top of page

How We Started

Powell, Killingsworth & Sallings

Mark Sallings


  Blues For A Cause ~ A Helping Hand ~ How it all started

The idea of the benefit-festival stemmed from a long-standing friendship between the late Mark Sallings,  (a highly respected and talented blues musician) his widow Sandra Sallings, and John "Critter" Killingsworth, the beneficiary of the concert proceeds. John AKA Critter and Sandra share a mutual friend: Joe Powell and this is where the inspiration began.

Killingsworth revealed to Sallings that he had contracted lung cancer and had little or no means of paying to treat the disease. Sallings subsequently contacted Powell. She,  Killingworth, and Powell discussed Killingsworth's situation and came up with the idea of a blues benefit concert to help Killingsworth.  Powell is himself, a cancer survivor and Sallings currently has a very close family member facing his own battle.  Killingsworth, when speaking with Sallings about the event, stated:

"If anything positive has come out of this terrible illness, it's folks joining together to create  an event to help others facing devastating  circumstances.   That's really heavy and it touches my heart deeply to be a part of this ~ seeing everyone working together like this, well,  I'm honored."  [John Killingsworth - Cancer Patient]

Blues For A Cause, A Helping Hand was organized with a stated purpose which  is to:

    Help folks pay their medical bills, health related costs or funds to just be able to spend special times with their family when facing cancer & times are really tough, finacally & mentally, with funds raised from Blues Benefits & Music Festivals.

As always we are so looking forward to everyone being able to enjoy some good music, food and lend that helping hand to  someone in need.

On this page  you are hearing a song that was written and performed by Mark Sallings, for John (Critter) Killingsworth, Titled Critter!  The song can also be heard at Hello Memphis, where it has been available for download since 2006!

John unfortunately lost his battle with cancer on November 9th 2011, but thanks to John and his love for the Blues and his sheer determination to make the best of life while he was here, BFAC had the opportunity to evolve and can now continue to help those in similar circumstances!

Please do your part & help support Blues For A Cause so we can continue to help others!

Joe Powell
CEO
Blues For A Cause

bottom of page