HAAM Day with Booher — BRENT BALDWIN

*Mike Booher & Brent Baldwin (photo: Robyn Foxworth)*

The Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) is an organization that means the world to me. Healthcare in this country is already a tangled mess (though, let’s be real, most of the first world figured it out ages ago). I’ve lost count of how many Central Austin musician friends have had their lives changed—some even saved—by the work HAAM does. In fact, HAAM holds such an important part of my heart that it has been the beneficiary recipient of my annual Indie Orchestra concert.

Every September, HAAM Day rolls around, giving Austin musicians a chance to raise funds and awareness as a way of saying, “Hell yes, we need this.” It’s more than just a benefit; it’s a way to keep to keep our music community pumping.

So when my bandmate, Mike Booher, asked if I’d back him up on a solo performance for HAAM Day, I skipped my usual questions—no talk of backline setups, gig pay, or how many drink tickets were in play. I just said, “Tell me where to be and when to be there.”

This year’s showcase revolved around Austin artists reinterpreting the timeless works of two legendary Bobs: Dylan and Marley. When Mike and I found out we’d be performing the latter’s Redemption Song, I had to take a step back. Don’t get me wrong—it’s a stunning piece of music. But if we were going to do it, I wanted to do it right.

*Brent and members of the Unwound Sound board dropping off our 2024 Indie Orchestra donation to HAAM*

First, I wanted to push the arrangement into something wilder, something that felt urgent. Second, the lyrics. Redemption Song carries deep cultural weight, and we felt a responsibility to recontextualize it—keeping its spirit intact while enacting a re-write to make it more relevant to today’s political climate. (Spoiler alert: if you lean fascist, you probably wouldn’t have been a fan.) So, we got to work. I re-scored the acoustic strumming into something closer to the shrieking wail of J. Mascis' wall-of-feedback, and we let the song rip.

Tonight, we took the stage alongside an insane lineup of Austin talent—Ali Holder, Daniel Fears, DOSSEY, Graham Weber, Matt the Electrician, Patrice Pike, Wendy Colonna, and so many more. Our take on Redemption Song caught people off guard (not shocking, given how aggressively we reworked such a traditionally hushed tune). But most of the crowd seemed to get it, and they met us with the kind of warmth that reminds you why you do this in the first place.

And then—Desolation Row. The night wrapped with an all-hands-on-deck version of Dylan’s epic, and suddenly, I found myself sharing a mic with so many of the musicians who’d been guiding lights when I was just a green kid in the late ‘90s, just starting to figure out where I fit in the Austin scene.

This night wasn’t about us. It wasn’t about ego. It was about keeping our community alive—literally. HAAM, you’re a damn lifeline, and we’re lucky to have you.