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Band Aid:
Meet “The Band From TV”
By: Maryam Mimi Makabi
A powerhouse of well-known entertainers celebrate music and life as they jam to your favorite rock hits—all while raising money for charitable causes!
Every holiday season, we are perplexed by the eternal question: what gift should I buy? All can agree that a lot of money is spent on gifts that in many cases, a year later we can't remember what we got last season. Since the holidays celebrate the spirit of giving, why not give a great gift and at the same time contribute to charitable causes?
Allow me to introduce "The Band From TV.” If you haven't heard about the band and its mission, you should. What they are doing is so novel, so extraordinary, that it just may rewrite the way the music business is conceived.
Who does the band consist of? Your favorite prime time Television stars! That's right—they can not only act, but rock the stage in every musical capacity. "Band From TV" consists of Greg Grunberg from (Heroes), Hugh Laurie from (House), Bob Guiney of (The Bachelor) fame, James Denton of (Desperate Housewives), and (Cashmere Mafia)’s, Bonnie Sommerville.
The evolution of this unique band came from an exceptional man—Hedge Fund Executive and LA entrepreneur Kurt A. Benjamin. He enabled the band to transform into a “real deal” rock group—all in the name of the greatest cause: charity. Without any background knowledge of the music business, Benjamin did what he does best: he got the job done. In October, 2007, Generosity Records was born. Like its name suggests, its goal is to profit the less fortunate rather than pad an executive's pocket.
It all began a few years ago, when Greg Grunberg, an avid drummer, was asked to play a gig at the Avalon Club in Hollywood. In the crowd was Greg's friend of 40 years, Kurt Benjamin. The performance was received with an overwhelming public desire for more. When Kurt ran up to Greg to congratulate him after the show, Grunberg stated, "He had this look in his eye." Far from a stranger in deciphering what was brewing in Benjamin's busy mind, Grunberg knew he wanted to start a band consisting of some of the most popular stars from the most popular shows. "Who is possibly going to produce that?" Grunberg asked. Benjamin stated emphatically "I will."
Not one to turn down a fantastic and challenging opportunity, Grunberg was integral in forming an “all celeb” band. The goal was not to add "rock star" to the resume, but to use their publicly unknown hidden musical talents to serve a greater philanthropic passion. After a guest stint on (House), Grunberg met Hugh Laurie and introduced him to the idea. Turns out, while not playing the brilliant but temperamental doc on his hit show, Laurie can sing, and play the keyboard and piano with sweet finesse.
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