NASHVILLE |IN MEMORY OF DRUMMER KEITH KNUDSEN:
THE DOOBIE BROTHERS COMMIT FIVE YEARS OF PROCEEDS FROM DOOBIE RED WINE TO
NATIONAL VETERANS FOUNDATION;
FUNDRAISING EFFORTS SURPASS $1,000,000 MARK
February 17, 2005-Sonoma, CA. – DOOBIE BROTHERS manager Bruce Cohn announced today that in memory of the group’s drummer KEITH KNUDSEN, who passed away February 8, the Grammy Award-winning band has committed to donating proceeds from their Doobie Red Wine to the National Veteran’s Foundation for the next five years. Since they regrouped in 1987, the band has contributed over one million to the Foundation.
“This is a difficult time for us because not only did Keith’s career in the band span over 30 years, but he was the main catalyst for the Doobie Brothers reforming in 1987,” noted Cohn. “The National Veteran’s Foundation and founderShad Meshad were very close to Keith, the band and me. I’m going to personally spearhead this project and make sure the NVF, which supports veterans from all wars, receives the attention and funding this project will bring.”
The Doobie Brothers became connected to Mr. Meshad and the NVF back in 1987, when the band–at Knudsen’s urging–reformed with all 12 former members to play a benefit concert at the Hollywood Bowl. That reunion show– the first concert by the band since the farewell tour of 1982–was the second-fastest sell-out at the Bowl (the Beatles hold the record). The excitement of that quick sell-out led to a series of shows and rekindled interest in the band to regroup. The band now performs over 100 shows per year and is recording a CD for release later this year on Sanctuary Records.
“This is a huge personal loss for me”, a saddened Shad Meshad added. “Keith was a great friend and a full-on supporter of our endeavors to help veterans. Looking forward, we are very excited by this commitment from Bruce and the band to keep up the good work on our behalf.”
Doobie Red, produced by Cohn’s B.R. Cohn Winery in Glen Ellen, CA, is packaged as a three-bottle collector’s set featuring album and CD artwork from the band’s first three records. The first vintage, a 2002, featured the Doobies album covers The Doobie Brothers, The Captain and Me and Toulouse Street. The next set is scheduled for release later this year.
Northern California’s award-winning and critically acclaimed B.R. Cohn Winery has created Doobie Red, a special 2002 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cab Franc from Sonoma County. The wine can be purchased online atwww.brcohn.com or by visiting the B.R. Cohn Winery Tasting Room, 15000 Sonoma Highway in Glen Ellen, CA. (707) 938-4064. Donations can also be made directly to the Foundation at www.nvf.org.
Contact: Todd Brodginski/Lathum Nelson 818-380-0400
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