Wednesday, April 20, 2022
Red Dirt Relief Fund helps musicians in need Maggie Burke O’Colly Contributor
Red Dirt is the foundation of Oklahoma music. For Oklahoma musician Mike Hosty, Red Dirt music is his livelihood. Hosty has played music as a career for 32 years, but in 2016, heart problems got in the way. Hosty said he did not want to tell people about his health concerns, but when The Red Dirt Relief Fund found out, it helped. “They put on a benefit for me on a cold February morning when I needed open-heart surgery,” Hosty said. “They helped out me and my drummer. They were able to raise enough money to help us out while I recovered. Then we could get back to playing music again.” Hosty said he had money saved and he probably would have gotten by, but being a fulltime musician does not come with the healthcare benefits of traditional jobs. Hosty said there were more expenses than he considered, and he was not sure what he would have done had The Red Dirt Relief Fund not helped. The Red Dirt Relief Fund is a nonprofit organization that started in 2012 to provide a safety net of critical assistance to Oklahoma music professionals. Katie Dale, executive director of the Red Dirt Relief Fund, said the nonprofit has helped musicians who have small quick-fix injuries to musicians who have cancer. “Oftentimes these artists don’t have great insurance or insurance at all,” Dale said. “It is really just a quick injection of cash to get them by until they can be back to doing music.” Money is raised for the Red Dirt Relief Fund through donations, events and benefits. Bob Childers Gypsy Café is the biggest event. It has been moved to a virtual event in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19. April 27, it returns to Stillwater to be in person. The event has three stages and 58 songwriters performing in Eskimo Joe’s, The Stonewall Tavern and George’s Stables. Like Hosty, Gannon Freminis a singer/songwriter in Oklahoma who needed surgery, but for his nose. Fremin said he tore his nose off when he was a child, and it was never put together correctly. Over time, it became more difficult for him to breathe and sing.
“I didn’t have the money to put down for the nose surgery since I was just playing full time, but when I called the Red Dirt Relief Fund, they gave me the money to have it done,” Fremin said. Fremin said he would have had to stop singing without the surgery, but the Red Dirt Relief Fund allowed him to continue doing what he loves. “I would have kept trying to play until I couldn’t anymore, but then I don’t really know what I would have done then,” Fremin said. Fremin said his music career was thriving after the nose surgery and before COVID-19 shut businesses in 2020. Playing music for a paycheck is difficult when every venue is closed. The Red Dirt Relief Fund filled a new roll during the pandemic. The fund helped the artists who couldn’t perform for a living during the time. Fremin applied for a pandemic grant in the spring of 2020 when he could not make money from playing music. The grants ranged from $250-$300 for musicians who have been in the industry for at least five years and are Oklahoma residents. Fremin said he believes the nonprofit provides a safety net, allowing more musicians to play. He said it takes the nerves away from a risky career and allows musicians to focus on music. It is not a secure job with included benefits. “It’s kind of scary going out on your own and start playing,” Fremin said. “It’s hard to focus on the music when you’re thinking, ‘Well, what if this or that happened?’ Because, you know, with The Red Dirt Relief Fund there, if something does happen that is out of your control, you know they have you covered and have your back.” In addition to Fremin, The Damn Qauils received pandemic grants from The Red Dirt Relief Fund. Bryon White, lead singer of The Damn Quails, said The Red Dirt Relief fund has helped him with something bigger than only the pandemic. “Before the pandemic even came to the picture, they paid for part of my rehab,” White said. “Being musicians, we often need help. During that part of my life, and when we needed a way to buy groceries during the worst of COVID-19, the fund was there; all we had to do was send an email.” White said The Damn Quails plays every event it can for The Red Dirt Relief Fund. He said being a musician is not the most stable career, but it can be one of the most reward-
File Photo Performers prepare before a set during Gypsy Cafe on April 26, 2017.
ing.White said giving back to the organization that helped him so much is one of those rewards. Along with Fremin and White, Oklahoma musician Andrew Live said he faced his share of struggles trying to get through the pandemic without being able to play music. He played music for a few live stream events to make tips. He said before the pandemic started, he had gigs scheduled for sixmonths, and moving those online was not what he wanted to do. “It got oversaturated,” Live said. “I didn’t want that to become a part of my fanbases’ ‘new normal.’” Live said he did a Facebook Live performance to raise money for The Red Dirt Relief Fund. He said he told his story of how it helped him and played a few songs to help get
File Photo Numerous red dirt artists performed at Bob Childers’ Gypsy Cafe at Georges Stables, Eskimo Joe’s and The Stonewall Tavern.
donations toward the nonprofit organization. Dale said the pandemic doubled the need for The Red Dirt Relief Fund. She said the organization never would have thought it would need to help so many at one time. “In the first eight years of the organization, we granted around $300,000 in the course of those years,” Dale said. “In the last two years, we have granted another $300,000.” Hosty is playing for the eventin April and has played for the event every year since it started in 2012. “Being able to help them helps me show my gratitude,” Hosty said. “Knowing there is people who wanted to help me, I want to give back in any way I can.” Musicians come to support and help raise money regardless of the Red Dirt Relief Fund has supported them. Dale said hundreds of people are involved in putting together the Bob Childers Gypsy Café. She said musicians from all over Oklahoma support the organization in case someday they need the support. A donation from a musician to the Red Dirt Relief Fund is like a payment to an insurance company. DJ Duncan hosted the Tuesday Night Music Club in Cushing, and she is one supporter of The Red Dirt Relief Fund. She used to have anyone who wanted to play music come to her house every Tuesday for 11½ years before the pandemic ended it.Duncan said she would host 10 to 100 musicians a week. In 2016, an earthquake tore up her house. She said she was devastated, and The Red Dirt Relief Fund helped. “We didn’t even ask, we just got a big check in the mail, and it helped us rebuild our home,” Duncan said. “They
help everyone. They’ve helped people with rehab, they’ve helped people with dentists, get glasses, medical bills of all times and of course when they helped when people could not work anymore.” Duncan said she and her significant other, Rick Reiley support The Bob Childers Gypsy Café every year. Reiley is a musician who will perform at The Bob Childers Gypsy Café this month; he has performed the event every year that is has happened in person. Duncan said the music industry is full of people who support one another. She said it’s a close community and everyone wants everyone to succeed. “There’s no jealousy or any of that crap,” Duncan said. “They just continually support each other.” Duncan said she misses The Tuesday Night Music Club, the environment it provided, the people she met and the music she heard. She said she supports and donates to The Red Dirt Relief fund whenever possible. “It’s nice to support something when you know exactly where the money goes,” Duncan said. “You can see the help it does and hear the benefits through the music that comes along with it.” This organization has grown, but Dale said it has stayed small and only in Oklahoma. This year is the 10th year of The Red Dirt Relief Fund. Dale said she is excited to celebrate by being back in Stillwater for her favorite event April 27. “We hope we around for years to come and help the Oklahoma music scene continue to thrive,” Dale said. news.ed@ocolly.com