Some of you will know Max Merritt (and the Meteors).
Unfortunately Max has fallen on hard times due to illness and there will be a major benefit concert for him held at the Palais, St Kilda Australia not far from where I live.
See the link below for Max Merrit The Legend. Max currently lives at his home in LA.
In recent years, Max Merritt shared the bill with Wilson Pickett, James Brown and Ray Charles and did Australia proud.
I will be at the concert and will post some details tomorrow.
The Australian Entertainment industry has rallied in support of one of Australia’s biggest rock stars of the 1960s and 1970s, Max Merritt, who has fallen on hard times since being admitted to a U.S. hospital after suffering kidney failure.
Things have gone from bad to worse for Max. In addition to the Goodpastures Syndrome, (he is on dialysis three days a week) he suffered a perforated bowel requiring surgery. He talked the doctors into letting him go home from hospital a week later but was there for just 36 hours before being rushed back in for emergency surgery and it was touch and go for a couple of days and they almost lost him. Max is hopeful that the Diabetes that has now also been diagnosed will not cause him any long term problems.
With his inability to work, it appeared that Max Merritt has no way out of his predicament. Hearing of his plight, the entertainment industry rallied for the ailing Max Merritt with a Benefit "Concert For Max" on Sunday 21 October at the Palais Theatre in St Kilda.
The 3000 seat venue will play host to a string of artists who have donated their time in support of their good friend Max Merritt including Kevin Borich, Mike Brady, Daryl Braithwaite, Joe Camilleri & The Black Sorrows, Peter Cupples, The Delltones, Jon English, Renee Geyer, Dinah Lee, Brian Mannix, Russell Morris, Marcie & The Cookies, Paul Norton, Doug Parkinson, James Reyne, Normie Rowe, George Smilovici, Spectrum, Wendy Stapleton, Swanee, Wilbur Wilde, Ross Wilson and John Paul Young and is now on sale through Ticketmaster at or on 136 100
Speaking from his home in suburban Los Angeles, Max said "I am finding it very difficult to adequately express my appreciation for the help and support during my time of extreme personal need. Your help is absolutely overwhelming".
As a measure of the high esteem that Max is held in, the list of supporters grows daily. Audio, lighting, video, stage gear, road crew and even backstage catering has been donated to aid Max.
Merritt, who has lived in Los Angeles for more than 20 years, fell ill in April this year soon after he returned to America following the passing of Billy Thorpe and a tour of his native New Zealand, during which he was honoured as an inaugural inductee to the NZ Rock and Rock Hall of Fame.
http://www.maxmerritt.com.au/