Roy Orbison tribute proceeds to benefit Hospice

Hospice of North Idaho will host a benefit tribute to Roy Orbison featuring tribute artist Mike Greenwood and also to classic country-western music on Friday from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Lake City Senior Center in Coeur d’Alene.

The proceeds of the night’s festivities, which also feature Slim Dossey of Grand Ole Opry fame and singer Juanita Anstine, will go toward Hospice of North Idaho.

“Hospice of North Idaho provides a system of care and support for dying people and their families so that people with a life-limiting illness can focus on life and live each day to the fullest,” the group’s Web site states.

Inspired by his wife’s battle with cancer and the ensuing support that Hospice provided, Chuck Whiteley started the idea for the benefit and gathered the group of musicians to perform to further the group’s cause.

“I wasn’t aware of what Hospice did before,” Whiteley said. But now that they have become a part of Whiteley and his wife’s life, “I’m very impressed with what they have been doing for her in her battle with cancer,” he said.

The work that the Hospice network of volunteers and health-care professionals has done for families in the communities of North Idaho stirred not only Whiteley to act, but others involved in the benefit as well. Greenwood, a Spirit Lake resident who has been performing Roy Orbison songs for more than 20 years across the U.S. and Canada and has been a professional tribute artist since 1999, became aware of Hospice after his stepmother was diagnosed with cancer.

“This definitely means a little bit more. Any performance I look forward to,” he said, but the Hospice benefit means more because it promotes a good cause.

For Whiteley, the upcoming night of entertainment serves two purposes. “I wanted to repay Hospice” with the fundraiser proceeds, he said, and because he loves the music of Greenwood as he personifies the legendary Orbison on stage.

“I think he is one of the greatest (performers) to come around here. It’s a great thing to have all these people volunteer,” Whiteley said.

For more information, call Whiteley at 772-8268 or Bill Goins at 772-9976.