Aaron Neville knows something about trying to stay cheerful during a holiday season filled with tough times.
Ever since he was young, Neville has seen the downside of his hometown of New Orleans. After growing up in the city’s notorious 13th Ward, he’s now watching as the once strong city continues to founder in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation that hit the city in 2005.
“It has been rough,” Neville said. “Every time I am in the city, it is so depressing. There is so much has been done, and so much hasn’t been done. Whenever I am writing, things always come to mind that refers to that. … Even when you face depressing things, you have to keep moving forward … just as the Bible says.”
That positive attitude certainly worked for the Grammy Award-winning Neville. Not only did he and his brothers — Charles, Art and Cyril — move beyond their early, impoverished upbringings, they also triumphed over very public substance abuse problems that threatened to rip the family apart.
But the brothers are stronger, individually and collectively, than ever. Their group The Neville Brothers, widely known as the first family of New Orleans music, often is cited by many modern producers (think Justin Timberlake and 50 Cent) as one of the most influential groups in modern music history.
Aaron Neville and his quintet, featuring Charles Neville
Where: The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria
When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday
Info: $45; at press time, the concert was sold-out, but tickets may be available from various resellers
The struggles of those in New Orleans and many other parts of the United States, and even the world, prompted Aaron Neville to join with the Salvation Army this year to create and release “Holiday Party.”
The recently released CD features the single “Please Don’t Forget” by Neville; a portion of the proceeds from the single and CD will be donated to the Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettle Christmas Campaign.
Released as part of the music collection of the Weather Channel, the CD also includes Neville singing “White Christmas” and “Go Tell It On The Mountain,” as well as songs by Amy Grant, the Beach Boys, Ray Charles and even The Salvation Army Ensemble.
“When I was asked, I just thought it was a great idea,” Neville said. “It’s great to do something to help the Salvation Army and get involved raising money and awareness.”
At his upcoming show, Neville promised a selection of holiday hits mixed in with “something from every genre of music you can imagine. I tour with the brothers most of the year, but I have these special tours that give me a chance to be really creative.”
