Nov. 20, 2010

One of Friendship Trays' friends knew that the rock band Phish was planning a July appearance in Charlotte. They also knew that the band has a tradition of donating a portion of proceeds from each concert to a nonprofit serving the area where each concert is held.

And so it came about that, this week, the Phish band's Waterwheel Foundation send a check for $4,222.82 to support the work of Charlotte-Mecklenburg's meals-on-wheels program.

Young Friendship Trays volunteers were at the concert and set up an information table alongside the band's merchandise tables.

Phish may not be a household name to a lot of Friendship Trays recipients – or even most of its volunteers. It doesn't advertise. But in more than 20 years, the band has managed, in the modest words of the band's Facebook page, to become  "one of the most significant live music phenomena of all time."

 By clicking the arrow, listen  in to "Twenty Years Later," a tune that was played during the second half of the July 2 Charlotte concert. This version of the tune, which is part of a free download of the band's "Live Bait Vol. 02" album, was recorded at the band's Aug. 7 gig at the Greek Theatre at the University of California at Berkeley.

Our thanks to Phish, and their fans who patronized the July concert in Charlotte.

The donation will cover the cost of delivering nutritious meals to four people for about a year.

That's something worth singing about.