Joey’s Song is a Wisconsin-based nonprofit that raises money for epilepsy research and programs in honor of four-year-old Joey Gomoll, who passed one week shy of his fifth birthday from a rare form of the disease called Dravet Syndrome.

Since it began in 2010, Joey’s Song has raised awareness of – and $1.3 million to fight – epilepsy thanks to dozens of musician volunteers, including three Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, who have notched a combined 105 top 40 singles and 84 top 40 albums, earned 12 Grammy Awards and sold nearly $242 million worth of albums.

Who was Joey?

Joey's Song was set up as a tribute to honor Joseph Martin Gomoll who died unexpectedly on March 30, 2010 just shy of his fifth birthday. Joey was afflicted with Dravet’s Syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy, his entire life. Joey, who was born in Guatemala and adopted by a Sun Prairie, Wisconsin family, had a love for music and it was a big part of his life. The concert and CD series are a perfect way to remember him as he could often be seen laughing, smiling, singing or dancing to music. Because of Joey's love for music, the foundation uses music as its primary fundraising vehicle.

Concert series

Each year, Joey’s Song hosts a benefit concert in Madison, Wisconsin that features multi-platinum recording artist and three-time Grammy winner Butch Vig and his band, The Know-It-All Boyfriends, which serves as a house band to a steady stream of musical stars. The first concert was held in January 2011 at a Chicago-area sports bar. Concerts have grown and sold out every year since 2014. In 2025, the concert will become the centerpiece of a week-long series of performances and related events. Joey’s Song hopes to expand its reach in the future with concerts across the country in music cities such as Los Angeles, Nashville, Austin and New York. CD series In 2011 and 2012, The Joseph Gomoll Foundation released a series of four CDs called Joey’s Song. All money raised is directly benefiting children with special needs and those suffering from seizures. The CDs feature donated rare and unreleased songs from major recording acts from around the world. There is a companion series of CDs of children’s music as well, most recorded specifically for Joey’s Song.

Joey's Song: Volume 1 track listing "Hang On Mike" (live) – Mike Viola * "If Your Tears Don’t Make a Sound" (demo) – Justin Currie of Del Amitri * "In Love With You" – Tim Easton * "The Difference" - Thea Gilmore * "The Sweetest Sound of All" - Ed Harcourt * "People Got A lot of Nerve" – Neko Case "Mmmm, Mmmm, Mmmm" (live) - Crash Test Dummies "Streets Of Laredo" – Slaid Cleaves "This Street, This Man, This Life" (acoustic) - Cowboy Junkies* "Wash & Fold" (live) - DADDY - featuring Will Kimbrough and Tommy Womack* "All Thumbs" (demo) – Tracy Bonham * "I Believe In You" – Robbie Fulks * "14th Street and Mars" (alternate version) - Michelle Malone * "Seven Angels" - HEM * "Carry Your Cross" (demo) -- Michael McDermott * "Still I Dream"- AA Bondy * = previously unreleased.

Joey's Song for Kids: Volume 1 - Track listing "Monkeys" - Steve Wynn * "Oh Johnny LeBeck" - Eileen Rose and The Legendary Rich Gilbert * "Baby Clap" - Greg Percy * "The Wheels on the Bus" (live) - Lowen & Navarro * "Little Blue Horses" - The Sleepytones "Say, Say, Oh Playmate" - April Smith and The Great Picture Show * "Hippopotamus" - Jon Dee Graham "Pickle Me Juice" - Ralph Covert * "Mr. Teetot" - Ellis Paul * "Working On The Railroad" - The Band Of Blacky Ranchette (aka Howe Gelb) * "Upside Down Town" - Greg Trooper * "Dan Blocker" - Gurf Morlix "And It's Beautiful" - Crash Test Dummies "You Are My Sunshine" - Matthew Ryan * "Sam's Lullaby" - Phil Lee * = previously unreleased.

