John Sutton-Smith

At an unusually warm and heartfelt evening at the Music Box @ The Fonda in Hollywood, the MusiCares MAP Fund held its inaugural benefit concert, paying tribute to guitarist Dave Navarro and the late concert promoter Rick Van Santen of Goldenvoice.

Navarro received the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award for his longtime support of the MusiCares MAP Fund and, in memory of Rick Van Santen, concert promoter Goldenvoice was the first recipient of the MusiCares MAP Fund Heart Award for its dedication to the organization. The event was also a night of remembrance for two people who were not present: Buddy Arnold and his wife Carole Fields-Arnold, who founded the Musicians Assistance Program in 1992. Both passed away in recent years, leaving a huge void in the world of addiction recovery, but also leaving an even bigger legacy with the establishment of MAP, and most recently by the newly amalgamated MusiCares MAP Fund.

A cross section of the music and movie world was represented from actress, and Navarro's wife, Carmen Electra and Joaquin Phoenix to singer Courtney Love and actor Michael Des Barres. The floor of the theater was laced in sets of couches that broke up the room into intimate lounges where everyone mingled over hors d'oeuvres before the music and tributes got going.

MAP Governor Dave Adelson kicked off the evening with a nod to the Arnolds. "The loss of Buddy and Carole left us reeling," he said, "but with the successful merger with MusiCares last year, they would be happy to know that it continues to be Buddy and Carole's MAP." He also saluted MusiCares Director of Addiction Recovery Services Harold Owens and Project Manager Wynnie Wynn, who came up with the idea for the evening's concept. "Thank you Buddy and Carole," he concluded to a roomful of applause.

Dinner chair John Branca, accompanied by co-chair Mary Pattiz, who along with her husband has also been an instrumental force behind the recovery organization, also mentioned how grateful he was "that MAP had found a home at MusiCares." Up next was Owens. "I want to thank everyone," he said, "for helping to support this life-saving mission. I am really proud of all the work we're doing."

Following a three-song set from new hard rock trio Year Long Disaster, Tom Arnold, the evening's MC, gave a few one-liners before confiding in seriousness about his own abuse problems, noting that "music definitely saved me." Arnold then introduced two local music legends and longtime supporters of MAP, the inimitable Bob Forrest, the voice of Thelonious Monster, and Red Hot Chili Peppers bass player Flea. In an evocative tribute to the late Goldenvoice promoter Van Santen, Bob referred to him as "a sweet guy whose legacy lives on in Coachella and Goldenvoice," to which Flea added, "and even more so he lives on in our hearts." They presented the award to Van Santen's mother, Diane, and Goldenvoice promoter Paul Tollett.

Forrest then sang a beautiful original song, joined by Flea on trumpet and three accompanists, including Forrest's son Elijah on guitar. Onetime Alice In Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell followed with his new band — Chris Wyse from the Cult and Eric Bradley, with Jane Addiction's Stephen Perkins guesting on drums.

MusiCares and Recording Academy President Neil Portnow brought Cantrell back on stage to present the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award to Navarro for "his support of MAP, and now the MusiCares MAP Fund" and for "his devotion to helping other addicts with their addiction and recovery process."

Navarro, clearly moved by the tribute, held back tears while thanking those who had helped him, including wife Electra and his dad, Mike. "It's a surreal moment," he said, "when I look out at my dad and see Courtney Love sitting next to him. It could only happen here."

Navarro's new band the Panic Channel, featuring Chris Chaney from Jane's Addiction, new singer Steve Isaacs and Perkins, then tore into a hard blues/rock mini-set, highlighted by an impressive rendition of "Dazed And Confused," Navarro's blazing guitar summoning strains of Jimmy Page on the original Zeppelin classic.

It was a different sort of evening, full of love and support (and a few off-key jokes) from the stage. Not quite a concert; not quite an award show, it was more a time for observation and thanks, and a moment for memory and reflection, and some great music. That is the essence of the MusiCares MAP Fund, the merger of the two leading support organizations for artists and musicians in need of a helping hand, and this was indeed a successful coming-out party.

AEG, AEG/Live and Goldenvoice oversaw the production elements of the concert and underwriting the cost of the evening's tribute journal. All proceeds benefit the MusiCares MAP Fund, which provides members of the music community access to addiction recovery treatment regardless of their financial situation.