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I am saddened at the news of Michael’s passing. He was a beautiful man, a loyal friend and an incredible talent. I will miss his presence.

John was on hand on behalf of McDermott House Canada to receive a donation from students, teachers and veterans at Heydon Park Secondary School who helped raise $500 for McDermott House Canada.

Thank you so much for your support of our girls and their donation to your organization. Our girls really enjoyed the visit to Sunnybrook and they are all excited about doing some more fund raising in the next school year. You have inspired them.

Pictured above are Vice Principal MaryAnne Regan, Mac Joyner, Jaclyn G, John McDermott, Elah G-R, Sarah P, Jack Ford, and Kathryn Grimbly. Their principal’s name is Donna Drummond.

Well what a year this is shaping up to be – one of the busiest in the last 10 years and 2016 is shaping up to be even busier. We have a lot on the go in the touring and recording areas with a major tour in the works for April/May 2016. This will be a Canadian coast-to-coast, beginning in western Canada. We are in the process of routing the cities and towns we plan to visit and hope to post them in early September.

The Book

At the present time I am in the process of completing “the book” – a look back at my life and family, where we came from and where we are today. There are many stories and each of them an intimate part of this ribbon of life. I expect to be looking at a rough draft of the book in the early fall and hope to complete it in time for Christmas. It has been a wonderful journey revisiting the faces and places that have been so much a part of my life’s path. We have collected stories from my friends and family and from supporters and fans all over the world, and we will be sharing many of them with you. If you still have a John McDermott story and want to share it with us please send it in… we may even post it in the upcoming letter of the month section.

New Recording

Our recording efforts are in top gear and I have a new recording in the works with my good friend Eric Robertson. The new release for September of this year will be called “Raised on Songs and Stories“, a collection of songs with a remarkable history attached – some very old and some more contemporary – each song a story to tell and a memory for the ages. Working with Eric is always a joy and his arrangements are beautiful.

From There to Here

I have almost completed the DVD box set “From There to Here“ and it should be available in the fall in a limited edition. Each set will include 4 DVD’s that will trace my career from its very beginning in 1992 with footage from the very earliest performances, a documentary on me and my family entitled “Love is A Voyage“ and the launch of my career, an extensive behind the scenes look at the making of “A Time to Remember“ and a DVD of the concert itself, interviews with all of those who have played a role in my journey “from there to here” – all never seen before. I was amazed at the amount of footage we had from my very beginnings, footage from The Congressional Medal of Honor Society Patriot Award in October 2001 through my world tour with Nana Mouskouri and our final show at Herodes Atticus. The interviews are truly enlightening with so many beautiful memories captured and I am so looking forward to sharing them with all of you.

More information to follow…looking forward to hearing your stories.

John

Me and NHL great Sidney Crosby.

A Family Christmas Concert with John McDermott and Friends
Fourth Presbyterian Church
115 E. Delaware (Across from Four Seasons Hotel)
Chicago, Illinois
December 10th, 2015 – 7:00pm

Sponsored by  

For tickets:

Eventbrite: https://ashjohnmcdermott.eventbrite.com or call
Angela Gerontakis Agerontakis@asafehaven.org or call 773.435.8374

For more info contact
Kylie Weller kweller@100ClubChicago.org or call 312.265.0920 or
Angela Gerontakis Agerontakis@asafehaven.org or call 773.435.8374

A Safe Haven Foundation is a 501(c)3 not for profit, social enterprise that partners with public/private entities to help people aspire, transform and sustain their lives as they transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency with pride and purpose.  A Safe Haven provides the tools for each individual to overcome the root causes of homelessness through a holistic, scalable mode. A Safe Haven’s visible social and economic impact unites families, stabilizes neighborhoods, and creates vibrant, viable communities.

The 100 Club of Chicago is a non-profit organization that provides for the surviving spouses and children of law enforcement officers, firefighters and paramedics who lose their lives in the line of duty.  This includes all federal, state, county and local sworn personnel stationed in Cook County. Thousands of brave men and women risk their lives daily so that we can be safe and secure in our homes, workplaces and communities.  While money can never replace the loss of a loved one, funds can be extremely helpful in easing the financial burden associated with the tragic event. Beyond financial assistance, the 100 Club’s network of members and friends care deeply about the families’ sacrifices and offer many forms of appreciation and support.

Dear Mr. McDermott:

We are writing to thank you so much for your concert. We really enjoyed your music and your funny stories. We laughed a lot! Thank you for taking the time to meet and talk to us before your show. It was exciting for us! Thank you for the autographed CD’s and especially for dedicating the Charlie Brown song to us. It made us feel so special. We hope we can see you in concert again! Have a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year!!!

Yours Truly,

Frankie, Adam, Mirandah, Jordan, Sabrina, Noah and Derek
W. Ross MacDonald School for the Blind, Brantford, Ontario

Back by popular demand…

I’m shocked and saddened by the recent attacks on the members of our Canadian Armed Forces in both Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec and Ottawa, Ontario.

We owe so much to the brave men and women who protect our country, and it is devastating to know that they are threatened here at home as well.

Our thoughts and prayers are with both of the victims and their families, as well as our first responders who rushed to the scene to provide aid to these fallen soldiers and protect our elected officials.

I want to thank the courageous men and women of the many security forces who risk their lives to keep Canadians safe today.

– John

UPDATE: There’s now a fundraising campaign in progress for the victims families.

• The fund was initiated by a group of citizens who were moved by the deaths of the two soldiers and wanted to do something to honour their memory.  In particular, Chad Rogers from Crestview Strategy

• Canadians have embraced the opportunity and it quickly became apparent that the fund would grow beyond what the group had anticipated, and they thought it was important to align with a trusted brand to assure the families and the public that the fund would be used ethically and for its intended purpose, and they therefore approached True Patriot Love Foundation.

The original goal for the fund was $100K.  It now stands at more than $350K and a new goal has been set at $500K.

For more information visit www.standonguardfund.com

A Family Christmas Concert with John McDermott and Friends
Holy Family Church
1080 West Roosevelt Road, Chicago, IL
December 10th, 2014 – 7:30pm

Sponsored by  

For tickets contact:
Angela Gerontakis Agerontakis@asafehaven.org or call 773.435.8374

For more info contact
Kylie Weller kweller@100ClubChicago.org or call 312.265.0920 or
Angela Gerontakis Agerontakis@asafehaven.org or call 773.435.8374

A Safe Haven Foundation is a 501(c)3 not for profit, social enterprise that partners with public/private entities to help people aspire, transform and sustain their lives as they transition from homelessness to self-sufficiency with pride and purpose.  A Safe Haven provides the tools for each individual to overcome the root causes of homelessness through a holistic, scalable mode. A Safe Haven’s visible social and economic impact unites families, stabilizes neighborhoods, and creates vibrant, viable communities.

The 100 Club of Chicago is a non-profit organization that provides for the surviving spouses and children of law enforcement officers, firefighters and paramedics who lose their lives in the line of duty.  This includes all federal, state, county and local sworn personnel stationed in Cook County. Thousands of brave men and women risk their lives daily so that we can be safe and secure in our homes, workplaces and communities.  While money can never replace the loss of a loved one, funds can be extremely helpful in easing the financial burden associated with the tragic event. Beyond financial assistance, the 100 Club’s network of members and friends care deeply about the families’ sacrifices and offer many forms of appreciation and support.