Ringo Starr is among the cast of all-star artists who will join Eagles‘ Joe Walsh for VetsAid 2021:The Basement Show.
For the second straight year, Walsh’s VetsAid benefit will be held virtually. This year’s livestream is set for Dec. 18 and will again raise funds for veteran-services groups across the country.
Vietnam-era veterans will be included in this year’s online streaming event as part of a special interview and performance segment; the guitarist will give a tour of his private guitar collection. The ”Just Ask Joe” segment will reportedly feature ”the most personal interview the musician has ever given.” The appearance by Starr will round out the event.
The Basement Show will be the fifth benefit for the nonprofit VetsAid charity, which was founded in 2017. This year’s event will include unaired footage from the past four VetsAid shows. James Taylor and ZZ Top will be included from the vault footage, and Walsh has revealed plans for a few “surprise guests” as well. Last year’s VetsAid concert featured Jon Bon Jovi, Alice Cooper and Metallica‘s James Hetfield.
Veterans’ causes have always been important to Walsh, who hadn’t even turned two when his father was killed while on active duty as a fighter pilot in Okinawa. “War is hell for everyone involved,” Walsh said of the loss. ”I lost my father when I was a baby, before I could even make a memory of him.”
The rocker’s stepson and VetsAid cofounder Christian Quilici handles most of the logistics for the charity and organizes the benefit from his home in suburban Washington, D.C. According to the Military Officers Association of America, VetsAid has raised “more than $1.5 million for vetted charities that support veterans and their families” since its inception.
Tickets for this year’s VetsAid show are on sale now. Viewers will be able to watch the premiere on Dec. 18 plus re-airings through Dec. 25.
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