Jim Ebert’s Remarkable Life-Changing Work with Cancer Can Rock

Wendy & Rich 0:01
Coming to you from the Freedom Federal Credit Union Studios, Hartford County Living presents Conversations with Rich Bennett. 

Rich Bennett 0:41
Today's 

guest, Jim Bieber, has spent decades behind the glass from a 12 year old kid with a micro-moo in a warlitzer play and smoke on the water on 

Jim Ebert 0:52
with 

Rich Bennett 0:52
repeat First song we all would learn how to play. 

Jim Ebert 0:55
the kids. 

Rich Bennett 0:56
The Chief Engineer at Q Recording, working with legends like HR, Bad Brains and Buddy Miles, to mixing double platinum records and collaborating with some of the biggest names of music, Jim has seen it all. But somewhere along the way, the studio became more than a place to make hits. It became a place to preserve legacies. Jim is the founder and driving force behind Cancer/Can Rock, a nonprofit that provides professional recording experiences for musicians facing aggressive cancer diagnosis. These aren't vanity projects. These are final songs, final messages, final love letters set to music. Through Cancer/Can Rock, artists are paired with top tier producers, musicians and studios to create fully produced songs and videos, giving them something powerful to leave behind for their families, their friends, and the world. Jim understands something most producers never talk about. That music isn't just sound. It's memory. It's identity. It's healing. It's soul. Today we're going to talk about the journey from DC Studios to LA Mixing Rooms and, ultimately, to use music as a way to help people see what matters most. How you doing Jim? 

Jim Ebert 2:18
I'm good man. You said it all right there brother. Why am I here? 

Rich Bennett 2:23
No, no, no, no, no. I, because I look, Mark told me that you have an amazing story, and I know I only, that was like a brief summary. But I want to go back. I want to, I want to start at the beginning of that 12 year old kid playing and smoking on the water for like the 5,000th time. 

Jim Ebert 2:41
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 2:42
Ever imagine music would take you where it has? 

Jim Ebert 2:46
Yes, 

not today, but earlier, earlier, not, not, not right now, 

Rich Bennett 2:53
Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 2:54
not, not right now, but where I was as a younger man. Yes, I do. But I was in full belief that I was going to be a rock star in my teens. I was, you know, that was when I had real goals to be back. 

Rich Bennett 3:12
Right. 

Jim Ebert 3:13
I started to see people that were amazing, you know, and, and, and just was like, I can never get to that level. And I had a pretty good idea that a young age, I still have a blast, I still love writing songs, still love playing out and I still have a great time. But then I had an opportunity as a, as a young man to sort of get into a recording studio. And I thought that it would be a great way to record my own music as well. 

Rich Bennett 3:43
Nice. 

Jim Ebert 3:45
And so here I am 40 plus years into it. And I've recorded five songs. And I hate four of them. And I like one. And so, you know, it just sort of developed that I started recording other people in this studio. It was sort of a really, really was a, I don't want to use a opportunity that I had. The studio. And we were in a house then. We were in what was my former partner Jeff's house, parents house in the basement. There was a basement studio that grew fairly obnoxiously. We got a lot of real equipment, real gear, had a lot of clients in HR, you know, a lot of a decent size DC names came through Danny Gatton. And then we went into a commercial facility and kept growing from there. So it really was just, but I was a kid, you know, it's 21. I look back on now and go, wow, 21, you know, anyway. 

Rich Bennett 4:57
So, don't wait, man. So you said you only done recorded five songs 

Jim Ebert 5:03
of my own 

Rich Bennett 5:05
of your own, yeah. 

Jim Ebert 5:06
Uh, I've done real rough demos of some others, but five really full-blown songs. 

Rich Bennett 5:12
Okay. 

Jim Ebert 5:12
That's what I've done. So I- I'm not saying I'm prolific. 

Rich Bennett 5:16
Right. 

Jim Ebert 5:17
But I got caught up making other people's music, you know? So... 

Rich Bennett 5:21
Dad, do you- do you miss planning, or do you like produce a more? 

Jim Ebert 5:27
I like producing more. I miss playing. I- 

Rich Bennett 5:30
Right. 

Jim Ebert 5:30
I... I shouldn't have given up playing... As early as I did. I still can hack through a guitar or whatever. But if 

Rich Bennett 5:38
Right. 

