Benefit concert for beloved Woodstock musician known for giving back to community

Tom Pacheco has performed in hundreds of benefit concerts here in Woodstock, across the country and in Europe and Scandinavia. The extraordinarily gifted and prolific singer/songwriter has always been there when a musician, artist, neighbor or friend needed a hand. 

Now as he struggles to overcome a long illness, it’s the community’s turn to help him out. Pacheco has spent the last several months hospitalized and in physical therapeutic rehab and is literally just getting back on his feet.

The community of musicians and artists has stepped up to perform in A Concert for Tom Pacheco, at 7 p.m. Friday, April 7, at Colony Woodstock, 22 Rock City Road, Woodstock.

Concert organizer Ed Sanders will give a Tribute to Tom, and then do a couple of Fugs tunes with Scott Petito, who will also play with Amy Fradon, Leslie Ritter and Neil Eisenberg; Jay Ungar and Molly Mason will perform, as will Cindy Cashdollar; The Bluegrass Clubhouse Band (Brian and Francine Hollander, Tim Kapeluck and Geoff Harden) has a couple of Pacheco songs to contribute, and Bruce Milner has one.

Happy Traum will lend a hand, as will John Sebastian, Jerry Marotta, Kat Mill, Simi Stone, Marc Black, Michael Veitch and Julie Last, all will take the stage to give Pacheco a boost. 

“Tom Pacheco is a titan of songwriting, a melody shaper and creator of melodies and lyrics that rank with the best,” says Ed Sanders. “During his illustrious career, beginning in 1965 when he was 19, he has written and produced over 19 albums of top-rank songs. Tom’s fiercely intelligent and finely wrought tunes have been recorded by The Band, Richie Havens, Jefferson Starship, Rick Danko, John Hall, Scott Petito and Leslie Ritter, and dozens of European recording artists. Tom made The Colony his home base in recent years, performing two sold-out shows a year to great applause.”

With the community’s help, his voice will be heard again. 

Admission is $20 if you prepay by calling Colony at 845-679-7625, writing to info@colonywoodstock.com​ or see Ticketed Events at colonywoodstock.com. Or you can get tickets at the door for $25. Contributions above and beyond are welcome.