Neil Peart, Johnny Tillotson, and Shana Halligan, among others turn out in support of Children's Music Fund's Healing through Music benefit. 4-year-old Autistic patient performs in front of packed audience.

Encino, CA -- (SBWire) -- 11/20/2014 --Legendary musicians, and music industry professionals including Neil Peart (Rush drummer and lyricist) , Johhny Tillotson (Poetry In Motion, It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin’), Michael Lloyd (Dirty Dancing Soundtrack Producer), Michael Boddicker (Imagination from Flashdance), and Jeff Greenberg (CEO of the Village Studios) turned out November 15th, to support Children’s Music Fund’s 6th Annual Healing Through Music Benefit Gala. Children’s Music Fund (CMF), a Los Angeles based charity, provides free music therapy and musical instruments to children with life altering illness and chronic conditions.

The sold-out event was held at the Pacific Palisades home of Don and Sarah Griffin, long-time CMF supporters. Mr. Griffin is the founder of West LA Music, and former president of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM).

Entertainment was provided by Les Zazous, who got the evening started with their swanky Parisian style songs and music. The guests were warmed up and ready when Josh One and Shana Halligan of Thievery Corporation gave a phenomenal performance including an exclusive rendition of their new single “Wrong Way.”

The most amazing performance of the evening came from Nolan, a 4-year-old CMF patient, who was diagnosed in 2012 with Non-Verbal Autism. His parents Jennifer and Scotty, reached out to CMF after hearing about the program from Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital in Long Beach. Nolan was soon matched with a CMF music therapist and the work began. Before CMF, Nolan was only able to communicate through a little sign language. When his dad played music Nolan would sign “more music” when it stopped. The brain is very complex, and the verbal centers are located in different part of the brain from the singing centers. When music is performed and listen to, such as in music therapy, and not just in music listening, almost all of the brain regions are lit up or active. Because of his music therapy work over the year, Nolan is able to verbalize his wants and needs, and communicate with his family. At the Gala, Nolan and his music therapist, performed two of Nolan’s favorite songs, “The Car Song” and “Rockin’ Robin”, in front of a packed audience.

Event sponsors included: MedicoRX Specialty, ACap Asset Management, Union Bank, Armenian American Medical Society, Biofusion, Axelacare, HG Litigation, SADA Systems, QSC Audio, Charles Lafitte Champagne, Cynthia Lum Photography and Karma Bistro.

About Children’s Music Fund
CMF is a Los Angeles based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide musical instruments and music therapy to infants, children, adolescents, and young adults with chronic conditions and life-altering illnesses and to support research on the medical benefits of music therapy. CMF was established in 2002 by Dr. Raffi Tachdjian, an allergist and former director of the pediatric pain clinic at David Geffen School of medicine at UCLA. Research shows that music therapy can help lesson the burden of pain, sadness, anxiety and loneliness, and create opportunities for self-expression and social communication. CMF currently provides music therapy in eight hospitals, and in 2014 has provided services and instruments to over 1250 children.

http://www.thecmf.org