A friend in a Hard place

There are too many stories like this one.

Scott Harding, a Canadian-born, New York-based musician and producer who's worked with artists including the Wu Tang Clan, Salif Keita, Prince Paul, and Medeski, Martin and Wood, was recently involved in a life-shattering accident. Leaving his Brooklyn recording studio in a cab during the wee hours of February 9, he was hit and run by a driver who remains unapprehended. Harding's back was broken in the accident, and his spine was damaged. He's in the hospital, waiting to have major surgery, and right now he's being classified as a paraplegic.

That's imponderably bad. On top of it, like so many music people, Scotty Hard (as his friends call him) has no health insurance. It's unclear how he will pay for his own urgent care, not to mention the major rehabilitation he will soon embark upon.

Harding does have good friends, and they've set up a trust for him. His old musical partner and best pal Dennis is blogging about his recovery every day; you can obtain details about how to donate to Scott's fund at his website. If you want to be more intimately involved, you can also get on an email list: just write scottyupdates@gmail.com.

Hearing this horrible news got me thinking -- again -- about how musicians must so often call upon a network of friends and fans to help pay for medical bills. My friends at the Future of Music Coalition have long championed the concept of musicians becoming part of the middle class, and gaining the cushion that (supposedly) comes with that position. But that's not a reality for many, especially for those who work independently. Even highly successful artists often find themselves falling without a net when disaster strikes.

That's when the courage and commitment of fans and friends often makes such a difference. Some bigger organizations do great work providing relief; Musicares, the NARAS foundation dedicated to such matters, has a list of them here. But with health care bills often skyrocketing beyond what any one organization can provide, more informal networks often emerge to sustain aritsts in need.

I know of many cases over the years of money raised for musicians in hard times, and with the advent of personal websites and blogs, it has become somewhat easier. A couple that spring to mind are this one, dedicated to helping out the 2-year-old son of J. Robbins (formerly of Jawbox) and artist Janet Morgan; Callum has a genetic motor neuron disease known as Spinal Muscular Atrophy. And this one, aiding Descendents/All/Lemonheads bassist Karl Alvarez as he tries to pay the steep costs of having a mild heart attack.

We at Soundboard would love to gather a list of said websites and funds. If you know of an artist in need, who's gaining help from his or her community, send us a link. We'll post it.

And send some groovy energy toward New York for Scotty Hard. His pals say he's in good spirits, but he needs all the love he can get. And if you happen to be in New York on March 19, you can help him out while enjoying some of the fine music he's helped produce: this benefit at the Highline Ballroom features John Scofield, John Medeski, Billy Martin, Bill Laswell, Antibalas, Vijay Iyer, and a host of other Hard lovers.

-- Ann Powers

Photo of Harding courtesy Dennis Mills.

Comments

[elizabeth fischer]

see, the problem is that you americans have no universal healthcare. like we do, here in canada.

so when musicians such as scott are hit with a serious health problem, they, working outside of "normal" work conditions that may provide employees health insurance, are totally screwed. cultural workers have no protection. nor do the unemployed, or the under-employed.

in your country, healthcare is not a *right*, it is an industry. for profit. that is, someone gets sick, someone else makes money. (no, i am not naive, i have merely distilled the facts to they essence)

to me, that is rather disgusting.

and that there seems no problem about funding a war to the tune of what, a billion bucks a day... but scotty has no health insurance.