By Tim Saunders on
Gary Sinise is to play a concert to raise funds for a new memorial wall in Brooklyn on August 11. The Oscar nominated actor will join his rock group, The Lt. Dan Band, on stage at the Whitman Theater for an evening of entertainment, including a catalog of songs that covers everything from Jimi Hendrix to Bruce Springsteen to Evanescence.
Sinise, who plays bass guitar in the 11 piece band, hopes the gig will raise over $100,000 for the Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance, a special monument planned for Keyspan Park. The 30 by 12 foot granite wall will honor the 155 police and fire department workers from the area killed on 9/11. It will also incorporate a 6 foot high bronze statue, designed by sculptor Jamie Lester.
“It’s a beautiful memorial,” said Sinise, who has donated some of his own money to the project. “For the families of those fallen heroes, it’s going to be very, very meaningful.”
The Lt. Dan Band (named after the character Sinise played in the 1994 movie Forrest Gump) was formed by Sinise and Kimo Williams, a Chicago-based composer, and plays 30-40 shows a year. Many of their concerts benefit good causes. They have also completed five tours for the United Service Organization, a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide US troops stationed around the world with morale, welfare, and recreation-based services.
“I try to do shows that can help various charities,” said Sinise, who is aware of the pulling power of his celebrity status and takes advantage of it to attract audiences. “Or support the troops.”
Sinise’s benefit work does not stop with his involvement in the band, and he has recently co-founded Operation Iraqi Children with Laura Hillenbrand (author of “Seabiscuit: An American Legend”) in an effort to help educate the young people of Iraq.
More information on the band and their charity appearances can be found at www.ltdanband.com.
Copyright © 2007 Look to the Stars
