The Joey James Band - Playing for a Cause

Published: January 20, 2017

---

Click to enlarge [+]

---

The Joey James Band will be bringing country music to the Mellow Mushroom on Saturday January 21 for a fundraiser to help a special child bring home her service dog. The show starts at 7pm.

As the Music Capital of North Texas, Rockwall often gets a chance to showcase some of the best musical talent the area has to offer. If your taste runs to country and you're looking to collect one of those "I saw him before he got famous" experiences, then this Saturday at the Mellow Mushroom is the place to be. Because if hard work, passion for his craft, energy and emotion are the keys to fame, Joey James is well on his way. His motto: “If you don’t dream big, then why dream at all.”

Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Joey served in the Navy in the beginning years of the Iraqi Freedom campaign, and his service experience reflects heavily in his music. He discovered he had a knack for singing and writing songs, so after his discharge, he moved to Dallas to immerse himself in the country music scene. He found a wealth of talent at the University of North Texas (UNT), one of the most prestigious music and arts schools in the country, and the Joey James Band began to take flight.

Meeting Joey for the first time becomes a lesson in throwing stereotypes right out the window. A self-described "redneck", he's very much a "people person." "There's nothing I like more than meeting people, shaking their hand and sharing ideas." Along with that comes a healthy sense of service to those in need.

"When I heard about Myranda and her efforts to adopt a service dog, I knew I had to help." Joey himself has a service dog who detects oncoming epileptic seizures before they hit. "When she senses one of my attacks coming on, she will start barking and running around me to let me know. This gives me a chance to find a place to sit or lie down so I don't fall and hurt myself. Needless to say, there's a special place in my heart for dogs and how they enrich our lives."

Myranda has a crippling anxiety disorder which goes beyond mere shyness. She and her mom decided to look into whether a service dog could help. During a visit to the Austin Dog Alliance, she formed an immediate bond with Ruby, a dog in training for service work. "The calming effect Ruby had on Myranda was instantaneous," her mom said, "We just knew this was going to work out."

She's about halfway to her goal, needing about $2500 more to bring Ruby home. You can help her and see a great performance by a rising country star this Saturday evening at Mellow Mushroom. You can also contribute directly via her donation site.

Visit the Joey James Band website at www.joeyjamesband.com.

Story by Bob Lewis

Posted Friday, January 20, 2017 Bob Lewis

---