Back in November, local singer-songwriter Andrew Leahey underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor from his hearing nerve. Fortunately, the procedure was a success. But before
the benefit in December to help Leahey recoup some of his medical expenses, and even before the surgery itself, the songster got together with some of his Music City cohorts for what could have been — but thankfully wasn't — a last hurrah.
You see, according to an email from his camp, Leahey's doctors gave him a "50-50 chance of losing his hearing" as a result of the procedure. For a young man who plays and writes about music, the loss of his hearing would also potentially spell the loss of his livelihood. Even if you're neither a musician nor a music journalist — or hell, even a music fan — take a moment to think about that: Surgeons tell you that if you don't have this tumor removed, it could put your life at risk, but they can't tell you whether or not you'll still be able to hear once you wake up. What would you do with that information?
Well, two weeks before his procedure, Leahey got together with a roomful of his pals (including members of Bear Cub, The Allen Thompson Band, Street Corner Symphony, The Westbound Rangers and more) to perform a lush, heartstring-tugging, all-smiles rendition of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' "Walls (Circus)." Watch the video above. As previously noted, Aussie performer Henry Wagons will celebrate his Upstairs at United release this Thursday, Feb. 27, at The High Watt; Leahey and his band The Homestead will open that one.
