by Cori Hilsgen
news@thenewsleaders.com
Local talent will gather for a “Rock for Alzheimer’s” event from 1-8 p.m. Saturday, Sept 24, at the Bad Habit Brewing Co. in St. Joseph.
The event is being held in conjunction with the Alzheimer’s Association/Walk to End Alzheimer’s being held that morning in St. Cloud.
People are invited to come and join the Bobby Vee and Irene Linn families for music, beverages and more to help raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s research and support to try to find a cure for the disease.
The Rock for Alzheimer’s event will include performances by local rock ‘n’ roll bands Collective Unconscious, Slip Twister, The Killer Vees and Walter’s Wheelhouse. The bands include various local residents who perform with them, including Bobby Vee’s family and Stearns County Attorney Janelle Kendall (lead singer for Walter’s Wheelhouse).
Linn of Avon is a widowed mother of five boys – Steve, Phil, Sam, Eric and Mike – who was diagnosed at age 58 in 2009 with Alzheimer’s. She also has four daughters-in law and seven grandchildren.
Her husband, Ron, was killed in a farm accident in 1992. Throughout everything, the widowed mother took care of her boys traveling around in a 1980 Chevrolet Scottsdale pickup truck Ron had purchased new before his death. When the truck quit running, Eric stored it in his shop. Many years later, when his mom was dealing with Alzheimer’s, Eric and the other sons decided to restore the truck to honor their parents and to try to cope with their mother’s diagnosis.
Irene’s sons and grandchildren worked on the truck for three years before presenting it to their mom on Mother’s Day. Now, her family is seeking another way to deal with her disease by working to raise funds to help find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.
Vee, born Robert Thomas Velline, is a famous 1960s singer and musician, diagnosed at age 67 in 2011 with Alzheimer’s disease. In 1959, Vee was 15 years old when he performed in Moorhead when local talent was asked to fill in after Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper were killed that same day in a plane crash. He went on to appear on American Bandstand with Dick Clark, in four movies and various television programs. For more than 50 years he entertained audiences with top 40 hits such as “Susie Baby,” “Come Back When You Grow Up, Girl,” “Take Good Care of My Baby,” and more. Vee produced 38 top-100 hits and earned seven gold records.
In recent years, he was involved in production of various musical projects at his Rockhouse Recording Studio in St. Joseph. He retired in 2011 after his family learned of his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. He performed at various retirement shows, including Joetown Rocks, an annual event he helped create.
He also recorded music with his family in Tucson, Ariz., known as The Adobe Sessions, which is available on CD.
His wife, Karen, died in 2015 after receiving a lung transplant about three years before. Vee has three sons, Jeff, Tom and Rob, and one daughter, Jennifer, three daughters-in-law, one son-in-law and five grandchildren.
Both families are fighting the disease with their loved ones.
Eric Linn said the idea of the event began when Aaron Rieland from Bad Habit reached out to his family about organizing some type of a fundraiser if they were interested. Linn had spoken with Jeff Vee a few weeks before, and the two had discussed their parents and dealing with the disease. When the idea of a fundraiser came up, he reached out to Jeff and he said the rest is history.
“I’m thankful for Jeff and Tommy (Vees’) willingness to get on board and grateful Aaron thought of us and our mission to bring more awareness to Alzheimer’s and finding a cure,” Linn said. “Accepting the disease and its outcome is of course the most challenging, knowing there is no cure or chance of a cure is the most difficult. Living life, trying to help each other cope and staying close to family are the most important. Mom is still Irene, still mom, still Grandma Linn. She deserves these titles, and we just try to make the best of the time we have together.”
Jeff Vee said now seemed like the right time to work with an Alzheimer’s fundraising event.
“We attached ourselves to the Alzheimer’s Walk, which happens that same day, so they are also supporting and promoting our event,” he said.
Jeff Vee said the event is the first of what he and others hope will become an annual event for the cause. He said both of their families’ goal is to raise awareness and funds for much-needed care, support and research for the disease.
Donations will be accepted at the door in addition to proceeds from food and beverage sales being donated in support of the cause.
All ages are welcome. Food and non-alcoholic beverages will also be available.
Alzheimer’s disease is now the nation’s sixth-leading cause of death. With the Baby-Boomer generation aging, that number is expected to increase well beyond today’s estimated 5.4 million people currently living with the disease in the country.
The families of Irene Linn and Bobby Vee are teaming up with local talent for a Rock for Alzheimer’s event from 1-8 p.m. Saturday, Sept 24 at the Bad Habit Brewing Co. in St. Joseph to raise funds to try to find a cure for the disease. Irene Linn (left) is pictured with her grandson, Spencer Linn.
The families of Irene Linn and Bobby Vee are teaming up with local talent for a Rock for Alzheimer’s event from 1-8 p.m. Saturday, Sept 24 at the Bad Habit Brewing Co. in St. Joseph to raise funds to try to find a cure for the disease. Irene Linn’s five sons – Steve, Phil, Sam, Eric and Mike Linn (left to right) – along with their children, spent three year’s restoring their father’s 1980 Chevrolet Scottsdale to honor their parents and to try to cope with their mother’s diagnosis.
Bobby Vee performs at the 2010 Joetown Rocks concert. Vee’s family and Irene Linn’s family are teaming up with local talent for a Rock for Alzheimer’s event from 1-8 p.m. Saturday, Sept 24 at the Bad Habit Brewing Co. in St. Joseph to raise funds to try to find a cure for the disease.
Bobby Vee (center) is pictured with his family in 2011. Vee’s family and Irene Linn’s family are teaming up with local talent for a Rock for Alzheimer’s event from 1-8 p.m. Saturday, Sept 24 at the Bad Habit Brewing Co. in St. Joseph to raise funds to try to find a cure for the disease.
