Published: June 21, 2009 01:15 am      

MMF: The show will go on, but ...

Fundraising difficulties may force 2009 music festival to cut one of its top acts

Heading into the final weeks before the 2009 edition of the Master Musicians Festival, organizers weren’t sure if there would even be a festival this year, due to the cruel effects of a weak economy on fundraising efforts.

But as they say, the show must go on ... albeit with some hard choices to be made, perhaps. MMF organizers have made at least that much official.

Two weeks ago, MMF was facing a $25,000 deficit in its fundraising campaign, with many of MMF’s annual contributors unable to provide as they have in the past. Since then, Somerset City Council and the Somerset Pulaski Convention and Visitors Bureau have come to the rescue with $5,000 each and challenges to the community to come forward with additional help. To date, MMF has raised all but $4,000 of its budgeted sponsorships.

“After an emergency board meeting and a follow up executive committee meeting, MMF has made the commitment to move forward with everything as planned,” said festival organizer Robyn Baker.

Yet that missing $4,000 might mean the absence of one of this year’s headlining acts — Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Review, an act sure to appeal to both music lovers and those of the Christian faith.

“We’re still hoping the community will help us with our $4,000 shortage as we strive to keep our great gospel group, Mike Farris and The Roseland Rhythm Review, in our line-up,” said Baker. “We booked Mike Farris, in part, to fulfill our mission of bringing a wide mix of music to Somerset. We also felt that Mike’s music and his message would have a significant appeal to folks throughout the Pulaski County area.”

Farris is no hidden secret: He’s played at a number of significant venues including this year’s Bonnaroo music festival, in front of thousand of fans (at least 75,000 attended the four-day Manchester, Tenn. event, according to reports). This year’s Bonnaroo drew names like Snoop Dogg, Erykah Badu, Bruce Springsteen, Merle Haggard, the Beastie Boys, Ani DiFranco, Public Enemy, and Al Green, just to give an idea of the kind of talent surrounding Farris.

Mike Farris got MMF’s attention, not only because of his talent and the acclaim he’s getting in the music business, but also because of his message. The former lead singer of a rising, successful rock band, The Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies, Farris makes no secret of his personal battle with drug and alcohol addiction — a battle that nearly killed him at the peak of his career with SCW. In the winter of 2004, Farris found himself at the end of his rope, standing graveside, at a relative's funeral.

"I realized how tired I'd become from running all those years, and I just wanted to go back home. Just like the prodigal son", Farris was quoted as saying in Christian Music Today Magazine. "I'd had enough of it all and decided I was not going to be that man ever again."

“Home” for Farris was his family and his faith — including the old time gospel music he grew up hearing. With the help of his family and church, Farris became sober, and soon after, he began writing in order to heal again. He quickly realized the new songs he was writing dovetailed nicely with those old familiar spiritual songs that had been with him all along.

“In this area where drug addiction is touching more and more families at an alarming rate, we felt that Mike Farris’ message of recovery through his music is important,” Baker said. “I hope we can find the remaining funding to support his appearance here so that every young person in the area has the opportunity to hear him. We’re determined to keep him on our stage.”

MMF has accomplished some its goal by cutting back everywhere that it can.

“We may have a few less golf carts (for transporting folks carrying significant loads and physical difficulties from the gate to the seating area) and a few less porta potties this year, but I’m sure our audience will understand,” said Baker. “Festivalgoers are there for the music. They’ll be understanding of a few less porta potties as long as the music goes on.”

Baker reports that some of the goal was also accomplished through the monetary contributions of its own board members.

“MMF’s mission has always been to bring a great mix of quality music programming to Somerset at a ticket price that’s affordable to people in this area. We believe in that mission. Each year, we strive to provide area and regional musicians an opportunity to play on the same stages as some of the world’s master musicians,” she said. “We hope to be able to continue to do that for many years to come.

“We’d even like to have additional events throughout the year which would provide additional opportunities for emerging musicians in the area and to help fill up motel rooms during the off season,” she added. “But we’ve got to get through this year’s economic crunch first.”

On behalf of MMF, Baker thanked everyone who has contributed this year.

“So many people have come forward with sponsorships, and some have come back to increase their already pledged sponsorships in light of what’s been going on,” she said. “Because of that, we just could not cancel the show, or even cancel the band we’re still working to keep, over just $4000.”

MMF requests that if you or your organization would like to help bring Mike Farris and The Roseland Rhythm Review to Somerset, please contact the festival at 677-2933 or by e-mail at mastermusicians@windstream.net.