Karma Bums: Cravedog Aids Jeremy Wilson Fundraising

A titan of local music, Jeremy Wilson should need on LocalCut's pages (but, y'know, it's a blog; this is what we do). Twenty years ago, as singer/guitarist of The Dharma Bums, he released a string of seminal records, and the Bums became Portland's great college-rock hope, only to watch punk break for neighbors (and former openers) to the north. After a second band, Pilot, and various solo endeavors (including two albums famously lost to major label dithering) spiraled through various stages of buzz, he returned to a fiercely indie private practice and helped produce area artists.

A life-time sufferer of fainting spells, Wilson was recently diagnosed with a rare heart condition known as Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome and, enjoying the nonexistent health insurance of most musicians, he cannot yet afford the required operation. Donations can be made directly through his PayPal account—see MastanMusic's blog for info—but his friends at Cravedog are also doing their part to raise funds. For every CD or DVD package order, mark "Jeremy Wilson" at the top of the form and the manufacturing company will donate up to $200 towards the cost of Wilson's operation.

A worthy effort for a truly great cause, any musician planning to put out discs the next few months should take advantage of Cravedog's offer, and any admiring Portlander—or, especially, newcomers that understand what Wilson means to the local community—should offer up whatever they could spare.

Links:
Cravedog
MastanMusic
Some UK band calling themselves the Dharma Bums. Ick.

Photo: Wilson (courtesy of MastanMusic)