Update on August 22 benefit for Dean Magraw

Do the Dean II, a benefit concert for Dean Magraw, is set for Sunday, August 22 at the Celtic Junction in St. Paul.

Here's the performance schedule. Be selfish: Where else will you see/hear such a lineup? Be generous: Dean has given much to us over the past several years.

12:00 pm-12:30 Lehto & Wright

12:45-1:15 Cory Wong

1:30-2:00 Gregg Herriges

2:15- 2:45 Elgin Foster

3:00-3:30 Eric Hohn

3:45-4:15 Marc Anderson

4:30-5:00 Laura Mackenzie

5:15-5:45 Marcus Wise

6:00-6:30 Hart Lieberman & Smith

6:45-7:15 Anthony Cox

7:25-7:45 Prudence Johnson

7:55-8:25 Dakota Dave Hull

8:35-9:05 Frank Boyle and His Eminent Acoustic Entourage

9:10-9:30 Drew Miller & Kari Tauring

9:45 Boiled in Lead

Many fine silent auction items will be available, including six hours of studio time at Aurora Borealis, Star Wars prints, Jetsons and Flintstones drawings (yabba-dabba-do!), photographs of Dean by Howard Gitelson signed by Dean, and many signed CDs including a Beach Boys disc and one from the Kinks.

Go here FMI. And here for a reminder of what we have all been missing during Dean's absence from the scene.

Here's an article Dugan Magraw, Dean's son, wrote about his father.

Dean Magraw is married to Megan Flood, a massage therapist who has taken significant time off from work to be with Dean, and has two kids: one named Dugan Magraw (23 years old) and the other one named Claire Monesterio (25 years old). Both graduated this May from the University of Minnesota and are currently working various jobs but will soon be taking time off work as well. Dean has an older brother named Dan Magraw and an older sister named Ruth Magraw. Both live with their families on the East Coast and have been coming to Minnesota to support and be with Dean the last three months.

Dean is a caring, fun-loving and thoughtful person who has sacrificed and gave so much to his family. His family has been doing whatever they can to support and love Dean during these rough times. However, it has been extremely difficult for his family, but for this wonderful Dad, husband and sibling they are willing to do anything to help him fight his illness.

A bit of History on Dean Magraw:

Dean was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma back in 2001. He underwent chemotherapy that saved his life. Dean was in remission for 8 years before receiving the news that he was diagnosed with Secondary Myelodysplastic syndrome.

Dean was diagnosed with Secondary Myelodysplastic Syndrome in late April 2009. Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a serious and life-threatening disease of the blood and bone marrow. In MDS, the bone marrow does not function properly and does not make enough healthy blood cells. This leads to many life-threatening health complications. The only chance Dean Magraw had for a cure was a bone marrow transplant. Since receiving the transplant, Dean’s system has struggled to accept it and he has yet to be able to work. His recovery continues to be slow, painful and keeps him from being able to work.

Due to his illness, Dean is very susceptible to any kind of infection (due to his extremely low amount of white blood cells). Without enough healthy blood cells, Dean’s body may not be able to handle an infection and it could turn out to be deadly. This has meant that Dean has had to basically stay in his house in order to protect himself from infection. Sadly, this also means that Dean has had little to no contact with friends and family and has had to cancel all of his work for the foreseeable future. Dean is a social, outgoing musician who loves being with and around people. Needless to say, Dean has struggled mightily with his new situation. To stay healthy Dean has been resting; practicing yoga & meditation; eating good, home cooked food from friends and family; spending quiet time with his wife and children; and playing music. Dean has spent a lot of time playing music in his practice room and has found it “wonderful.”.

The last thing Dean needs to be worrying about right now is money for his living expenses so please come out and support Dean Magraw at his benefit concert. It will mean so much to him and his family.

One Description of Dean’s Music:  A collective mix of American Jazz and Folk music from around the world.