Jim Ebert 5:38
I kept just playing even a little bit every day, I'd be decent enough. I'm not gonna have to plan on- own recordings, typically. I mean, I can play some keyboard stuff for something simple on guitar, but... I have real pros play, you know, when I have them in a session going on. 

Rich Bennett 5:53
Yeah. All right. So when someone walks into your studio, what are you- what are you really listening for first? 

Jim Ebert 6:02
As far as bringing me a song? 

Rich Bennett 6:05
Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 6:07
Uh, sincerity, I think. 

Rich Bennett 6:09
Okay. 

Jim Ebert 6:09
You know, I don't think it has to be amazing. I think it has to be sincere. Uh, I think I have to be able to hear what the final is usually when I hear a song, and I talk to the artist about what it could be. I'm- 

Rich Bennett 6:24
I'm- 

Jim Ebert 6:24
They'll say, it's- I wanted to be Americana, or I wanted to be Buggy Brock, or I wanted- you know, something like that. 

Rich Bennett 6:29
Right. 

Jim Ebert 6:30
I can picture when I hear the song, how to put that together. By the end of the song, I have a pretty good picture of what it's gonna sound like, to me. And, uh... 

Rich Bennett 6:38
Right. 

Jim Ebert 6:38
Hopefully that will coincide with what the artist is looking 

Rich Bennett 6:42
Save. 

Jim Ebert 6:42
at. Or as well. My track record... 

Rich Bennett 6:45
I'm- I'm sorry, go ahead. 

Jim Ebert 6:47
No, my track record is pretty good. So, 

Rich Bennett 6:50
say? Okay. 

Jim Ebert 6:50
what are you going to 

Rich Bennett 6:51
I was going to say- I was going to say, have you ever had problems like pulling something out of someone they- didn't even know he's there? 

Jim Ebert 6:59
Yes. Yes. 

Rich Bennett 7:02
How often does that happen? 

Jim Ebert 7:05
Um... Well, Cancer can rock as a different story. I'm not- 

Rich Bennett 7:09
Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 7:09
I'm- I'm- I'm offering that up real quick. But, with the artists I work with as a- as a "Evil" audio, which is my company. Um... I don't do as much as I used to. I don't push as hard. 

Rich Bennett 7:22
Uh-huh. 

Jim Ebert 7:23
I- I- we're in an era now where digital audio I can do as many takes as I want of an artist singing. Playing-wise, I can get it out of- my- my guy's anytime. I can, you know... 

Rich Bennett 7:34
Right. 

Jim Ebert 7:35
Tell him my guitar player, squeeze it. You know, pretend you're Stevie Ray Vaughan, squeeze that bastard, you know what I mean? And uh, and- and they can respond. And do that with singers that are artists that I'm working with. 

Rich Bennett 7:48
Mm-hmm. 

Jim Ebert 7:49
I- I explained to them usually before they sing. I said, you know, this is not the time to worry about being cheesy or over-dramatic. You have to be really dramatic to get through a pair of speakers. Uh, people don't realize that when they're singing. But it- it almost feels fake when you're seeing that melodramatic. But you- you- singers that are, you know, a certain level understand that. They have to really over-deliver to get through a pair of speakers. If you're watching them at a show, you know, you have the visual, you have the volume, you know, everything is- that's in their favor. But through a pair of speakers, you really have to present. 

Rich Bennett 8:27
Right. So, with cancer can rock, because I- when I looked at the web- and I'm looking at everything, I said, "Man, this- this is amazing." But explain to everybody listening how cancer can rock came about. 

Jim Ebert 8:43
Okay. I'm a, uh, 25-year now, 25-year brain cancer survivor. 

Rich Bennett 8:49
Twenty-fif- 

Jim Ebert 8:49
and I went to 25 years. And I- I was after several- after several opinions I ended up at Duke. At Duke University. 

Rich Bennett 9:00
Okay. 

Jim Ebert 9:01
Anyway, they- That's- that's who ended up getting my business was, uh, Duke University. And they helped me co-manage my- my- my issues. Um, 

Rich Bennett 9:11
they- right. 

Jim Ebert 9:12
so I don't know how I am here. I'm not sure why I'm here. But I- it- it- it- that- perfect scenario. But my- before I go too much further, anyone who's sick, get as many opinions as you can. As you can- 

Rich Bennett 9:24
Yes. 

