History of the Musicians' Picnic

History of the Musicians' Picnic
"A Clean & Sober Celebration"
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Two decades ago ‘The Musicians’ Meeting’, a 12 Step group of sober musicians, started a backyard BBQ and “jam session” in celebration of sobriety. That intimate gathering of musicians, family members and friends has grown into the West Coast’s largest one-day ‘clean & sober’ event, with live music on two stages, children’s activities and a multi-prize raffle and silent auction of celebrity autographed memorabilia and merchandise.

The Musicians’ Picnic has generated over $1,000,000 in revenue with an attendance of over 75,000. The funds raised, after expenses of site rentals and production costs, are donated to the Grammy’s Musicians’ Assistance Program “MusiCares/ MAP Fund”, assisting needy musicians through re-hab .We will also be donating books and literature to AA, CA, and Alateen H&I.

The musical guest artists, the Board of Directors and committee donate their time and talents to the Picnic, free of charge. The all-day concerts and family ‘picnic’ BBQ have consisted of inspired performances by musicians from every genre of music such as Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Mick Fleetwood, David Crosby, Billy Idol, Chicago, Spencer Davis, Chuck Negron, Ivan Neville, & Dr. John; Canned Heat, Bonnie Bramlett John & Maggie Mayall, and Walter Trout, Martha Davis & The Motels, Automatics, Carla Olson, Fur Dixon ,Marc Ford, The English Beat, The Boxing Gandhis, The Dickies and Jerry Cantrell and Katey Sagal, just to name a few. .

This year, 2008, the 23rd Annual Musicians Picnic will move to Topanga Canyon on the Topanga Canyon Community House property. This move increases our space and capability to include wider choices of food, larger children’s area and an enclosed acoustic stage as well as providing a beautiful backdrop for our main stage in the community of Topanga. Topanga Canyon has been well known, for many years, for it’s contributions of music and a laid-back version of L.A. living. We know that this move will undoubtedly double our attendance. Our sponsorships become more important than ever so that we can provide shuttle service, more security, better sound/ staging and parking areas.

The Annual Musicians’ Picnic brings attendees, performers and beneficiaries the Spirit of celebrating a new and better way of life, free from the bondage of drugs and alcohol!

In 1992, the Annual Musicians’ Picnic was established as a non-profit corporation, under the name of the Sober Musicians Fundraisers, Inc., under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code, and is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Board is comprised of people from all walks of life, who are active members of 12 Step Fellowships (AA; CA; NA; and Alanon). The Board is assisted by a volunteer Committee, and together, they produce the Annual Musicians’ Picnic.

The Sober Musicians Fundraiser
475 South Oakland Avenue # 6
Pasadena, California 91101-3357
Hot Line: (818) 379-3383