Noted . Notable . Noteworthy . LGBT News & Views
Volume 23 . Number 13 November I . 2008 Printed on Recycled Paper FREE
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Duo will sing to *Stop The Hate* at Nov, 7 concert in Charlotte
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— q-notes.com
by David Stout. Q-Notes staff
‘We really try to be patient because we know we’re lucky to have each other,’ deMarco (foreground) says
thoughtfully.
Photo Credit; Van Der Kolk Photography
House arrest
Gay DJ
breaks probation
page I I
Season’s
coming
Holiday entertaining
tips and travel
page 28
3 Great Smoky Mountains are a world away from the Great Plains,
but the prairie is nonetheless on the minds of popular vocal duo
j Jason & deMarco while they grab a few days rest in Gatlinburg, Tenn.
The reason is because the musical and life partners have agreed to
headhne a benefit concert in Charlotte to mark the 10th anniversary of the
death of anti-gay hate crime victim Matthew Shepard. On Oct. 6,1997, the
University of Wyoming student was brutally beaten and left tied to a fence
to die in the lonely expanse of Laramie’s great wide open.
Jason Warner and deMarco DeCiccio live in Houston and Los Angeles.
They are in Gatlinburg to visit Jason’s retired parents and the getaway has
come at an opportune time. Their new album, “Safe,” has just been released
on the men’s own RJN Music label (mega music retailer Best Buy has
picked it up) and in the previous two and a half weeks they’ve performed
in six cities spanning from Hawaii to Ohio.
Jason & deMarco’s fame has grown substantially over the last year
thanks to a multi-format hit song and an absorbing documentary that
examines their music, home life and Christian spirituality.
The romantic clip for “This Is Love” was named 2007’s “Music Video of
the Year” by LOGO. DJ Scotty K.’s thumping remix became a surprise
Abercrombie & Fitch in-store favorite. After making the film festival
rounds, the documentary “We’re All Angels” debuted on Showtime in June
and was issued on DVD last month. In September, the duo was covered by
America’s pop-culture bible,Peop/e magazine.
On Nov. 7, Jason & deMarco are slated to top the bill for the “Stop The
Hate” memorial concert at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
(The following evening at 7 p.m., they are in Raleigh for a free concert
sponsored by St. John’s MCC. The next morning they perform again during
the church’s regular Sunday worship service. See “Out & About” in this issue
for details.)
Joining Jason & deMarco at “Stop The Hate” will be singer-songwriter
Randi Driscoll and the Queen City’s LGBT chorus. One Voice.
Driscoll’s work has been featured on her own albums, in commercials
and documentaries and even on the hit TV show “Dawson’s Creek,” but her
finest career accomplishment might be “What Matters,” the song she wrote
and recorded in response to Matthew Shepard’s death. The track has
become the official benefit single for the Matthew Shepard Foundation.
The Foundation and Campus Pride, a national group working to create
a safer campus environment for college students, are the beneficiaries of
the “Stop The Hate” concert.
Q-Notes spoke with Jason & deMarco by telephone while they were in
Gatlinburg.
What does it mean to you to be a part of this memorial
concert?
deMarco: This is a big part of what we do. Jason and I feel that not only do
we have a career, we have a responsibility to help change the world in what
ever way we can with our music and message. Just like Judy Shepard and
Campus Pride are doing, we want to make a positive impact. We want to
bring a message of unconditional love, replacing hate with unconditional
acceptance.
Jason: On the anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death, it’s amazing to think
see Duo on 12
Failing grade
Carolinas politicians
ranked by HRC
page 14