Several area bands will perform Sunday in Niles to raise money for local musician Bruce Hartman.
Hartman played drums with several area bands over the years, including Sideshow, First Choice and Dakota. Multiple sclerosis has affected his right side, according to Sideshow frontman Bill Scudier, and Hartman currently is living at Austin Woods in Austintown.
Scudier said he got the idea for the benefit after visiting Hartman at Austin Woods.
"He played drums for me back in the '70s," Scudier said. "And he's played with a lot of other bands. He's just an all-around good guy."
The benefits starts at 1 p.m. Sunday at Papa Nick's, 1629 Niles Road, and will go all day and into the evening. Among the acts scheduled to perform are Sideshow, Mr. Lucky, Four Lane Highway, Doug Thomas & the Sonic Boomers, The Bridge, John Ruman Combo and Dave Walgreene.
"They all wanted to play when I asked," Scudier said.
Hartman no longer is able to play the drums, but he can sing, Scudier said, and he will sit in with some of the bands on Sunday. Hartman always spoke with a stutter, but like country star Mel Tillis, it never affected his singing.
They are asking for a minimum donation of $5 from those in attendance, and the event will feature a 50/50 raffle and a Chinese auction.
"We want to raise as much as we can for his daily needs and whatever," Scudier said.