OREGON COUNTRY FAIR 2007
Heart First,
Music
Second
Folk musician Peter
Thompson gives
back through music
by Amanda Burhop
T
here are lots of reasons musicians
like to play the Oregon Country Fair:
large audiences, outside venues, fellow
musicians to chat with and like-minded
spectators to appreciate the music. And for
the most part, everyone’s in a good mood
— maybe it’s the vitamin
D from all that sun expo-
sure. But some musicians
play music because it
allows them to give some-
thing back to the commu-
nity.
Folk musician and per-
sonal-injury lawyer Peter
Thompson was diagnosed
with Parkinson’s disease
about five years ago.
While news of this nature
is startling and devastat-
ing, Thompson
has
remained positive and has
taken a proactive stance in helping others
fight the disease. His latest release, Taking
a Dive (Heart First), is a collection of cover
songs, loaded with guest singers and musi-
cians, that includes covers of traditional
folk and bluegrass songs from artists like
Bob Dylan and Tom Paxton. But unlike
most albums, a portion of its proceeds will
benefit the Parkinson’s Society of Canada.
In selecting songs for the album,
Thompson had a specific theme in mind. “It
goes from the freewheeling days to falling
in love, settling in with children and pets,
getting older, drifting apart, remorse at the
loss and finally getting up and carrying on,”
Thompson says. In reflecting the various
stages in life, the album offers something
for everyone and succeeds at creating lis-
tening pleasure for children as well as older
folks.
But listening to the album, one can’t
help but be saddened by Thompson’s diag-
nosis. Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegen-
erative disease that occurs when bodies
stop producing the movement-controlling
chemical dopamine. Dopamine carries sig-
nals between nerves in the brain, and when
the cells that produce dopamine die, symp-
toms like tremors and rigidity of muscles
become apparent. Dopamine also controls
moods, and without it, people experience
bouts of depression. Currently there is no
cure for the disease, but Parkinson’s
researchers all over the world are working
to find one.
The Parkinson’s Society of Canada,
which will benefit from sales of
Thompson’s album, is a national, nonprofit
charity run by volunteers who raise money
for research, develop educational and infor-
mational materials and work to “ease the
burden and find a cure.”
OK, so most of us aren’t doctors or
loaded with tons of money that we can give
freely to charitable organizations. But Peter
Thompson is a great example of the ways
we can contribute individually. In addition
to his donated album sales, Thompson
works with people every day who struggle
with insurance companies and other legal
issues. If you would like to purchase his
album, copies are available on his website,
www.peterthompson.ca — or buy one in
person at his appearance at the Fair. He
plays from 1 to 3 pm Saturday in front of
ew
Café Lafayette.
SPOKEN WORD PROGRAM
WAVY
GRAVY
may be best
known to mil-
lions as a cosmic
cut-up and the
inspiration for a
Ben & Jerry's ice
cream flavor – "I
am an activist
clown and former
frozen dessert," he
says – but it is
because of his
good work on
behalf of the
planet and its least fortunate resi-
dents that Wavy Gravy has achieved
his own brand of sainthood. His
friend and satirist Paul Krassner has
called him "the illegitimate son of
Harpo Marx and Mother Teresa."
Wavy says, "Some people tell me
I'm a saint, I tell them I'm Saint
Misbehavin'."
Mr. Gravy comes to the Fair as
part of the Spoken Word program
that features poets, musicians, cul-
tural icons, activists and word-
smiths; seventy-two different speak-
ers on 7 separate stages.
More information and a full
schedule at: oregoncountryfair.org
JULY 12, 2007 21