ALICE IN CHAINS Guitarist Honored At Eighth Annual MusiCares MAP Fund Benefit Concert

The eighth annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert honored ALICE IN CHAINS co-founder Jerry Cantrell and certified interventionist and Sony/ATV Music Publishing Senior Consultant Neil Lasher this past Thursday, May 31 at Club Nokia in Los Angeles. Cantrell was honored with the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award for his dedication and support of the MusiCares MAP Fund, and for his commitment to helping other addicts with the addiction and recovery process. All proceeds benefit the MusiCares MAP Fund, which provides members of the music community access to addiction recovery treatment regardless of their financial situation.

"I'm honored to be chosen this year," Cantrell told Rolling Stone magazine. He added, "I am nobody's fucking role model. It's too much pressure: Everybody's human, everybody has flaws, everybody falls down. It's just a fucking fact of life. And a lot of people stand and get the fuck back up after falling. Some people don't get that chance. My band's been a harsh example of that — what happens when you don't deal with it."

Hosted by television personality Steve-O, the evening featured a special performance by Cantrell and his ALICE IN CHAINS bandmates, who played a five-song acoustic set at the event consisting of "Nutshell", "Your Decision", "No Excuses", "Got Me Wrong" and "Would?"Grammy-nominated musician Moby DJed live during dinner.

Video footage of ALICE IN CHAINS' performance as well as pre-show interviews on the event's "red carpet" can be seen below.

"Jerry's role in shaping the world of rock music is profound and ongoing," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy and MusiCares. "His artistry as a guitarist is inspiring, and his contributions as a songwriter have earned ALICE IN CHAINS millions of fans around the world. And Neil has built an extraordinary career spanning more than 30 years in the music industry, and a parallel career in the field of substance abuse where his name has become synonymous with recovery and survival. But what unites Jerry and Neil are their unwavering support of MusiCares and our recovery programs, and their unselfish capacity to be of service to music people struggling with addiction."

"From what I've seen, addiction can be an occupational hazard in the music business and I know firsthand how the MusiCares MAP Fund helps artists and members of the music community find the resources for recovery," said Cantrell. "I've been a supporter for a long time, and I'm proud to help raise awareness and funds so this organization can continue to save lives."

The MusiCares Foundation offers programs and services to members of the music community including emergency financial assistance for basic living expenses including rent, utilities and car payments; medical expenses including doctor, dentist and hospital bills; psychotherapy; and treatment for HIV/AIDS, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, hepatitis C, and other critical illnesses. MusiCares offers nationwide educational workshops covering a variety of subjects, including financial, legal, medical, and substance abuse issues, and programs in collaboration with healthcare professionals that provide services such as flu shots, hearing tests, and medical/dental screenings.

The MusiCares MAP Fund allows access to addiction recovery treatment and sober living resources for members of the music community. Staffed by qualified chemical dependency and intervention specialists, MusiCares Safe Harbor Rooms, supported by the Bohemian Foundation, offer a support network to those in recovery while they are participating in the production of televised music shows and other major music events. MusiCares holds weekly addiction support groups for people to discuss how to best cope with the issues surrounding the recovery process. The MusiCares Sober Touring Network is a database of individuals across the United States who can take music people to recovery support meetings while on the road.

Established in 1989 by The Recording Academy, MusiCares provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. MusiCares' services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and each case is treated with integrity and confidentiality. MusiCares also focuses the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues that directly impact the health and welfare of the music community.