Jay Farrar Organizes First Mound City Music Fest

Jay Farrar, St. Louis resident and founder of both Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt, will unite musicians from across the country for an evening of performances in support of Karl Mueller, Alejandro Escovedo and Habitat for Humanity St. Louis. The first annual Mound City Music Fest will be presented by KDHX FM 88.1 at Mississippi Nights in St. Louis on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2004.

The festival will mark the inaugural performance of the new Son Volt lineup that includes Jay Farrar, Dave Bryson, Andrew Duplantis and Brad Rice. The night also features special sets by Jay Farrar, the Bottle Rockets, Richard Buckner and Anders Parker. The evening will end in collaboration.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and are $30 in advance and $35 day of show. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m. and the show will begin at 8:00 p.m. Tickets for the all-ages event will be available at all Metrotix outlets including the Mississippi Nights box office. To order tickets by phone, call (314) 534-1111.

A special limited-edition poster is being designed for the concert by Chris McAdoo of Revolution Letterpress. The posters will be signed by all musicians on Dec. 11 and, in an effort to rasie more money for Karl, Alejandro and Habitat, they will be sold via Farrar’s website, www.jayfarrar.com, for $50 each.

Karl Mueller, founding member of Soul Asylum, was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in May 2004. The cancer had progressed to Stage 3 with a tumor the size of an orange when the doctors made the discovery. After receiving 39 radiation treatments and 8 liters of chemotherapy over the course of eight weeks, there is no sign of the primary cancer. Fortunately, Karl has health insurance, however it only covers 80% of the exorbitant costs associated with the cancer treatment (home healthcare and many prescriptions are not covered). He does not have disability insurance and has not been able to tour or cover living expenses. Please visit www.thekarlfund.com for more information or to make a donation.

Texas-based singer/songwriter, Alejandro Escovedo suffers from Hepatitis C. Due to complications from the virus, he collapsed backstage after a concert in Phoenix, Ariz., on April 26, 2003. Since that day, Escovedo has been in recovery. As is common among musicians, he has no form of health or disability insurance. In addition to his inability to cover medical costs, the debilitating effects of the virus have rendered Alejandro unable to tour to cover his living expenses. Please visit www.alejandrofund.com for more information or to make a donation.

Habitat for Humanity St. Louis, an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, was founded in 1986 as a non-profit organization engaged in the purpose of aiding and assisting low-income families in need of adequate housing. During the past 18 years, volunteers and staff have worked side-by-side with HFHSL families to build 165 homes in St. Louis and St. Louis County. These homes provide decent, safe housing for more than 550 parents and children who are committed to investing in their future. HFHSL provides ongoing family support to partner families through education on the responsibilities and privilege of home ownership and assistance with many issues ranging from daycare concerns to career enhancement. Through this outreach, the HFHSL also seeks to connect families with neighborhoods and build stronger communities. Please visit www.habitatstl.org for more information.

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