Joey's Song: Volume 2 track listing "Lying (Long-Play Version)" - Sam Phillips "No Surprise" - Willie Wisely Trio * "No Water, No Wood" - Mark Olson "Seven Year Ache (Live from Zone C)" - Rosanne Cash * "New Orleans" - Peter Bradley Adams * "Loud Boy" - The Small Ponds * "In The Canyon (live)" - Gary Louris * "Once (live)" - Mark Erelli * "Love" - Star & Micey * "Jesse Likes Birds" - Carrie Elkin "Far Too Far" - Trespassers William "Carefree" - Holly Beth Vincent * "Love Knows No Borders" - Giant Sand "Under The Waves (live studio recording)" - Pete Drige * "Hastings-On-Hudson (Summer 2000)" - Mark Kozelek * = previously unreleased.

Joey's Song for Kids: Volume 2 - Track listing "The Spinning Song" - The Knack "There's A Hole In The bottom Of The Sea" - The Weirdo Deluxe * "Wiggly Wah" - Martha Davis * "La La Love" - Robbie Schaefer "Return To Pooh Corner" - Bryan Cole * "Sparky The Heroic Dog" - Freedy Johnston * "Not Afraid of Nothin'" - Joe Bainbridge * "Snowball" - The Handsome Family "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" - The Baseball Project * "The Cat Went In The Hole" - The Sursiks "B-I-N-G-O" - Robbins & Glazer * "Little Red Wagon" - Wynn Taylor * "Pick Yourself Up" - The Yell Leaders * "Candy Garden" - The Bazillions * "Bye Bye Day" - Eddie Kilgallon * "Child Asleep" - Sam Llanas * = previously unreleased. Impact and donations More than 100 artists have contributed original and rare musical content to the Joey’s Song series of compilation CDs and dozens more have performed at the annual concert.

A majority of money raised funds The Joseph Gomoll Research Grant which is administered on our behalf by CURE. The foundation also bestows other grants throughout the year. More than 85 percent of funding from Joey’s Song goes to Wisconsin organizations like Carvil Research Lab, Epilepsy Foundation, Wisconsin Badger Camp and Gio’s Garden. Joey’s Song also helps The Backyard School and Orphans Resource International.

Just over 90 percent of the funds raised benefit epilepsy-related organizations, 5 percent has gone toward pediatric-related donations, 1 percent to donations related to Guatemala and 2 percent to other organizations. Expenses are about 5 percent of total revenue. Joey’s Song is a 100 percent volunteer-run organization with no paid employees or board members. Mrgomoll (talk) 00:45, 28 August 2024 (UTC) [1]

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References

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  1. ^ "PHOTOS: Joey's Song raises voices and funds to fight epilepsy". 10 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Big-name rockers unite in Joey's Song battle against epilepsy". 13 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Joey's Song". 18 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Joey's Song raises $1M in the fight against epilepsy". 15 February 2024.
  5. ^ "Joey's Song benefits epilepsy research". 7 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Joey's Song benefit takes the stage against epilepsy". 10 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Joey's Song benefit takes the stage against epilepsy". 10 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Joey's Song benefit concert returns to the Sylvee". 14 December 2023.
  9. ^ "Madison nonprofit Joey's Song to host annual battle of the bands at the Sylvee". 11 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Joey's Song Benefit Concert: Fighting Epilepsy with Music".
  11. ^ "NEWS: Joey's Song Fundraiser and del Amitri • Americana Highways". May 2019.
  12. ^ "Joey's Song Benefit Concert for Epilepsy". 6 January 2023.
  13. ^ "Sun Prairie's Mike Gomoll readies ninth Joey's Song benefit". 4 August 2021.
  14. ^ "'Joey's Song' goes bigger, bolder to fight epilepsy in 2022". 2 January 2022.
  15. ^ "Joey's Song raises money for epilepsy research with the goal to 'help the next family'". 3 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Music with a Purpose: Joey's Song, Volume 2".
  17. ^ "The Popdose Interview: Michael Gomoll of Joey's Song". 8 February 2011.
  18. ^ "Nonprofit Joey's Song beats $1M donation mark after latest benefit concert". 15 February 2024.
  19. ^ "VIDEO PODCAST: Interview with Michael Gomoll, Founder of the Joey's Song Benefit Concert".
  20. ^ "Episode 142 - Joey's Song by the Cripescast Podcast".