4th Annual Guadapalooza Music

UPDATE! Texas Music Community Coming Together for the 4th Annual Guadapalooza Music Festival Benefiting the Texas Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health. — Saengerhalle in New Braunfels, TX will be the host of the 4th Annual Guadapalooza Music Festival on April 30, 2006, bringing together over 50 Texas Music artists to raise money for the Texas Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health (TXFFCMH). With 14 chapters throughout Texas, TXFFCMH is the center of a Statewide Family Network of parents who have children with mental illness.

Bleu Edmondson, Wade Bowen, Matt Powell, Walt Wilkins, and other top Texas music artists will be a part of the phenomenal line up of entertainment at this year’s festival. Gates will open at 11:00 a.m. with entertainment starting at noon. Pre-sell tickets are available on-line at http://www.guadapalooza.com for $20 each. Tickets will be $25 the day of the show. Packages are also available for $130, which includes a room Sunday night at the Holiday Inn New Braunfels, 2 tickets, 2 t-shirts, 2 drinks, and 2 shuttle passes. This is an all-day family event filled with music, food, and drinks. Food will be available for purchase, but concert goers are welcome to bring their own. All beverages will be for purchase-only.

Patti Derr, Director of the Texas Federation of Families began Gudapalooza four years ago not only as a fundraiser for the organization, but as a way to give back to the Texas Music community that she attributes as having helped her daughter Robin, one of Federation of Families success stories.

Derr began taking Robin to Texas music concerts as a fun thing for them to do together, but found that they did so much more than just entertain her. Through the years, Robin who is now an adult living with mental retardation, has become more than a fan, but a friend to Texas Music artists like Randy Rogers and Bleu Edmondson.

“The Texas Music community saved my daughter’s life,” says Derr. “Going to the concerts and getting to meet the musicians gave her a whole new outlook on life. It has been the simple things like Randy greeting her at every show to Cory Morrow pulling her out of harms way when the crowd got to full. Each and every artist has embraced her and supported her.”

This year’s event is especially important as the Texas Federation of Families has been involved with assisting families impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. TXFFCMH has been recognized by the Center for Mental Health Services as a National Model for organizing and supporting children and families. The statewide annual report stated that over 37,000 contacts and referrals were handled in 2005. Throughout Texas, chapters met the urgent call and volunteered to assist families impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita:

* San Antonio: Five trailers of furniture and clothing were delivered to Kelley Air Force Base and 50 new backpacks were provided to displaced students. * Houston: Families were assisted with finding housing and connections necessary to meet the special needs of their disabled child. * Dallas: Federation volunteers set up the child-care center and worked diligently to keep areas sanitary and disease free. * Fort Worth: Volunteers worked with 5 local churches to ensure that children with special needs and their families had their needs met. * Denton: Families were assisted with locating housing, furniture, and help with all of the unfamiliar and cumbersome forms required by the state and government. * 7 children were reunited with their families through the volunteers driving the parents hundreds of miles i.e.; (San Antonio to Austin), (Houston to Beaumont).

When Derr came to Rogers and Edmondson with the idea of a music festival that would serve to showcase emerging talent and fan favorites while benefiting the Federation of Families, they encouraged her to put the event together. Now in it’s fourth year, the event is still going strong and continues to grow. Some performers are Four-year veterans of the event including Robby Abel, Bleu Edmondson, Fred Andrews, Matt Powell, Frank Neville, Ryan Bales, Blake Powers, Fallon Franklin, Rob Wilkinson, and Wade Bowen.

“Guadapalooza has evolved into an event that many performers have branded as a “Texas Music and Red Dirt Family Reunion,” says Derr.

For more information and up to date line up info please visit www.gudapalooza.com.