Jim Ebert 9:25
Please, please, just don't say- I love my doctor. He's- my doctor will never guide me wrong. No, he wouldn't, but he may not know that there's this or this or this, you know. So just- just- be open-minded and get as many opinions as you can. Uh, but back to the topic. I was driving back from, uh, a yearly scan from Duke 

Rich Bennett 9:48
Mm-hmm. 

Jim Ebert 9:49
and, um, I was thinking I have to get back, you It looks like I'm going to survive this. I have to get back. And, um, But I thought- well, the only thing I really can do is produce music, you know, that's- 

Rich Bennett 10:02
yeah. 

Jim Ebert 10:02
that's my heart, and I just decided that, well, then let's- let's try this. Let's get people to sick with cancer, and, uh, and record them. And I met with a friend who had a charity. He said, "Just do it." You know, all the other stuff will come. And it did! I was very fortunate, you know. I had a partner at the time, Bruce Parker, and uh, he filed for our 501c3 filing, and we got it very quick, excuse me, we got it very quickly. And, uh, 

Now, we're at 70 artists. So 

Rich Bennett 10:40
70. 

Jim Ebert 10:40
we-- 70, yeah. And that was--that was 10 years--over 10 years ago, that we started. 

Rich Bennett 10:49
Wow! I didn't realize who was that many. 

Jim Ebert 10:52
Yeah, yeah. So we're--and we just--it's been a slow climb, but, I mean, we really bootstrapped it. We would go around and do these shows where we would, you know, just pick everyone's pockets. We would--not, not literally. But, I mean, we would--yeah. We'd show up and we'd have a bucket and go, "You know, can you donate to Cancer Camaroque, you know?" And, um, that's how we funded all of this, you know what I mean. So we--we did that for years. We'd have little fundraiser at other places. And I feel like in the last couple years, we're--we're lifting up. We have now roof--do you know the roof--root for swingriders? 

Rich Bennett 11:28
Yeah. Is that, um, when it did Dead Skunk in the middle of the Rouge, that is-- 

Jim Ebert 11:33
His dad. 

Rich Bennett 11:34
His dad. Oh, his dad. Okay. 

Jim Ebert 11:36
Okay. That was his dad, Loud and Wayne Wright. So he roofed his way in right and his sister, Martha, had a charity, and they've teamed up with us. So they're a fairly worldwide and known. So they've joined with us, and they're helping us fund Cancer Camaroque, because they-- We weren't our--our president ran into them somehow met-- met up with them, and they said, "Well, this is what we're doing." And they said, "Well, we're doing it. But we've already done it 50 times." You know what I mean? And they were done--they had done it once. And I said, "Why--why don't we just do it for you, you know?" So, you know, that started. Um, yeah, so it's--it's crazy. It's been a lot--a good--a good couple of years for us, and we're--we're looking to--to grow up, so to speak. So, this--actually, this month will be the first time that we use it outside producer to produce us off. So we have a producer in New York that's doing the track for someone who's sick in New York. And we'll be doing more of that, you know? I can't go everywhere all the time. [LAUGHS] 

Rich Bennett 12:40
Yeah, okay, when you send 70 artists, I mean, you mean 70 artists diagnosed with cancer? 

Jim Ebert 12:45
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 12:47
God, wow. 

Jim Ebert 12:49
There's no shortage, my friend. 

Rich Bennett 12:51
Oh, I know, 

Jim Ebert 12:52
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 12:53
and I'm going to go back a minute because--I mean, recently, I just had two friends of mine, um, diagnosed with brain cancer. 

Jim Ebert 13:02
Uh-- 

Rich Bennett 13:03
And--and the one has no idea how it came about. What--what was it with you, if you know mommy asks, and um, we're like--getting headaches or whatever, 

Jim Ebert 13:12
No, 

Rich Bennett 13:12
wha-- 

Jim Ebert 13:12
they were called that presented. How did you present, Jim? How did you present? That's the term. So I had facial numb. I had facial numbness. I'm on the left side of my face, and I just thought I had a pinched nerve. And, uh, my friend said to me, he goes, "No, no, look at that. It might be serious." [LAUGHS] So I did, and well, damn it was. Um, 

Rich Bennett 13:35
wow. 

Jim Ebert 13:35
You know, it was like expecting to say, "You know, you need to take these muscle relaxers," and they said, "You've got a mass in your head, and I didn't know what a mass was. I thought I said, "I 

Rich Bennett 13:44
"Right." 

