Charlie Daniels is the honorary chairperson for the TJ Martell Foundation.

“I have been involved with the T.J. Martell Foundation for many years through my good friend, Tony Martell and believe in the good works the Foundation does in supporting innovative cancer research,” said Daniels. “We are all touched by cancer in some way and we need to be involved with helping the scientists in their mission of one day finding a cure.”

The TJ Martell Foundation is something near and dear to the hearts of many involved in country music, and rightfully so.

The T.J. Martell Foundation began with a promise from a father to his dying son. In 1973, a high school student named T.J. Martell was battling leukemia. He asked his father, music industry executive Tony Martell, to raise a million dollars for cancer research so that “no one else will have to experience what I am going through.” Although he had no fundraising experience, Tony agreed. Two years later, T.J. died at the age of nineteen, and as Tony explains today, “that put my promise in cement.” Soon after, Tony was joined by many of his musician friends like Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, and Duke Ellington to hold a fundraiser at Buddy Rich’s nightclub in New York. They raised $50,000 and the T.J. Martell Foundation was born.

For more information visit www.tjmartellfoundation.org

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