Voices that Care Concert Supports Dementia Programs


Singer-songwriter Murray McLauchlan is organizing the third annual Voices that Care Concert in support of Room 217 Foundation. McLauchlan is a board member of the charity the Room 217 Foundation, which works to enhance care through music.

Murray McLauchlan at 2017 concert

The third annual Voices that Care, an Evening with Murray McLauchlan and Friends is being held April 26, 2018 at the CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio. The concert, benefitting Room 217 Foundation, has a confirmed lineup that includes Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Dan Hill and Sylvia Tyson, with more to be added.

Emceeing the event for the third year is Denise Donlon. A member of the Order of Canada and former record company executive, Donlon is being awarded the 2018 Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award for her commitment to Canadian music. The presentation takes place at the 2018 JUNOS in next month.

Sylvia Tyson has been entertaining us for almost six decades as a sing/songwriter/guitarist and broadcaster. This Canadian musical treasure is a member of the Order of Canada, a member of the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, and a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame as a duo with her former partner Ian Tyson.

Since he ditched high school to work as a songwriter for RCA, Dan Hill has been sharing his gift of words and music with the world since 1975. Since then, he’s released 14 albums. His music has been on Billboard Hot 100 charts, and he performed on the benefit single Tears Are Not Enough. He wrote I Am My Father’s Son: A Memoir of Love and Forgiveness in 2009, which recounts his childhood. Dan is a member of Room 217’s Artists’ Circle, which recognizes musicians who share their stories of music and its role in health and well-being.

Actor and playwright Paul Sun-Hyung Lee has had roles in film, stage and television, but is best known for his role of Appa of Kim’s Convenience – a role he’s played for a decade. Paul portrayed Appa on stage in Toronto, on a national tour with Soulpepper Theatre Company, and at an Off Broadway staging of the play. Kim’s Convenience was the basis of a CBC television series of the same name, with Paul starring as Mr. Kim. The series is now in its second season Murray McLauchlan is one of Canada’s most highly regarded songwriters. He began writing and performing songs in his late teens and has played at major music festivals and rooms throughout North America. His work has been covered by other folk and country artists. Murray has won 11 JUNO awards and has 18 albums to this credit, with his 2017 release Love Can’t Tell Time the most recent. Murray is a member of the Order of Canada and in 2016 was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. Murray is a valued member of the Room 217 Board of Directors and has organized all three Voices that Care concerts.

The Room 217 Foundation is a social enterprise dedicated to enhancing care through music, by providing purposefully designed music care resources for vulnerable populations, and education for caregivers. Proceeds from this year’s concert will support “What a Difference a Day Makes”, a program that ensures that the Pathways Singing Program, designed for people with dementia, gets into adult day programs across the country.

Until Feb. 12, tickets cost $160 per person until Feb. 12. After that date, tickets cost $175 each. Ticket price includes hors d’oeuvres and cocktail reception, dessert bar, and a tax receipt (for a portion of the ticket price). For more information, visit www.voicesthatcare.ca.

Source: Room 217 Foundation