Jim Ebert 13:44
don't go to church," but, uh-- Anyway, the, uh, it all started there, and uh, that first couple of years was just, uh, a nightmare, you know, just trying to find anything that could save me. And, you know, the internet is a very dangerous place, 

Rich Bennett 14:07
you're-- Yes, 

Jim Ebert 14:08
because 

Rich Bennett 14:08
it is. 

Jim Ebert 14:09
You're--you're looking for answers, and there's a lot of bad news out there, so you gotta really be careful. 

Rich Bennett 14:16
So, how many different doctors did you actually go to? 'Cause 

Jim Ebert 14:19
five. 

Rich Bennett 14:20
The fact-- 

Jim Ebert 14:21
doctors? 

Rich Bennett 14:21
five different 

Jim Ebert 14:21
Five. Five. And my fourth opinion was at Johns Hopkins, and they gave me a year to live. Um-- And that was a drag, because after three opinions that were average, you know, you have maybe seven, the years, maybe twenty years. 

Rich Bennett 14:39
Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 14:39
And, uh, okay, I can listen to all that, and then my-- what I thought was gonna be the silver bullet was Hopkins, and they were like, "You know, you have a year to live. Get your things in order." And I just sort of said, "Yeah." Next opinion, you know what I mean? And we got-- we got what it took to do. They just said, "Well, we don't-- there's not enough knowledge behind what you have." So, uh, we're gonna manage it with you, and we'll make decisions together, and that's what they did, and that's what we did. So, it worked out in this case, but what I have is-- is an odd thing for adults to have. It's-- it's called a brainstem guioma, and, uh, they-- they're just-- there are children typically get them, and babies infants usually get them. Uh, so, there's just not enough data of tons of adults that have this. Uh, 

Rich Bennett 15:30
right. 

You're listening to the conversations with Rich Bennett. We'll be right back. 

(upbeat music) Let's take a little break here. I want to talk about one of my sponsors, Maryland Pickers. Maryland Pickers is a local junk removal service, and they also have dumpster rentals as well. I actually called Jeremy when we were doing our spring clean this year, and he brought the dumpster out. And quick to answer the phone, came out the day he said he was going to pick it up, answered all my questions, everything was fine, phenomenal, very professional to work. So if you're looking for junk removal service, if you're looking to rent a dumpster, contact Maryland Pickers. Go to MarylandPickers.com or give them a call at 443-206-1859. Again, it's 443-206-1859. Tell them that rich from Harf original living sim. Do they have any idea what caused it, how? 

Jim Ebert 16:32
No. 

Rich Bennett 16:33
Wow. 

Jim Ebert 16:34
No. 

Rich Bennett 16:35
That's 

Jim Ebert 16:35
No. 

Rich Bennett 16:36
the scary 

Jim Ebert 16:36
about can't-- It's 

Rich Bennett 16:36
thing 

Jim Ebert 16:37
how I could have had it from childhood. 

Rich Bennett 16:40
Wow. So now here-- 

Jim Ebert 16:42
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 16:43
You're helping all these artists record these songs that have cancer, which to me is amazing. Is there-- I love to feel good stories. You are feel good story because you've proved Hopkins wrong. I mean, 

Jim Ebert 16:58
Well, 

Rich Bennett 16:58
25 years, 

Jim Ebert 16:59
yeah. 

Rich Bennett 16:59
and they said a year. 

Jim Ebert 17:00
I remind them once 

Rich Bennett 17:01
in a while. [LAUGHTER] 

Jim Ebert 17:02
I got the wrong-- I 

Rich Bennett 17:03
Good. 

Jim Ebert 17:04
got the wrong doctor the wrong day. That's the best way to put it. I 

Rich Bennett 17:07
Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 17:07
don't have anything to get to Hopkins. I got the wrong doctor the 

Rich Bennett 17:10
We-- 

Jim Ebert 17:10
wrong-- 

Rich Bennett 17:11
and that happens. 

Jim Ebert 17:12
It does happen. 

Rich Bennett 17:13
You know, a lot of people 

Jim Ebert 17:14
So 

Rich Bennett 17:14
don't-- Well, 

Jim Ebert 17:15
why? 

Rich Bennett 17:15
I said, that's why you said it best in the beginning. Always get other opinions. 

