Music unites
Enough is enough. We have had it with the senseless violence that is occurring locally, nationally and internationally on a regular basis. “Terrorism du jour, ” I call it. It seems we wake up almost daily to “breaking news” and on-the-scene reporters at some nightmarish location, where innocents have been cut down, wounded, traumatized.
Most of us feel overwhelmed and helpless. But thanks to innovative and motivated individuals who understand the power of social media, a day of remembrance and unity to stand up to gun violence through the healing nature of music is happening on Sept. 25. The Concert Across America to End Gun Violence is a national effort to bring people together in peace to remember the thousands of victims who have been killed or wounded by guns and to make a statement to Congress and voters.
This monumental effort is happening in small towns, and major cities. There is a concert at the Beacon Theatre in New York City featuring Jackson Brown, Mark Cohn and Roseanne Cash.
But smaller towns and villages in our area are also participating, like in Scarsdale in Westchester, Montclair in New Jersey and Manhasset on Long Island.
Check out the website for all the different locations around the country at : www.concertacrossamerica.org.
On social media, #concertacrossamerica and #endgunviolence.
Valerie Smaldone is a 5-time Billboard Magazine Award winner and is well known for her unprecedented success holding the #1 on-air position in the New York radio market on 106.7 Life-FM, an iHeart station. She has hosted, produced, and created several award-winning nationally syndicated programs featuring in-depth interviews with stars like Paul McCartney, Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, Elton John and Mariah Carey among others. Her radio talk show "Bagels and Broadway" highlighted theatre and food personalities. She is an accomplished interviewer and voice artist heard on commercials, narrations, promos and audiobooks, as well as a sought after live announcer.
Most recently, Valerie produced and directed a film, The Thursday Night Club, featuring pop diva Gloria Gaynor in her movie acting debut. She is one of the creators and producers of a docu-series, Divine Renovation, starring Erik Estrada, on streaming networks soon.
