 04-06-2008, 10:00 AM
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Dman
Joined on 11-17-2006
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Natalie Cole fans come out to support cancer fundraiser!
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Natalie Cole fans come out to support cancer fundraiser
Nick Lees, The Edmonton Journal
Published: 10:19 am
Natalie Cole met her biggest fan this week, right here in Edmonton.
In a career spanning 30 years, the singer has sold millions of records, won multiple Grammy awards and appeared in films and on television.
But when you saw the smile on the face of 12-year-old leukemia survivor Brendan O'Callaghan, you knew no one appreciated her more.
Alora Deonie, left, and Brendan O'Callaghan with Natalie Cole
Nick Lees, the Journal
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Font:****"That was awesome," O'Callaghan told Cole when he walked onstage at the Winspear with Alora Deonie, who is fighting cancer.
The duo presented the singer with flowers in front of nearly 1,100 fans who had come to hear her and support the Alberta Cancer Foundation and the Cross Cancer Institute.
Cole's father, world-beloved singer and songwriter Nat King Cole, a heavy smoker, succumbed to lung cancer in 1965.
When the singer asked Deonie what she thought of the performance about halfway through her show, the youngster replied: "It's amazing." Cole hugged both young fans before picking up the pace, leaving behind standard favourites such as the Unforgettable duet she does with a tape of her father. She took a jazzier turn and a less reserved audience would have been groovin' in the aisles.
Tough act to follow Event co-chairs Diane Kipnes and Lyle Best, both cancer survivors, were delighted with the first Playing for Life Concert, but realized they have important future decisions to make.
"Natalie is tough to follow," Kipnes said. "We have to balance the cost of a top entertainer with the amount we can raise to help the Cross Cancer Institute." Calgary has raised more than $2 million in a decade from concerts to support the city's Tom Baker Cancer Centre. But they haven't brought in as big a star as Cole.
Tickets for Thursday's show were $150 and $250, with more than 100 people paying $1,500 apiece to schmooze with Cole at a reception.
Cole was at the rehearsal hall soiree for only about 10 minutes and missed an excellent spread donated by Crowne Plaza executive-chef Jasmin Konjica.
But she probably dines every night on smoked pheasant and wild mushroom crepes; bison tenderloin with corn and conch fritters, and Canadian sturgeon caviar with buckwheat bilines.
UNFORGETTABLE Check out more pictures from the reception following Natalie Cole's fundraising concert for the Alberta Cancer Foundation and the Cross Cancer Institute.
Go to Photo Galleries at edmontonjournal.com Jasper shows its colours A Jasper cab driver rounded up a band and raised $550 this week to help the families of fallen Canadian soldiers.
The funds will go to the Loonie for the Loss fund created recently by Edmonton's Dale Prouse.
"I learned a great deal about the plight of widows and orphans when I played the part of an Afghani during exercises at Wainwright with our troops," former Edmontonian Rob Gray said.
"I wondered what I could do to help from Jasper and then hit on a '60s-night theme party. When I started pitching it around town, everyone said, 'Wow, when?' " He spoke to Athabasca Hotel general manager Darcy Carrol and bar manager Rob Kennedy and they told him to pick a date.
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