Jim Ebert 17:22
I've 

Rich Bennett 17:22
Because-- 

Jim Ebert 17:22
just seen horror stories, man, of-- Surgery that were unnecessary, 

Rich Bennett 17:27
Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 17:28
that got botched or whatever. And you're just like, good God, you know? Anyway. 

Rich Bennett 17:33
All right. So an artist that had-- that you have helped with, cancer came rock. Can you share a feel good story of one of them with us? 

Jim Ebert 17:44
I mean, in the session-- 

Rich Bennett 17:45
Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 17:47
Yeah, absolutely. I've got about 7 AM. 

Rich Bennett 17:51
Oh, I bet you do, 

Jim Ebert 17:53
man. For me, it's always feel-- it's amazing when I'm sitting next to an artist. And they-- because that's what happens. A lot of sitting next to me on the couch, 

Rich Bennett 18:03
Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 18:03
near the end of the day. And then we've had several of them said, this is the best day of my life. Or this is one of the best days of my life. And that's heavy to me. 

Rich Bennett 18:15
Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 18:15
That's very, very heavy. I know they're going through some gruesome stuff. A lot of them-- you know, some gruesome, some medium, some heavy, some mild. 

But when I hear that, I'm just like, oh, man, it's beautiful, and it's heavy. 

Rich Bennett 18:33
Yeah. And with you going through it, and you watching these other musicians going through it-- 

70, which is-- to me, that's still a hard number, too. 

even picture-- although you think about it, we all know probably hundreds of people that have gone through some 

Jim Ebert 18:55
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 18:55
type of 

Jim Ebert 18:56
Just 

Rich Bennett 18:56
cancer. But has it changed how you actually see music? 

Jim Ebert 19:03
That's a question I've never been asked. No. 

Rich Bennett 19:06
No. OK. 

Jim Ebert 19:07
I think music has always been therapeutic. 

Rich Bennett 19:11
Oh, absolutely. 

Jim Ebert 19:13
And as someone who used to write more than I right now, I remember how therapeutic it was writing, and what outlet that was. 

So no, I think it's always just been therapeutic. And it doesn't matter if music is good or bad because that's an opinion. 

Rich Bennett 19:33
Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 19:35
Everyone. There's someone who loves your music somewhere. 

Rich Bennett 19:43
Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 19:43
That's-- 

is-- 

Rich Bennett 19:46
music 

Jim Ebert 19:46
you know. 

Rich Bennett 19:46
I mean, because I remember growing up there, there were songs and bands I could not stand. And I listened 

Jim Ebert 19:55
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 19:55
to them today. I'm like, my god, I was missing a lie. 

Jim Ebert 19:59
Yes, you were. Yes, I understand that completely. 

Rich Bennett 20:01
It grows on you. 

Jim Ebert 20:02
I can play with 

Rich Bennett 20:03
you. 

Jim Ebert 20:04
Yeah, no. And the same age. So classic rock will probably be the same thing. 

Rich Bennett 20:10
we're 

Jim Ebert 20:12
But I still love old music. I like a lot of new music too, but I love old 

Rich Bennett 20:16
Oh, 

Jim Ebert 20:16
music. 

Rich Bennett 20:17
yeah. 

Jim Ebert 20:17
It's the sound of it. This isn't amazing. 

Rich Bennett 20:20
Oh, yeah. 

Jim Ebert 20:21
And when I was a kid, even as a kid in my band at 16, listening to an ELO record through a set of headphones, I got to go, I got to figure out how to do that. How did they do that? How did they do that? And now here we are. I'm 62, and I know how to do it. I 

Rich Bennett 20:40
think you know what that is, one group. I went in mind seeing it get back together, and just-- 

Jim Ebert 20:45
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 20:57
Oh yeah, 

Jim Ebert 20:57
so good, but I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I might make a jealous right here. I saw the ELO tour with a spaceship when I was a teenager. 

Rich Bennett 21:05
Really? 

Jim Ebert 21:05
When the tape, the spaceship lifted the top lifted off? 

Rich Bennett 21:08
Yes! 

Jim Ebert 21:09
Um, 

was so fun, so good, laser shooting everywhere, uh, it was crazy. 

Rich Bennett 21:15
Oh! And, yeah. They don't, 

Jim Ebert 21:18
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 21:19
they don't do, they don't do stage sets like that anymore, it seems. 

