Bret Michaels and Friends Throwing 'Unity' Concert for Ridgewood-Connected Vets Organization

Veterans organization HonorVet.org is bringing star power to shed light on veterans issues while shredding guitars in an upcoming concert in New York.

, has booked rock star Bret Michaels and an all-star cast of friends for its "Unity for Vets" show at Long Island's Capital One Theater on Friday, November 11, Veterans Day.

"Unity For Vets" will feature a combination of musicians, celebrities and veterans in a program mixing music and highlighting both the challenges and triumphs of those returning from the battlefields, Canella told Patch last week.

"The theme and message of 'Unity For Vets' will be both sober - focusing a spotlight on the issues and needs of America's Veterans in transitioning to civilian life - and inspirational - giving average Americans a way to help not only with money but with their own time and spirit," according to Canella.

The organization is thrilled to have the former lead singer of Poison in their corner, he said.

"We've been a big fan of Bret for a while and he's such a big philanthropist and a lifelong supporter of veterans causes," Canella told Patch in an interview last week. "He's the perfect person for this; he's dedicated and committed to improving the lives of vets and their families. We're honored and exited to have him. He's a true patriot."

In addition to Michaels, the “Unity All Star Band,” – a collection of industry pros such as drummer Anton Fig (Letterman Band), bassist Reggie McBride (Stevie Wonder, Keb Mo), keyboardist "The Reverend" Ellis Hall (Tower of Power), saxophonist Scott Page (Pink Floyd, Supertramp, Toto), and music director and pianist Martin Guigui (John Lee Hooker, James Cotton) – will perform a variety of songs.

Along with live performances, pre-recorded stories from celebrities will be shown on the large screens above. "We also want families to send pictures of their loved ones, that will be on display behind the musicians," Canella said, adding there are plans to include live social media components as well. 

The musical performances will be punctuated by a short ceremony will be produced by Emmy Award winner LeGrande Green (Oprah), featuring Dr. Brenda Wade (Oprah, The Today Show, Good Morning America), which Canella said is designed to inspire and encourage a sense of participation and community.

HonorVet will be partnering with Unityfor.org, a rock philanthropy organization that helps organize concerts in a financially transparent manner, to "Unity for Vets." Proceeds for the November 11 show will be dedicated to HonorVet .

Although servicemen and women often have tangential skills that transfer well to civilian life, he said, it's difficult for many employers to recognize their skill set. 

"So far we've placed 30 veterans in jobs," Canella said, who founded the organization with Jim McCain, the son of U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and had difficulty transitioning back to civilian life after his discharge from the Marines.

The latest initiative, Canella said, is to assist veterans in finding jobs as police and firemen, which has a mentorship component. It's already been highly successful in Phoenix, AZ, he said, and Canella has high hopes it can be replicated nationwide.

Tickets for the event range from $29 to $129 and can be purchased on TicketMaster.com. The event begins at 8:00 p.m.