulah.
"I was thinking about calling the Belly Up to discuss arranging a
fundraising concert for Buddy's family, and the Belly Up called me first. So
it was kind of a mutual idea," Farmers singer-guitarist Jerry Raney said
yesterday.

Other artists are still being confirmed for the May 4 benefit, which will
mark the debut of the Farmers as a trio with Raney, bassist Rolle Love and
drummer Joel Kmak. Kmak became the band's full-time drummer after Farmers
leader Country Dick Montana died on stage in 1995 during a concert by the
band in Canada. According to Raney, all future shows by the Farmers will be
in a trio configuration, simply because "Buddy is irreplaceable."

The Belly Up show will be followed by a June 18 fundraiser for Blue's family
at the Casbah. Confirmed acts include the Farmers, the Rugburns, Slam Buckra
and Sven Erik-Seaholm & The Wild Truth.

Admission to the Belly Up show, for which tickets are now on sale at the
club and all Ticketmaster outlets, is $10; all ticket proceeds will go to
Blue's family. No price has been determined for the Casbah show.

In the meantime, an education fund has been created for Blue's daughter.
Donations can be sent to the LuLu Blue Foundation, care of: Wells Fargo
Bank, 8800 Grossmont Blvd., La Mesa, CA, 91941.

- George Varga,  San Diego Union-Tribune