Jim Ebert 21:24
No, I'm not gonna sound like a grumpy old man. They, uh, but, I guess I am of about to, but it seems to be more choreography 

Rich Bennett 21:33
yes. 

Jim Ebert 21:33
than music a lot of times. And I'm not huge on that, but I get it, I get it, but I'm just not huge on it. 

Rich Bennett 21:39
Yeah, I, I think the last good stage, stage show I saw with the concert, well, not in that car, there had to be T. S. I transcend me, reunion orchestra. I still put on a hell hell of a concert. You can't beat the light 

Jim Ebert 21:56
Right. 

Rich Bennett 21:57
show. You can't beat it. 

Jim Ebert 21:58
Right. I'll throw that 

Rich Bennett 21:59
with cancer can rock. How is it that the community can get involved? 

Jim Ebert 22:07
Well, we can go to cancer can rock dot org. There's, I believe there's a volunteer page and there's a doughnut, even more important, there's a donate page, which is the big one. That's still the, the hardest thing about our charity. We have already, we have 10 or 11 people on the books right now and it's just paying for it because studios cost money, musicians cost money. Hotels, air, fair, everything else we do for the artist, we pay for everything. So if they're flying to California, if they're flying to California, if I'm flying with them, I mean, we pay for everything. So, don't cost the artist anything to come to cancer can rock. 

Rich Bennett 22:50
And people can also shop from there, right. You have like merchandise, people can purchase. 

Jim Ebert 22:55
Yeah, we have merchandise shirts and all kinds of stuff on there cops, all of it. 

Rich Bennett 23:01
And and the thing is because I'm looking at even your corporate sponsorships. Especially those of 

Jim Ebert 23:07
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 23:07
you that own a business listening for as little as two hundred, 

Jim Ebert 23:11
yeah 

Rich Bennett 23:12
month. I mean, you, 

Jim Ebert 23:15
yeah. 

Rich Bennett 23:15
You're helping, I mean, and granted, I mean, we talked to a lot of people in recovery, and you get a lot of people supporting that as well, but something like this cancer can rock. Oh, my God, all your businesses out there. This is definitely 

Jim Ebert 23:32
We're 

Rich Bennett 23:32
for. 

Jim Ebert 23:32
starting, we're going to, I'm going to be probably starting this year as sponsor an artist program. 

Rich Bennett 23:37
Oh, 

Jim Ebert 23:38
they actually sponsor the recording of the artist. S I'll be doing that. And that'll be on the website as well. 

Rich Bennett 23:43
That's a great idea. 

Jim Ebert 23:46
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 23:47
That's a great 

Jim Ebert 23:47
I 

Rich Bennett 23:47
idea. 

Jim Ebert 23:47
want to tell you one thing we do. One thing we do, we have a fundraiser every year or this will be our sixth year, at eight, six, eight estate vineyards in Perseville, Virginia. And we have it's a winery. 

Rich Bennett 24:00
Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 24:01
And we have, it's a great show. We just have my God. The town we have is amazing. We have we have Deanna Bovar. We have the nineteen three band, we have Eric Scott. We have, I mean, there's 11 artists this year. And they're all, I mean, you'd paid the admission to go see one of 

Rich Bennett 24:19
them. Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 24:20
You know. 

Rich Bennett 24:21
That's 

Jim Ebert 24:21
that's on May 24th. 

Rich Bennett 24:24
Any other big events that you guys do every year? 

Jim Ebert 24:28
Well, we're going to do another roofless winwright show at the next Christmas last Christmas. We did one at Sabin Theatre in Los Angeles. 

Rich Bennett 24:36
Nice. 

Jim Ebert 24:36
And there's a couple thousand people there. And it was beautiful. A lot of fun, a lot of celebrities and. I was hobnobbing. It was very, it was a lot of fun. A lot of fun. So we put this year, it'll be in New York. And I believe it'll be in New York. And going to, we're going to figure out how to wait a way to put on a fall show. That's 

Rich Bennett 24:57
we're 

Jim Ebert 24:57
our next move. 

Rich Bennett 24:59
So with a musician that is coming to record something, what's a typical experience look like for them as an artist for an artist? 

Jim Ebert 25:11
I mean the process. 

