MUMBAI: Joe Walsh, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee and multi-GRAMMY Award winning musician and his non-profit veterans’ organization, VetsAid have announced the initial line up for the annual music festival.

The Eagles guitarist, Walsh will be hosting his fourth annual charity concert, VetsAid 2020: Home for the Holidays virtually on the 12th of December and will also feature previously unreleased footage from past VetsAid events in 2017, 2018, and 2019. The livestream will feature archival performances from the last three years — including Don Henley, Haim, ZZ Top, Jason Isbell, The Doobie Brothers, James Taylor and Sheryl Crow — as well as new appearances by Jon Bon Jovi, Gwen Stefani, Eddie Vedder, Alice Cooper, Willie Nelson, The Killers’ Brandon Flowers, James Hetfield and more. The stacked lineup also includes Ryan Bingham, The 5 Browns, Drew Carey, Kenny Chesney, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Melissa Etheridge, Mary Gauthier, Vince Gill, Haim, Darryl Hall, Ben Harper, Don Henley, Jewel, The Lumineers, Richard Marx, Tim Mcgraw, Brad Paisley, Phillip Phillips, Josh Ritter, Blake Shelton, Jake Shimabukuro, Amanda Shires, Billy Bob Thornton and Steven Van Zandt

Joining them from India exclusively will be the veteran sarod maestro, Amjad Ali Khan and his sons, Ayaan Ali Bangash and Amaan Ali Bangash.

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan states, “It’s a great honour to perform for a platform to raise funds and awareness for the still urgent and significant needs of returning soldiers. Through the establishment of VetsAid and its annual benefit concert we offer our love to through music. A great initiative by Joe Walsh!”

Amaan Ali Bangash states, “It’s such an honour to perform alongside such great legends for a great cause. Music is the greatest wealth we have and it’s always a pleasure to share it with the world. I also hope for peace and oneness to prevail with kinder and happier times ahead for the world. I hope you are well and staying safe.”

Ayaan Ali Bangash states, “VetsAid plans to directly support a variety of established and tested veterans-based charities, namely those with a proven track-record that take care to provide complete and holistic care for veterans and their families, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. We pray that the planet heals soon.”

Joe Walsh states, “For the past 3 years we’ve held this glorious traveling circus in cities across the country with a day-long rock and roll festival and jobs fair to support our veterans and their families. Typically, we fill up an arena, play for 5 hours, and raise a bunch of money – nearly $1.5 million to date – to help our veterans get the care and support they deserve. But because of COVID this year, we’re going virtual as so many things are. Our veterans community already suffers from increased poverty rates, mental health issues, re-entry difficulties and personal crises in the best of times. During this pandemic they are especially vulnerable. I’m proud of this nationwide tradition we have built and I can’t think of a better way to remember and honor the men and women who have served our country this holiday season than by helping us raise funds to support their essential and basic needs. Join us online for a worldwide broadcast of unique musical performances of all kinds, never-before-seen VetsAid footage from years past and great stories from me and some of the greatest musicians in the world this December 12th!”

The ticketed event will be streamed live on December 12 via vetsaid.veeps.com and tickets will be priced from $20 with discounts available for active duty military and veterans. All proceeds from VetsAid 2020 will go directly to veterans’ services charities, which were chosen through a vetting process in collaboration with the Combined Arms Institute.

Joe Walsh launched VetsAid on September 20, 2017 with an inaugural concert at the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, VA. The second festival event was in Tacoma, WA and the third in Houston, TX. VetsAid typically seeks to host the events in cities across the country with large veteran populations. The shows have included performances by musicians including James Taylor, Chris Stapleton, Don Henley, ZZ Top, Sheryl Crow, The Doobie Brothers, Zac Brown Band, Jason Isbell, Keith Urban, Haim, Gary Clark Jr. and Joe’s brother-in-law Ringo