Jeff Black appears in Alive Hospice benefit series

Nashville’s Bluebird Café is among the world’s premier for singer/songwriters, a place where music performance and presentation is treated with a dignity and respect that rivals that of any large concert hall.

Since the early ‘90s it’s also been the site each year for a series of events benefiting Alive Hospice, the Music City organization whose efforts extend into 12 Middle Tennessee counties, offering assistance to families whose loved ones are terminally ill. Alive Hospice members efforts enable everyone to make it through the final difficult weeks, while providing quality care, counseling and assistance in the home.

The series concludes its 16th year this weekend with concerts both Friday and Saturday at the Bluebird (9:30 p.m. both nights, 4104 Hillsboro Road, 383-1461, $12). Friday night’s lineup includes Jeff Black as well as Don Henry, Kim Richey, and Mando Saenz, while Saturday night’s lineup features Pat Alger, Tony Arata, Ralph Murphy and Richard Leigh.

“They (The Bluebird) approached us 16 years ago and it’s been a great partnership ever since,” Beth Looney, advance coordinator for Alive Hospice said. “It’s become a signature event and is our longest-running fundraising event. Things kind of evolved from the fact that Alive Hospice had helped the family of one of their staffers and they were so grateful that they wanted to help us in any way they could.

“(Founder) Amy Kurland helped us get the series going, and it’s become something that we really look forward to every year and also something that really helps get the word out throughout the singer/songwriter community and reach some people that otherwise might not even hear about Alive Hospice.”

Black, a skilled instrumentalist (guitar and piano) and engaging vocalist in addition to being an outstanding composer whose works have been covered by Waylon Jennings, Sam Bush and Black Hawk, among many others, has appeared frequently as part of the Alive Hospice series.

“I’ve been participating in it since the start and it’s something I’ve done every year except for those times when I’ve been on the road,” Black said. “It sounds like a cliché, but it really is a way to give something back to the community, to do something for the public. It’s also a way for singer/songwriters to do what we love, play our music and also help a good cause.”

Black added that he has an additional reason for his involvement in the series that is a bit more personal.

“Alive Hospice really helped my family. My grandmother passed away last year at 104,” Black said. “They made her final days and last journey an easy and painless one for her and our entire family. It’s an honor to be part of the Alive Hospice series.”

Black is also juggling a host of things this year, after taking much of 2008 off from his usual hectic slate of dates on the road to concentrate on writing some new material.

“There’s a new collection of vocal things that I call Mining that fans can get online, plus also a collection of what I call ‘piano dreams,’ basically lullabies that I wrote when our children were much smaller. Both of those are available on the Web site (jeffblack.com),” he said. “Then I’ve also started doing a weekly series of podcasts we call ‘Black Tuesdays.’ Those can be accessed at jeffblack.podbeam.com.”

Black will go back on the road a lot this year, while also writing and recording material for a new CD.

Another opportunity to see Black is at a Feb. 21 show at Norm’s River Road House (9 p.m., 7695 River Road PK., $10, 356-6314).

“The way things are these days, those of us who are kind of traveling troubadours have to stay busy,” Black said.

To people like Black, Looney said she is extremely grateful — especially to those performers who return year after year.

“Their willingness to participate and work with us makes it possible,” she said.