Yeah, well they apply and then usually our director will get up with them. They'll make the introduction to me. I'll listen to the rough mix can be on their phone. It could be the rehearsal. It could be a live performance. And if we decide on the song, you know, they ask me if I want to be changes or not. Because we can do all this now via internet. So it's easy, you know. So I will go through it like that. I don't usually cancel rock, I don't change things too much. 

Rich Bennett 25:46
Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 25:46
I want them, I want them to have a good day about it. I don't want to test their boundaries of their tolerance of musicality or anything like that. I want them to have a great day. 

Rich Bennett 25:56
Right. 

Jim Ebert 25:57
And the one thing that I'm gonna say, uh, there' s no, there's no egos. There's a lot of egos when you're in bands and things like that. You, you come into my studio or out the studio I work out here in Falls Church and, No one has an ego. Everyone I have is that their, their playing is top notch. 

Rich Bennett 26:18
yeah. 

Jim Ebert 26:18
I have top notch players, but the egos are gone. So, any artist can say to me, I don't like that. And that's fine. And that that's absolutely fine. Uhm, and I just want it to be a carefree, like I said, when, if they can say, this is one of the best days of my life, that's exactly what I want. 

Rich Bennett 26:41
Nice. So they come in, they record it. And I guess, well, nowadays, I mean, it ain't like when we were growing up, you know, everything was pressed to vinyl. Uhm, 

Jim Ebert 26:52
well, 

Rich Bennett 26:54
go ahead. 

Jim Ebert 26:56
My recording chain is very analog. 

Rich Bennett 26:59
OK. Oh, 

Jim Ebert 27:00
So, 

Rich Bennett 27:00
nice. 

Jim Ebert 27:02
yeah, yeah. So I get them. I don't go to take because I'm not that much of a massacres. But uh, the front end is all vintage gear. So very expensive. It's, you're not going to get this at home. You know, you've just not, you know, Nothing wrong home studios. I mix it home. 

Rich Bennett 27:19
rig. 

Jim Ebert 27:19
You know. I don't have to have a 20 foot console in my room anymore, you know, to mix my records. 

Rich Bennett 27:26
So when an artist records it, it is pressed to vinyl. Is that the right term? 

Jim Ebert 27:30
We haven't done finally yet. 

Rich Bennett 27:32
OK. 

Jim Ebert 27:32
No, no, no, it goes out. It goes out into the internet world. 

Rich Bennett 27:36
OK. 

Jim Ebert 27:36
But all the recording, my process of recording it, I should say, is, uh, the front end is what you call the microphones, 

Rich Bennett 27:45
Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 27:46
the microphone amplifiers and equalize and all that. It's all vintage front end esoteric class a class A, B and it sounds, it sounds great. That's what I grew up with. 

Rich Bennett 27:58
Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 27:59
So I was fortunate enough to have. So. 

Rich Bennett 28:02
All right. So if that 12 year old kid with that microphone, you could see you now, not just, not just producing platinum records, but helping people leave behind musical legacies, which is freaking awesome. What do you think he'd say? 

Jim Ebert 28:22
What are you doing? 

That's what I think he'd say. 

Rich Bennett 28:31
Yeah. Well, you're changing the world. That's what you're doing. 

Jim Ebert 28:34
Well, I'm trying to help. 

Rich Bennett 28:36
Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 28:36
You know, we get to an age we want to help. You know, you have your you have your good news. You know. The podcast and that's trying to help. 

Rich Bennett 28:48
Oh, 

Jim Ebert 28:48
you know, I just, I get old. You want to help when I was 30. I wanted to help myself. You know. And anyway, 

Rich Bennett 28:57
then here you are. You know, you're kicking ass, hoping other people. I love it. So before I actually get to 

Jim Ebert 29:04
well, 

Rich Bennett 29:04
my last question, is there anything you would like to add? 

Jim Ebert 29:09
Well, I just wanted to get them with the May 24th event out there because I, we had 800 last year. I really like to see about a thousand or 1200 this year. And if you go on to I'll have that show up on the website here soon. Just look at the performers. There's someone in there you're going to love, you So the 19th spring three pandas out your way Eric Scott's out your way. Um Danabogarts

Rich Bennett 29:37
everybody. Make sure you go to cancer can rock dot org. Make sure and those of you that. 

Jim Ebert 29:44
Yep. 

