When local musician Randy Carpenter heard that Austin alt-country pioneer Alejandro Escovedo's health had deteriorated, he decided to help out. Escovedo, who has hepatitis C, has no health insurance and can no longer tour, which is how he usually makes his living. His friends and fans have set up a trust, the Alejandro Fund (www.alejandrofund.com/), to help him pay his medical bills. Carpenter has been an acquaintance of Escovedo's since the 1980s. "Back when I played a brief but memorable stint with the Modernettes, we did a lot of co-bills with Rank and File, who Alejandro played with at that point, and that's when I got to know him personally," Carpenter told the Straight. "And he's the kind of guy that, once you get to know him personally, you're gonna be a big fan of and have a good opinion of for a long, long time."
Carpenter has organized two nights of tribute shows at the Railway Club, Friday and Saturday (February 13 and 14). Performers will include Bughouse 5, Chris Houston, Linda McRae and Cheerful Lonesome, and the New Modernettes. Carpenter is also putting together a CD, to which the above artists--and others such as Kevin Kane, Ray Condo, and Herald Nix--will contribute versions of the Texan's tunes. Proceeds from these efforts will be donated to the Alejandro Fund.
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