The Third Annual "Songs of Deep Emotion and Bright Light" at City Winery NYC

Willie Nile, Martha Wainwright, Bettye LaVette, Teddy Thompson, Martha Redbone, Ana Egge, BETTY, Hank Azaria, Ricky Byrd, Steve Conte, Elaine Caswell, members of the cast of Dead Outlaw, Bobby Harden, Soulsa, Sophia Ramos and other musicians rallied when drummer Rich Pagano assembled the roster for the third annual benefit concert for the Nic Pagano LGBTQIA+ Scholarship Fund at City Winery NYC on January 23. Pagano on drums led the backing musicians, the Deep Emotion and Bright Light Band, consisting of guitarists Steve Conte and Ann Klein, keyboardists Aaron Whitby and Eric Finland, bassist John Conte, percussionist Eddie Torres and vocalists Elaine Caswell, Neal Coomer and Jenny Douglas. Ken Dashow, a radio personality on Q104.5 FM, served as host.

Willie Nile (right) with Steve Conte

Martha Wainwright

Bettye LaVette

Teddy Thompson

Rich Pagano (photograph by Derek Meade)

Rich Pagano, best known as the drummer for the Fab Faux and the Early Elton Trio, has a 25-year history of working in the recording studio or on stage with Patti Smith, Rosanne Cash, Robbie Robertson, Ray Davies, Willie Nile, Marshall Crenshaw, Joan Osborne, Levon Helm, Roger Waters, Ian Hunter, Mott the Hoople and others. He also serves as drummer and music director for the annual benefit concert named after his late son.

Pagano will release an album, Hold Still Light Escapes, on January 27. The 10-song album is a rock and roll elegy inspired by text messages discovered on his late son Nic’s cell phone. On the album, Pagano chronicled his son Nic’s five-year struggle with substance use and his ultimate death in July 2021 from a fentanyl overdose.

Ana Egge

Martha Redbone

BETTY

Hank Azaria

Ricky Byrd

In addition to mini-sets by 16 artists, the fundraiser also featured an auction segment, where attendees bid for music-related photographs and artist-autographed guitars donated by noted patrons. Proceeds from the show will help members of the LGBTQIA community in financial need to access treatment for substance use disorders.

Since its inception in 2021, the Nic Pagano LGBTQIA+ Scholarship Fund has raised over $200,000 and provided over 20 scholarships to individuals and families in need. The annual concert in his name benefits the nonprofit Release Recovery Foundation. To donate, visit https://www.releaserecoveryfoundation.org/lgbtqia/.

Related article: Songs of Deep Emotion and Bright Light at City Winery NYC (2024)

Steve Conte

Elaine Caswell (center) with Steve Conte and Ricky Bird

Bobby Harden

Erik Della Penna and Andrew Durand of the cast of Dead Outlaw

Soulsa

Sophia Ramos

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The Manhattan Beat reports on New York City's live music circuit. All articles are written by Everynight Charley Crespo. All photographs are taken by Everynight Charley Crespo, except when noted otherwise.

For a list of Manhattan venues that are presenting live music regularly, swing the desktop cursor to the right of the The Manhattan Beat home page and click on the pop-up tab "Where to Find Live Music."

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