Rich Bennett 29:44
Well, no, anybody make make up their nation. Become a sponsor. Purchase some merchandise. Help out. And if you know anybody that or yourself or an artist and you know somebody that even has cancer, go to the website and, you know, fill out the application. Alright 

Jim Ebert 30:04
Rich, I'm going to say I'm going to say one thing. You don't even have to be an artist like a pro artist 

Rich Bennett 30:10
Right. 

Jim Ebert 30:10
at all. The first artists we use just had a song in their head, you know, took it out, put music to it have to sing it from the heart. And that was it. So if you got a song ring around your head and you can sing it, that's important. 

Rich Bennett 30:24
Yeah. 

Jim Ebert 30:25
Um, then come on in. 

Rich Bennett 30:28
Well, I was going 

Jim Ebert 30:29
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 30:29
to say if I forget the artist's name, I think he was on American Idol briefly. And 

Jim Ebert 30:35
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 30:35
when I say briefly, like for the auditions, we cannot carry a note, but I think he even put out a record and people bought it. So. 

Jim Ebert 30:43
William home. 

Rich Bennett 30:43
Yes, that's him. That's him. So. And look, even if what's the other guy's name. If William Shanner could put out in a record. Then I mean, everybody's got to voice in them somehow 

Jim Ebert 30:58
or another. Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 30:58
And I do believe that Jim will pull it out of you. Somehow. 

Jim Ebert 31:01
yeah. 

Rich Bennett 31:03
Alright, so Jim, I need you to pick a number between one and five. 

Jim Ebert 31:09
Three. 

Rich Bennett 31:10
Three. Alright, now pick a number between forty one and sixty. 

Jim Ebert 31:16
53. 

Rich Bennett 31:18
53. This always determines the last question. Somehow another, a lot of times. It, uhm, aligns with what we've been talking about. 

This 

Jim Ebert 31:29
this. Okay. 

Rich Bennett 31:29
is actually, ehm, 

Jim Ebert 31:30
What are you doing to me? 

Rich Bennett 31:31
Three, no, this is good. What is 

Jim Ebert 31:34
something? You look doubtful. 

Rich Bennett 31:37
No, it kind of aligns, 

Jim Ebert 31:38
alright. 

Rich Bennett 31:39
I mean. It does. What is something you're grateful for that you often take for granted? 

Jim Ebert 31:47
Life. 

Life. Take it for granted. I, uh, you know, been, been lucky enough to get these extra years. Watch my son grow up. My son got married. 

Rich Bennett 32:00
Mmm. 

Jim Ebert 32:00
Um, all of it. Get to see all of that. That I didn't think I was gonna get to see. And I, I don't get up every day and jump out of bed and go, ah, I'm so glad to be here and I should. But I don't. You know, can only do so much that for me. 

Rich Bennett 32:17
I had a feeling that was going to be your answer once I saw 

Jim Ebert 32:19
question. 

Rich Bennett 32:19
that Jim, I want to thank you so much. I been an honor and I got to say, Mark Bandy, 

Jim Ebert 32:25
Wow. 

Rich Bennett 32:25
thank you for recommending you that I get you more. 

Jim Ebert 32:29
Yeah. I love Mark. 

Rich Bennett 32:30
Conversations like this are the ones that really stay with you. Jim's story isn't just about music, it's about perspective. It's about what really matters when everything else gets stripped away. A 25-year brain cancer survivor, proving doctors wrong, and then turning around and using his gift, not for himself, but to help others leave something behind that last forever. And I think that's what hit me the most in this conversation. These aren't just songs, they're memories, they're messages, they're pieces of someone's life that their family will always have. And when you hear Jim talk about art as saying, this was one of the best days of my life, that tells you everything you need to know about what cancer can rock is really doing. It's given people a moment of joy in the middle of something incredibly hard. So if this conversation moved you even a little bit and I have a feeling it did, take a minute and check them out. Go to cancercanrock. org. Make a donation. Become a sponsor, buy some merch, or even just share their mission with someone else. Because what they're doing, it matters. And Jim, thank you. And not just for coming on the show, but for using your life, your experience and your talent to help others in such a meaningful way. And to all of you listening, don't wait. Don't wait to say what you need to say. Don't wait to do what you love. And don't take today for granted. Because like Jim said, life is the thing we're most grateful for. And the thing we forget to appreciate the most. Thanks for listening. If this episode meant something to you, share it, leave a review, or reach out. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Until next time, take care of yourselves, take care of each other, and keep the conversation going.