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Honoring Chuch Magee: Original member of nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute, 30 year Rolling Stones crew chief

Honoring the late Chuch Magee: Founding member of the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute and for nearly 30 years the road manager/crew chief for the legendary Rolling Stones

Scroll down to read more about Chuch Magee.

Second of several videos on a free benefit concert held in Feb. 2009 to support the environment projects and other initiatives of the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute in Marquette, Michigan

(Marquette, Michigan) - About 100 people listened to folk songs and rousing harmonica music and drank hot apple cider at a free benefit concert in Marquette Monday night (Feb. 23, 2009) to help raise money for the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute and its many environment and other projects.

National harmonica champion "Hurricane" David McChesney of Joshua Tree, California and folk singer Michael Waite of Marquette County performed in candlelight for two hours at the "Songs of the Earth" at Messiah Lutheran Church in Marquette, Michigan.

Twice named one of the 15 hardest working non-profits in America by World Magazine, the Cedar Tree Institute (CTI) was founded in 2004.

"To show respect and honor the environment we lit 100 votive candles during the concert," said Rev. Jon Magnuson, the co-founder of the Earth Keeper Initiative and CTI director.

Interfaith graphics by Justice St. Rain (Bahá'í Community) of Interfaith Resources - Special Ideas website (See links below)

Best-known for its interfaith and youth-related environmental projects, the CTI founded the Great Lakes Earth Healing Initiative, the Zaagkii Wings and Seeds Project involving teens and Native American youth protecting pollinators and the Manoomin Project that is restoring wild rice across the central U.P.

Other CTI efforts include the Janus Project for hospice workers.

A songwriter from Joshua Tree, California, David McChesney has played the harmonica for nearly four decades and performs under the name "Hurricane" David.

An avid wildlife photographer, McChesney recently published the book "Muir Roots: At One with the Wild," a collection of 176 color images and various tales about his adventures in the wilderness including the Galapagos Islands.

The son of a gourmet cook and an English professor from the Milwaukee area, Michael Waite has always lived in the U.P.

Waite, who plays guitar, and two friends recorded the 2007 album "Let it Go."

Waite played some ballads and original songs about a "stark winter" that were inspired by his home in the forest near Halfway Location between Marquette and Big Bay.

Both performers said they are pleased to help raise funds for the CTI because of its dedication to protecting the environment.

"Taking care of the earth and what's around us is part of living on the Earth," Waite said. "What ever you do you should include that as part of your work."

McChesney, who lives near the Joshua Tree National Park in California, said "everything I have done has been nature and wildlife oriented."

"I have been an environmentalist for years and years,"McChesney said. "My home is a wildlife sanctuary with 95 species of birds, bobcats on the roof, coyotes in the yard and roadrunners looking through the window."

During the concert, Rev. Magnuson thanked Rev. Dave Van Kley, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Marquette, who was just about leave with a mission group headed to Columbia.

Below are links to stories about Royden W. "Chuch" Magee - the longtime (nearly 30 years) crew chief/road manager for the legendary Rolling Stones - including comments about his life, youth and volunteer activities in his beloved Upper Peninsula of Michigan and his funeral on July 31, 2002 at Messiah Lutheran Church in Marquette, Michigan.

Video #2 on the benefit concert for the Cedar Tree Institute is dedicated to the life of Chuch Magee, a man with a big heart and big talent.

Known as "Chuch" by those who loved him, Magee died of a heart attack at age 54 on July 18, 2003 during rehearsals in Toronto.

Chuch was married for eighteen loving years to his wife Clare, an artist and seamstress.

The Rolling Stones paid tribute to "Chuch" Magee on the Forty Licks album that includes a booklet for the two-CD with a "special dedication" to Magee.

The dedication states: "Blessings and love. Gold rings on you, buddy!"

Magee was saluted in a $20 program for the Forty Licks tour that has a photo of Chuch sitting with Stones' guitars and the words: "This man was indeed the 'salt of the earth.'"

Magee joined the Stones' crew in 1972 after working with guitarist Ron Wood in a band called “Faces.” Wood joined the Stones in 1975.

At the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, an exhibition of rhythm guitarist Ron Wood’s artworks includes artefacts that belonged to Chuch.

