Musicians Plan Benefit Concert For Percy Sledge

It was no different when local legend Percy Sledge, who is undergoing treatment for liver cancer, had a need.

Local musicians are coming together to host a benefit for Sledge at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center.

“I knew Percy hadn’t worked in a while and was going through cancer treatments and needed financial support,” said David Johnson, who organized the benefit. “He has given so much to this community and he has done so many fundraising concerts, I thought it was time we gave him something back.”

Johnson worked with Sledge in the 1970s, producing many of his albums.

When he discussed possibility of a benefit concert for Sledge with fellow musicians, Johnson there were so many people wanting to help that he could only take about half the musicians who offered to lend a hand.

“Everybody wanted to help,” Johnson said. “He probably had arguably the biggest record to come out of Muscle Shoals, and it has meant so much to our area for what it has done for Muscle Shoals worldwide. ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’ is what really kicked Muscle Shoals off worldwide.”

Musicians who will be performing for an upcoming benefit for Sledge includes Eddie Floyd, Pat Upton, Lenny LeBlanc, Gary Baker, Walt Aldridge, Bobby Denton, Travis Wammack, Donnie Fritts, David Hood, Mike Dillon, Kelvin Holly, N.C. Thurman, Jim Seals, Donnie Carpenter and Mitchell Curtis, Harvey Thompson, Charles Rose, Doug Moffet, Steve Herrmann and John Paul White.

Tickets are $35 and at First Metro Bank and Valley Credit Union branches. VIP table sponsorships are available for $750 and can be purchased by calling 256-810-3030. VIP tables seat 10 and will be located in front of the stage. VIP sponsorships will include logos or names shown on the front stage.

Eddie Floyd, who is best known for his hit “Knock on Wood,” said he and Sledge go way back. The two had been touring together until this year when Sledge couldn’t make a trip to England with Floyd.

“I started pulling out different pictures thinking about Percy,” he said. “In the past couple of days, I was thinking about what I would share with the people up there, just some good moments.”

Floyd said he hopes the benefit concert will be an homage to Sledge.

“The great thing that the public there in his hometown, they want to pay homage to him,” Floyd said.

Local singer/songwriter Travis Wammack said he’s happy to help Sledge, who was always easy to work with.

“Percy Sledge, he’s such a good dude, so easy to work with,” he said. “Even his singing and everything, he has his own style.”

Wammack wrote several; songs for Sledge’s country album and his more recent gospel album.

“All of the sessions I did, I never saw him mad or down,” Wammack said. “He’s bubbly and great to work with in the studio. He’s just an awesome person and I’m proud to be a friend of his.”