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***** HEIDI'S SURGERY INFORMATION *****
This is a message from Terry Sidelinker, Heidi's dad/sound engineer/and web master and Debi Sidelinker, Heidi's mom/manager/publicity manager. We just wanted to let you know a little about Heidi's wrist surgery.
We don't know exactly what happened, but about 2 years ago, her 100 lb. black lab pulled her left wrist back when she got startled. Heidi didn't think much of it; a little sore, but it seemed normal after a short time. She did not have insurance at the time and was touring out west so didn't get a chance to have it checked. In the past year she has had more and more pain and lots of swelling in her wrist. She tried to get insurance but could not because of her wrist being a "prior injury". She had a couple of Doctors look at it and say she probably would need surgery but did not have the funds at the time. Now she is in severe pain, can barely use her left hand, and is in need of major surgery.
Heidi has tried to get financial help at all the usual governmental agencies, but to no avail. She is scheduled to finally have the surgery Monday, February 27 at the Duke University Medical Center with one of the best bone/wrist surgeons in the country. The entire cost of the surgery has to be paid for in advance before they will do the surgery. The estimated cost of just the surgery - not counting the post-surgery visits and therapy - is $16,000. Before it's all over, I'm sure it will be closer to $20,000 +.
Several friends have asked how they can help...
1) We are trying to arrange a couple of "benefit concerts" in the Charlotte and Hickory areas
2) Jars for donations will be put in several venues she has played
3) Donations of any amount may be made to the Heidi Surgery Fund - Send checks to Heidi's Surgery Fund, 2425 N Center St #115, Hickory, NC 28601 - Check can be made out to Heidi Sidelinker Surgery Fund
100% OF ALL DONATIONS WILL GO TO PAY FOR MEDICAL COSTS
She will be in cast or splint for at least 6 months. As soon as she is able, she will be singing with Josh and another guitar player that will fill-in for her guitar spots. Singing and playing or not, bills still have to be paid. Music is her life and her income. Any other thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.
I'm sure Heidi would appreciate a quick note, cards, or any type of support before, during, and after her surgery!!
Thanks for your help!!
Local musician in statewide 'American Idol'-type competition
BY CHRISTINA CUPO
RECORD STAFF WRITER
Sunday, December 14, 2003
Heidi Sidelinker plays a set at McGuire's Pub in downtown Hickory Saturday night. Nathan W. Armes (Record Photographer) |
|
HICKORY - A 12-string guitar changed Heidi Sidelinker’s life.
The Hickory native fell in love with an Alvarez 12-string guitar in college, and
she decided to make her passion for music a career.
“I’d sit in class, and all I could think about were songs. I couldn’t study
because there were so many words and ideas in my head,” she said. “When you have
a passion like that, you can’t keep it away. I couldn’t deny it. I had to pursue
it.”
With only one year left to go toward an art degree at Appalachian State
University, the 22-year-old chose to take time off to focus on her career.
On Wednesday, Sidelinker will perform on “Carolina Calling” in Charlotte, a
statewide version of “American Idol.” She’s competing with about 20 singers from
all over North Carolina for a possible record deal, studio time, cash and
exposure.
Sidelinker began performing as a little girl. At age 5, she won the national
title of Baby Miss America. Her talent was singing.
Her musical roots run deep. Sidelinker’s father, Terry, was a keyboardist for
The Barracudas, a folk band from Bangor, Maine.
The Barracudas made a 1967 gold record, “No Matter What You Do.” A former band teacher, Terry is a computer engineer for Catawba County Schools.
Sidelinker’s mother, Debi, played guitar in a coffee shop duo at the University
of Miami. Debi left her fiber optics job to be a full-time manager and booker
for her daughter.
In the last two years, Sidelinker recorded two CDs, “dreamtime” and “poetry,
essence & romance.”
At that time, she wrote about 40 songs. She estimates there are now more than
200 songs in her repertoire.
Sidelinker gets song ideas from day-to-day living, she said. Musicians like
Jewel, Joni Mitchell, Tori Amos and Ani DiFranco inspire her, as does her older
sister Noelle, a Los Angeles fashion designer.
Her gigs paid for the costs of recording and her PA system.
Sidelinker plays at Hickory’s Atlanta Bread Co., Drips Coffeehouse and McGuire’s Pub. She works part time at Drips and also performs in Statesville, Morganton, Boone and Carrboro.
“Every time I play, it’s different faces,” she said. “No gig is ever exactly
alike.”
Brian Ramsey, owner of Drips, books Sidelinker because her songs remind him of
Sarah McLachlan’s, he said.
Last year, she sent her demo and promotional package to the New York
International Music Festival.
In January, the festival called and asked her to perform in front of
representatives from Sony, RCA and DreamWorks in Los Angeles, where she won the
award for Best Alternative/Acoustic Female.
The festival also paid for her to attend the next conference in New York, where
she played at Madison Square Garden for talent executives last month.
“It was good exposure. I met people who are keeping me in mind for movie
soundtracks,” Sidelinker said.
Despite earning exposure, it’s still all about the music, she said.
“People ask me if I want to be famous. It’s not about that at all. I want to
just play music and affect people,” Sidelinker said.
She’s already affected people.
Two years ago, Sidelinker was playing an original song during one of her first
gigs in Banner Elk. She noticed an older man in the audience crying as she sang
“The Waltz.”
He and his wife came up to her after the show and explained how the song moved
them because it reminded them of a granddaughter who died.
“The first line is: ‘May I have just one last dance before I go?’ When I wrote
that song, I was just waltzing through life, dabbling,” she said. “But from his
point of view, it was about death. That’s what I want people to do, draw their
own feelings.”
Whether Sidelinker plays to an audience of 10 or 10,000, she’s happy, she said.
“Even if I stayed at the point I am now, I’m satisfied, but I’m going to take it
as far as I can.”
On the Net: www.heidismusic.net.
ccupo@hickoryrecord.com | 322-4510 x239
This story can be found at:
http://www.hickoryrecord.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=HDR%2FMGArticle%2FHDR_BasicMGArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031772619055&path=!news!localnews
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