Friends for Chris Walker
August 16th, 2009
UPDATE: CHECK OUT PHOTOS OF THE FRIENDS FOR CHRIS WALKER BENEFIT – AUGUST 28, 2009
On Friday, September 14, 2007, Cincinnati-based bass player, bandleader and all around great human being, Chris Walker was involved in a tragic car accident on the way to a gig in Indianapolis. Little is known about the cause of the crash, but Chris’s passenger, Julie Ann Martin-Greathouse, didn’t survive. Though Chris was spared, he was paralyzed from the waist down and has lost much of the use of his hands.
But what could have been a story that ended in tragedy, turned into a story of hope, love and triumph. Immediately after the accident, Chris’s friends and family in the Cincinnati music community mobilized, organizing a series of concerts to help with his mounting medical bills.
On Friday, August 28, I’ll perform at a Friends For Chris Walker benefit concert at Stanley’s in Cincy with some of the city’s top musicians and bands. Proceeds from the concert will go to pay for the cost of physical therapy treatments that are not currently covered by Chris’s medical insurance.
Now Playing: Leave It Alone (featuring Chris Walker on Stunt Bass)
On a recent trip through Cincinnati, I stopped in to check up on Chris, and see how he was doing. Though he is obviously having his challenges, Chris is a guy who is always laughing, and whose laughter is contagious. He lights up when we inevitably talk about music, a new album, a concert dvd he just received. His love and passion for music have always been a driving force in his life. Some things never change.
Chris was one of those guys who could play any style of music, and he did. It was normal for him to be playing in five different bands at one time, and still picking up gigs on the side here and there. He was always on the road, in the studios or in the clubs. If Chris wasn’t at a gig he was on his way. Music is still his life.
The hopefully temporary loss of his hands is, of course, the toughest part for a cat whose long fingers would make that Warwick bass sing. Chris has some limited use of his arms, and he is able to type on his computer with these little pointer attachments that are strapped to his hands. He just got some voice recognition software, which will make communicating a lot easier for him.
Chris seemed very positive about the physical therapy he has been receiving from Orthopedic Physical Therapy Associates. His sister, Carole, says in the Friends For Chris Walker blog, “The staffs of O.P.T.A have been miracle workers. They respect the person and musician that Chris is with tailored exercises that include his bass.” O.P.T.A. has created a program that is customized to Chris’s needs. That means improving his balance, strength, breathing, mobility and functionality.
Unfortunately, Chris’s physical therapy sessions are not covered by his insurance. The goal of the August 28 event and a later event on Thanksgiving weekend in November is to pay for physical therapy sessions through 2010.
Chris was and is an inspiration for me. I’ve admired his playing, and his business skills and his great sense of humor. If anything that admiration has grown over the last two years.
The same could be said of all the many friends and musicians that Chris gigged with on the regular. Whereas he and I might see each other once or twice a year, if we are lucky, the bands he played with night in and night out are feeling the void and doing their best to fill any void in Chris’s life. They have not forgotten about Chris in his time of need, and they have stepped up to the plate, playing benefit shows as often as possible, and doing whatever they can to help our friend and brother through the difficulties of the last two years. Like I said, this could have been a tragedy, but instead it is inspirational.
Next up for Chris is to take life day by day. He’s itching to get some new music software so he can get back to what he does best – making music. (Don’t worry, Chris. A copy of Beat Thang Virtual is on the way!)
Chris’s one worry is that he is stagnating. For a guy who was always on the go, always on the road, always playing, he confessed that he’s growing a little stir crazy in the assisted living facility that he calls home.
But if there is one thing Chris Walker has demonstrated, it’s an incredible amount of patience and courage. He is making steady progress, taking one day at a time. With strength and fortitude, he will continue to do so. And a little help from your friends never hurts…
Friday August 28, 2009
Friends for Chris Walker
Featuring: Iswhat, Nadir, The Whitney Barricklow Band, DJ SPS, Paul Otten & The Bad Parade, The Walker Project, and Iolite
Stanley’s
323 Stanley Ave
Cincinnati OH 45226
Doors at 6pm
$10 donation to Friends For Chris Walker
If you would like to donate to Friends For Chris Walker please visit www.myspace.com/friendsforchriswalker
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