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Three bands are joining a benefit concert to raise funds for a memorial scholarship honoring LBW Community College student and Ensemble member Sierra Newman, who lost her life in a vehicle accident in November 2019.

The concert is 6:30 p.m., until 8 p.m., Jan. 23, 2019, in the Martha and Dixon Solon Theater for the Performing Arts on the LBWCC Andalusia campus, and features performances by members of the LBWCC Ensemble and Yachtfather, both of which Sierra was a member. Also joining the concert is JnH, a singer-songwriter duo from Highland Home and Fort Deposit.

“This is an event coordinated by family, friends, and fellow LBWCC Ensemble students as a way to honor Sierra’s loving spirit and her contributions to the world through music,” said Dr. Arlene Davis, LBWCC associate dean of institutional advancement. “All proceeds from this event will be used to create a scholarship in memory of Sierra Newman through the LBWCC Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.”

The LBWCC Ensemble features students with various musical instruments and vocals with choreographed performances. Sierra Newman was a sophomore on trumpet in the Ensemble and her death made a huge impact on all members of the Ensemble, who now want to remember her with this benefit concert, said Johnny Brewer, Ensemble director.

The Yachtfather Band is composed of Andalusia-area musicians, including Scott Rogers, Mark Rudd, Travis Day, Richard Butts, Tripp Bass, and Johnny Brewer. Newman also performed with this band during the summer JulyJamz through the Andalusia Chamber of Commerce. The band features a form of soft rock known as the West Coast Sound, which is a broad music style and aesthetically identified with soft rock popular in the mid-1970s and early 1980s.

JnH features guitarist Nathaneal Jackson and singer Matthew Hood, both sharing a love for music and seeing a crowd enjoy their show. With a mixture of country, rock, soul, and pop, a favorite song is sure to be in the set, they said.

“Although no tickets will be sold in advance, donations can be made on the day of the event as they enter the Dixon Theater lobby, or online at www.lbwcc.edu on the foundation page through PayPal. All donations, no matter how big or small, are welcome and will be used to help future LBWCC students be successful in their educational pursuits,” said Davis.

To help support this scholarship effort, make checks payable to the LBWCC Foundation with a notation of “Sierra Newman Scholarship” and mail to P.O. Box 1311, Andalusia, AL 36420. For more information, contact Davis at 334-881-2390 or email at edavis@lbwcc.edu.