ParkinSong 3 is an evening of acclaimed singer-songwriters performing for Parkinson’s disease research.
By: Susan Van Dongen
The Litowitz children Rob, Deb and Carol watched sadly as Parkinson’s disease robbed their mother, Selma Litowitz, of her vibrant life, not just her motor skills and mental faculties. Rob was particularly concerned about his father, who cared for his wife for 14 years. Anyone who has had a parent, spouse or child with a serious illness can feel empathy for the main caregiver, who sometimes neglects his or her own health to watch out for a loved one.
This is one of the main reasons Mr. Litowitz and his sisters, Deb Litowitz Frank and Carol Litowitz Golden, have organized ParkinSong 3, an evening of music March 18 at the Mildred and Ernest E. Mayo Concert Hall at The College of New Jersey in Ewing. Hosted by comedian and Trenton-native Richard Kind, ParkinSong 3 welcomes acclaimed singer-songwriters Sara Hickman, Kelly Willis, Chuck Prophet and Ana Egge. Honoring the memory of Ms. Litowitz, an English teacher at Lawrence High School who claimed The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart as a student and neighbor, ParkinSong 3 benefits the Parkinson Alliance of Princeton and Parkinson’s disease research.
The Litowitz family also hopes it sheds some light on how the disease touches much more than the person with the ailment.
"That’s our motivation," Mr. Litowitz says. "I want to spare other families what our families went through. Parkinson’s just goes on and on, especially because people are living longer with the disease. It takes a toll on the primary caregiver and the entire family and extends beyond the person who is afflicted."
He reflects that compared with other ailments, it seems like research for Parkinson’s is under-funded. Many other diseases are more in the public’s awareness, so education and early detection has been talked up and effective therapies have been found.
"That’s not to diminish them," Mr. Litowitz says. "But Parkinson’s is a misunderstood disease that doesn’t get as much attention as it should. For Parkinson’s, research continues and there are therapies on the horizon but obviously more needs to be done. There have been advances in surgery and in drug therapy, but as of now there is no lasting effective treatment or cure and that’s what the goal is.
"I recall when Michael J. Fox announced he had Parkinson’s and was hoping for a cure within five years," he continues. "Those five years have long come and gone, but people are still optimistic with stem cell therapy and other (treatments). But I think it’s important to explore all potential avenues."
ParkinSong 3 is the first project organized by the Litowitz siblings through the ParkinSong Foundation Inc., a non-profit they founded in their mother’s honor since she succumbed to her illness in December 2005. Their last effort was ParkinSong Volume One: 38 Songs of Hope, a two-CD set of some of the nation’s best contemporary singer-songwriters, including the stars of ParkinSong 3.
"It’s really the next chapter in the story," Mr. Litowitz says. "We started this effort back in 2001 with two successful concerts and then branched out and released the CD with 38 wonderful performers, including three members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Graham Nash, David Crosby and Bonnie Raitt. It was critically acclaimed and that year, it was one of National Public Radio’s holiday gift giving tips. We were really gratified with this.
"When my mom passed away, so many people in the Trenton and Lawrence area encouraged us to do a concert to keep her memory alive," he adds. "Deb, Carol and I understood that organizing another concert, as challenging as it would be given our hectic schedules, would be a genuine b’sheret something that was meant to be."
The first ParkinSong concert, held in 2001, was hosted by Selma Litowitz’s most famous student, Mr. Stewart. He returned to his old stomping ground and helped the event provide a $75,000 grant to the University of Minnesota toward Parkinson’s research. The success of the first concert inspired the Litowitz family, with the support from the Parkinson Alliance of Princeton, to produce ParkinSong II the following year.
In addition to being a native of Trenton, Mr. Kind was chosen to host because he is a friend to Mr. Fox. The two of them starred on the TV show Spin City.
The Litowitz siblings are dividing the organizational duties. Mr. Litowitz, a lawyer based in Washington, D.C., is responsible for the music, gathering the singer-songwriters.
"I’ve always had an interest in music," he says. "I played occasionally on an amateur basis and hosted concerts at my home. My firm has an annual business reception and some of the ParkinSong people have played there."
Specializing in trademarks and intellectual property issues, Mr. Litowitz settled some of David Crosby’s legal affairs a kerfuffle involving the use of the name "The Byrds" and Mr. Crosby thanked him by donating a track to the ParkinSong Volume One CD.
"After that, word got around and other people rushed to support the cause," Mr. Litowitz says. "So we were able to get people like Bonnie Raitt, Steve Forbert, Jonatha Brooke, Eliza Gilkyson, Dar Williams, Lucy Kaplansky first-rate singer-songwriters, many of whom I discovered on WXPN. It’s ironic that I got to work with David Crosby because I grew up listening to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young they were my idols. He’s been great supporter.
"It’s a privilege to be able to do this just to try to make some contribution, however small," he continues. "Larger organizations can hold a concert and raise millions but we do what we can do."
ParkinSong 3 will feature Sara Hickman, Kelly Willis, Chuck Prophet and Ana Egge, hosted by Richard Kind, at the Mildred and Ernest E. Mayo Concert Hall, The College of New Jersey, 2000 Pennington Road, Ewing, March 18, 7 p.m. Patrons’ reception, in the Social Sciences Building, 10 p.m. Tickets cost $25. Money raised benefits the Parkinson Alliance of Princeton and Parkinson’s disease research. For information, call (866) 468-7619. The ParkinSong Foundation Inc. on the Web: www.parkinsong.com