He died before his friends could hold a fundraiser. Now Justin Greeley's friends are celebrating his life
CBC
The music community in Newfoundland and Labrador has always been close-knit, and losing one of their own always hits hard — especially so in the case of musician Justin Greeley, who died even as his friends were preparing a benefit concert for him.
Greeley, 39, of Upper Island Cove died last weekend after a short battle with cancer. His friends and fellow colleagues of the stages of St. John's were planning the fundraising event while he went through treatment. Now they're calling it a celebration of life.
Jackie Sullivan, a close friend of Greeley who would fill in for him on occasion in the bars on George Street, is spearheading the event.
"[He was] just the kind of man and the kind of person that you would strive to be and he touched so many of us musically," Sullivan told CBC News on Wednesday.
"He was my calm on stage. He was just everything that was good."
Greeley is remembered as loving and caring. Sullivan said he was a pro's pro on and off the stage, a multi-instrumentalist who often showed up to gigs with alphabetized spreadsheets for set lists.
"I felt really honoured to be able to play with him," she said, adding their last show together was Feb. 8 at O'Reilly's Irish Newfoundland Pub in St. John's. Greeley had been sick for a couple of months before that she said. Soon after returning from a trip to Australia, she said, he ended up in the hospital.
"Wthin five or six weeks he had passed away. It's just one of those moments where you try to make sense of it all."
But the show must go on, Sullivan said — it's what Greeley would have wanted.
On Sunday, starting at 11:30 a.m. at O'Reilly's, more than 20 acts will gather to celebrate the man who co-founded Greeley's Reel.
There will be a 50/50 draw and a silent auction. Organizers say all proceeds go to Greeley's family.
"We have some of the top acts from Newfoundland and Labrador and it's going to be a massive event," said Sullivan.
"I truly would love it if everybody would come out and pack that room and just make the rafters rings that day for Justin because it is a celebration of his life."
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