By Esther Sanchez
Southern California musicians have lost a dear friend, faithful supporter and generous, technical guru. This Saturday, June 27th, local bands Dog ‘n’ Butterfly, Aphrodiziac Jacket, John Carey, TBone Edwards, Wytegye and Ozzmania will be gathering at Schmidy’s Tavern in Palm Desert to perform in tribute to a man who’s skills in guitar-building and all that is behind the scenes in music have impacted the Coachella Valley music scene on multiple levels. The father of three was known for his generosity, positive attitude and sense of humor. His passing was sudden and the void he has left, vast. There is much that can be said about a man who touched so many lives.
Lizann Warner (Dog ‘N’ Butterfly): “It’s difficult to talk about losing our friend Fred Corradi. He was so full of joy and love for life. He was a dedicated father, a loyal friend, and an amazing human being. All of us in Dog ‘N’ Butterfly can’t imagine life without him, and his passing has touched each one of us deeply and profoundly. We will be performing at his benefit to honor the man we loved like a brother, and we dedicate our performance to his memory.”
Mark Knapp (Ozzmania): “Fred was a very dear close friend. His passing has impacted me more than I ever thought possible. He was instrumental in helping Ozzmania climb to the upper levels of the tribute ladder. He is responsible for practically every piece of stage gear I use. I am eternally grateful for him, his friendship and everything he has done for both me and my band. (oh yeah, his family kicks ass too!) I miss you so much my friend… so, so much…”
Tom Edwards/TBone: “All can say right now is that his death came so quickly that it is almost surreal. I think of him daily. Sometimes I get caught off guard as if I am going to call him for one of our guitar chats only to realize that he is really gone. I really really miss him. We had so much fun remodeling my guitars together.”
Courtney Chambers (Dog ‘N’ Butterfly): Fred was an integral part of our music community. He gave so much and didn’t ask for anything in return. He was a genuine soul who just wanted to give to his community.
I can’t think of a better way to pay tribute to and celebrate the life of Frank Corradi than a rock & roll show put on by the musicians that he meant so much to. The show is 21 and over, Saturday, June 27th at Schmidy’s Tavern in Palm Desert. There will be no cover-charge for this event. However, they will be accepting donations in Corradi’s memory. 100% of donations collected will go to Corradi’s family.
