An old friend of mine is in some serious distress. After more than 40 years as a working musician, playing on the road, cutting albums, backing many other 'name' groups (the Rolling Stones, Huey Lewis, Elton John, Heart, Santana and others), and paying his insurance premiums, Steve "Doc" Kupka of the Tower of Power has run into a significant problem.
Doc's Wife, Yvonne, needs a liver transplant. She is on the California transplant list, but his insurance refuses to help - they tell him his coverage has lapsed and it's beyond their control.
Doc is a fairly quiet guy, but is no conservative. Check out some of the lyrics he's written over the years:
"There is only so much oil in the ground,
sooner or later there won't be none around.
Tell that to your kids while you're driving round downtown:
that there's only so much oil in the ground.
There's no excure for our abuse!
No excuse for our abouse.
If we keep on like we're doing,
things for sure will not be cool.
It's a fact we ain't got sufficient fuel."
or:
"If we keep going at the rate we're going:
Young people gonne be fightin' wars
around the world, and in the streets.
Many good men gonna eb cut down,
never to know the reason why.
We got to learn to keep the peace,
and work to reconciliate.
Grown enough food to feed all the people,
and not exploit the earth for profit's sake.
We are children of the earth."
Doc has set up a paypal account for donations to help out. If you've ever danced to "You're still a young man", or just enjoyed a good horn section, please give what you can.
Yvonne Kupka fund
Thanks a lot. They are good people, and need our help.