Rockers On Broadway to honor rock queen Melissa Etheridge

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Melissa Etheridge
Melissa Etheridge. Photo Courtesy of Melissa Etheridge

Rockers on Broadway will host a charity concert that will honor rock queen Melissa Etheridge. #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos has the scoop.

Rockers On Broadway is an annual music event raising money for charities that include pre-professional training and scholarships in the performing arts, will celebrate its 30th Anniversary on Monday, October 16, 2023, at 8 pm at Sony Hall. The concert will honor the critically acclaimed, multi-platinum artist Melissa Etheridge, and Rick French, chairman of The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation.

Ms. Etheridge is a two-time Grammy Award-winning artist and Hollywood Walk of Fame recipient who will receive Rockers On Broadway’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. French is a longtime member of the Board of Trustees of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum and is this year’s Ambassador of Rock honoree.

The Rockers On Broadway: 30th Anniversary Concert is presented by The Schoch Foundation and The PATH Fund, a leading nonprofit dedicated to performing arts education. The event is sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. J. Barry Howell. Proceeds will benefit a consortium of charities, including Broadway Bound Kids, Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids, The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation, The Felix Organization, Teen Cancer America, and The PATH Fund. 

“I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished with the Rockers On Broadway concerts over the past three decades, said Donnie Kehr, PATH Fund founder and one of Broadway’s leading voices. Every year the Broadway community comes together on this special night to honor individuals who uplift and contribute to the performing arts, and having Melissa and Rick as this year’s honorees is something I’m very excited about.” 

Melissa Etheridge will make her Broadway debut in September with Melissa Etheridge: My Window. 

In addition to his work with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation, French is also a board member of Teen Cancer America, an organization founded by Roger Daltrey and Pete Townsend of The Who. He helps to produce an annual star-studded concert event in L.A. each Fall that raises millions of dollars for cancer research and critical care for adolescents and young adults. 

“This is one of our most exciting years ever,” says Cori Gardner, co-founder and executive producer of the PATH Fund. “In addition to honoring Melissa and Rick, we’ve got some pretty incredible performances lined up.”

This year’s Rockers On Broadway concert will feature two-time Tony Award winner Michael Cerveris, (The Who’s Tommy, Assassins, Sweeney Todd, Fun Home); Tony Award nominee Will Chase (Rent, The Mystery Of Edwin Drood, Kiss Me Kate); Ryann Redmond (Bring It On, Frozen, Once Upon A One More Time); Apollo Levine (MJ The Musical); and Morgan James (The Addams Family, Godspell, Motown The Musical) Singer/Songwriter Alexa Ray Joel, two-time Tony Award nominee Constantine Maroulis (Rock & Roll Man, Jekyll & Hyde, Rock Of Ages: American Idol) and special guest, Simon Kirke (Bad Company, Free). 

The PATH Fund, Inc.® is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting arts education. PATH, which stands for “Performing Artists That Help,” is made up of artists, writers, musicians, designers, producers, directors, and fans coming together to aid some of the most important causes to the industry and the public at large. 

PATH’s mission statement emphasizes, “Our guiding premise is that as artists, we have a responsibility to nurture our community and empower the next generation in performing arts. We aim to support and inspire artists in finding their artistic path. We are committed to making a positive impact through music and theater and strive to bring people together and create a sense of belonging and connection within our community.”

The concert will be held at Sony Hall, 235 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036. To learn more about charity concert, or to obtain tickets, click here.