Journey’s Neal Schon: Fire Relief Gig, Free EP

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Neal Schon

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Neal Schon, a founding member of Journey and former Santana member, will play an intimate benefit concert for North Bay Fire Relief on Feb. 9 at the Independent in San Francisco. The performance, Neal Schon’s Journey Through Time, will feature original Journey and Santana member Gregg Rolie, as well as Marco Mendoza and former Journey member Deen Castronovo. Tickets for the event are available here.

In addition to the performance, Schon has released his first-ever holiday music, an EP that includes “Ave Maria,” “Can’t Help Falling in Love” and instrumental renditions of Journey hits “Open Arms” and “Faithfully.”

“Ave Maria” is available for free download at schonmusic.com.

Schon founded Journey in 1972 and has been the only consistent member, having participated in every album and tour to date. Schon is a Grammy-nominated guitarist, songwriter and vocalist who is not only the founding member of Journey, but was a member of Santana and has performed with a variety of other acts including Bad English, Jan Hammer, HSAS and has released 10 solo albums including his latest, Vortex.

Journey’s worldwide sales have reached over 100 million records, making them one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time, with a wide selection of chart-topping hits like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Open Arms,” “Lights,” “Faithfully” and “When You Love a Woman,” among others.

When Journey was inducted into the Rock Hall last April, Schon said, ““I had a really great speech written out but I got too choked up. It was very emotional seeing everybody. Steve [Perry], you know, I hadn’t seen him since Bill Graham’s memorial [ in 1991]. Walk of Fame [he refers to Perry’s attendance at the band’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2005] but last time he sang with us was Bill Graham’s memorial. He’s in a really great frame of mind. He’s a changed person and I liked who I saw and it just moved me. It was tremendous to stand on stage with Gregg, Ross, Aysnley, Steve and Jon and Arnel.”