Like many yoopers, Chuch loved his dogs, the woods, fishing, snowmobiling, four-wheeling and making maple syrup. Born in Utica, Michigan, Chuch was the son of Jack Magee and Harriett Mayo. Chuch spent his youth in Oxford, Michigan.

Chuch Magee was one of the founding members and volunteers of the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute.

Chuch was an active member of Messiah Lutheran Church, serving in a variety of leadership roles and was especially fond of the youth ministry programs.

http://www.the-faces.com/odds/etc/thechuch.htm

http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12056763

http://www.dayoopers.com/fame1.html

http://www.katesmithpromotions.com/artists/johncooper.html

http://www.abc.net.au/dig/stories/s700833.htm

http://www.limelightagency.com/Ronnie-Wood/Press/rollingstonecom.html

http://www.members.tripod.com/~Blue_Lena/news.html

http://www.northernexpress.com/editorial/art.asp?id=182

http://www.timeisonourside.com/chron2002.html

http://www.iorr.org/news0208.htm

http://www.gapersblock.com/detour/the_third_coast_excerpt_2

http://members.tripod.com/~Blue_Lena/2002tour_2.html

http://www.iorr.org/tour02/chuch.htm

http://www.andpop.com/article/1857

http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/card/0,,2848011,00.html

http://jacobsladder.org.uk/chuch_magee.htm

http://www.thefirm.com/firmbio.html

http://www.slideonron.com/guitars.htm

Concert photos by Greg Peterson, CTI volunteer media advisor

Cedar Tree Institute website

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Michael Waite website

906-360-7664

email Michael Waite #1

email Michael Waite #2

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"Hurricane" David Jesse McChesney website

email David McChesney

or call:

Carolynn J. Jean

906-249-9273

email Carolynn J. Jean

Photos by David McChesney

An acclaimed wildlife photographer, David McChesney’s photographs were featured in the exhibit "Miles of Wonder" at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum in Yucca Valley, California.

While in the U.P., McChesney took photos of the 2009 U.P. 200 Dogsled Race and of beautiful snow-covered whitetail deer at Harlow Lake who were braving a record-setting winter.

Hi-Desert Nature Museum Yucca Valley, California

City of Yucca Valley webpage on museum

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Rev. Jon Magnuson, CTI founder

906-228-5494 (hm)

906-360-5072 (cell)

email Rev. Jon Magnuson

Greg Peterson, news reporter and volunteer media advisor for the nonprofit Cdear Tree Institute

906-401-0109

email Greg Peterson

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Interfaith graphics by Justice St. Rain (Bahá'í Community) of Interfaith Resources - Special Ideas website:

Call Justice St. Rain at Interfaith resources

1-800-326-1197

E-mail Justice St. Rain

Interfaith Resources
P.O. Box 9
511 Diamond Rd
Heltonville IN
47436

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Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project: Native American and Marquette area teens protecting pollinators project:

Zaagkii TV on youtube

Zaagkii Project Story Part 1 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project Story Part 2 Indian Country Today newspaper

Zaagkii Project hailed as success by U.S. Forest Service

Zaagkii Project blog on wordpress

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Non-profit Interfaith Earth Healing Initiative: Numerous environment projects across the Great Lakes Basin in cooperation with the EPA, American Indian Tribes and local governments

http://www.EarthHealingInitiative.org

Earth Healing TV on youtube

Earth Healing TV on bliptv

Earth Healing Initiative was part of the first EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge with youtube and bliptv videos.

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Cedar Tree Institute: Founder of Earth Keeper Initiative, Earth Healing Initiative, Manoomin Project and Zaagkii Wings & Seeds Project:

http://www.cedartreeinstitute.org

Earth Keeper TV on youtube has Earth Keeper and Manoomin Project including stories and a Manoomin Project music video and more

Manoomin Project story in Indian Country Today

Manoomin Project Story in World Magazine

Friends of the Cedar Tree Institute:

Turtle Island Project: Respecting the heritage, culture and rights of Native Americans and other Indigenous Peoples and the environment

http://www.TurtleIslandProject.org

Turtle Island TV on blip tv

Turtle Island TV on youtube

Turtle Island Project myspace page

Turtle Island Project blog on wordpress

Turtle Island Project on MSN