Small-town pig roast raises funds for ailing musician

WASILLA — Taylor Cadwell hasn’t stopped playing music. According to his friends, he can’t stop playing. His music pays the bills and lately, the bills have been stacking up. Last Saturday, the Four Corners Lounge threw a pig roast fundraising event for Cadwell. Chef Oscar Square roasted two pigs, served with 15 pounds of jambalaya and three gallons of étouffée. Local bands and musicians like LuLu Small, Blues Core, Element 47, Against the Grain AK, and Seth Freeman played throughout the night. Four Corners Lounge owner John Denny even hopped onstage to play guitar with Element 47. The turnout was modest, but the event still managed to raise a fair amount of money for Cadwell.

Jerry Wessling from the Jerry Wessling Band joined Element 47 a year ago and plays lead guitar. Wessling said he’s had a great time since joining the band, and that it has been an awesome experience. He was glad to come out and support Cadwell.

“Taylor’s an awesome man. He’s got an amazing voice and he’s amazing at the keyboard,” Wessling said.

Rocky is Element 47’s band manager and plays the drums. He recruited Cadwell about three years ago after meeting him at the October Brewfest. At the time, Cadwell was with the band Northern Comfort that eventually split up. He played with the Ken Peltier Band for three years, leading up to his jump to Element 47.

“It’s been one thing after another,” Rocky said.

Cadwell was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a few years ago. He recently had surgery and spent 10 days in the hospital. According to Rocky, that recent stint “took him out financially.”

Cadwell did three more gigs after the fundraiser.

“I have to make some money,” Cadwell said to Rocky. “I’m so behind on these bills.”

Cadwell’s sole income is through music. His wife works full-time as a baker in Anchorage.

“He should be on bed rest,” Denny said. “He’s killing himself by killing himself.”

Rocky said Cadwell’s passion is for music and he’s just struggling trying to “make ends meet.”

According to Rocky, Cadwell is has close ties with big name bands in the Lower 48. He’s played with the Allman Brothers and still plays regularly with the TGZ Band.

A longtime friend, LuLu Small, said she played with Cadwell for a few months in 1983. When she heard about the event, she knew she had to come. She made the fundraiser on her way to another gig that night. She said the attendance was “light” and it could be due to the nice weather after a stretch of rainy days. She was grateful for the people who did show up.

“He’s a really awesome guy. He’s an amazing musician and he’s been around a long time. He’s played with a lot of the players here. He’s high quality — nothing but top-notch,” Small said.

She said that music has a power to bring people together and heal the soul where nothing else in the world will.

“That’s what I love about the music community in Alaska. It’s a very tight-knit community yet we all seem to manage to come together for each other. Always,” Lulu Smalls said. “Something happens, the first things we want to is play music together- because it helps. It keeps people like Taylor and I, and those of us that are hurting working, making money and living our dream the way we want.”