4 • Thursday, April 4, 2013
About Town
OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal
Don’t Stop the Music
had the accident, I might not have known about the tumor until it was too late,” he said. In December, James underwent brain surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible and immediately afterward, he started radiation. He is now taking chemotherapy treatments. James said when he heard his doctor tell By Keysha Drexel him that he had a cancerous brain tumor, his thoughts immediately turned to his famJournal editor ily. He and his wife, Kim, have been married since 1995 and have two children, 12-year-old hen James Harwell of Hoover was Brandon and 11-year-old Eleanor Jo. diagnosed with a brain tumor, the “I wasn’t worried about me when I got the 47-year-old real estate agent and news from the doctor. I was more worried father of two could have been paralyzed by about my family,” he said. the shock of the ordeal. James said he and his wife have always been But instead, James said he was immediately up-front with their children, so they told them spurred into action after hearing the life-altering about the diagnosis right away. news, determined to spend as much time with “They’re smart kids and we basically told his family as possible, to raise awareness for them that we don’t know what’s going to hapcancer research and to turn his experiences into pen but here’s our plan of action. We have songs. focused on staying positive and staying on our James, who has been performing in bands knees,” he said. in the Over the Mountain area for more than 20 As he faced one of the years, will sing and play biggest challenges of his guitar at Moonlight on the life, James said he turned Mountain, a music venue Hope for Harwell to what has always been in Bluff Park in Hoover When: April 14, 6-8 p.m. the best therapy for him on April 14 to help raise Where: Moonlight on throughout his life—music. money for the American the Mountain, 585 Shades James said music has Cancer Society. Crest Road in the Bluff Park been an integral part of his The event is being community in Hoover. life since he was a student called Hope for Harwell Details: The event will raise at Berry High School in and will help raise money money for the American Hoover. He played at for the American Cancer Cancer Society’s annual Relay school proms and even had Society’s Relay for Life for Life events. a chance to perform at the events. More info: For more opening of the Hoover Met. “I’m looking at this as information on Hope James plays guitar another one of life’s advenfor Harwell, visit www. and piano and sings. He tures. Not everything in moonlightonthemtn.com. For has been in several cover life is going to be how we more information on Over the bands but also writes his want it. I’m just trying to Mountain Relay for Life events, own original music, which be thankful for what I have see our Save the Date section he describes and as folksy and take it one day at a on page 10. rock. time,” he said. “Music has always been James’ diagnosis in the best therapy for me. November came after a car It’s my outlet and I have to have it. It’s the only accident—something he said he thinks might way I can really let go,” he said. have saved his life. James said his music is influenced by artists After his car accident, James began experiof all genres but that the Beatles remain his allencing severe headaches and memory loss and time favorite. went back to the doctor for tests. Those tests “I could name a million influences and a milrevealed he had a brain tumor. lion artists I love, but it all begins and ends with “That accident saved my life. If I had never
songs. Some of the songs are dark because that’s what I was dealing with in those first few weeks and months after the diagnosis. It really helped me to have that Photo special to The Journal music outlet during that time. Music transcends anything that you can say to someone or that they can say to you,” he said. James said he plans to release the CD in May. “There’s some lighter stuff on there, too— something for everyone, I think. I figured that if I were ever going to put out a CD, then now was the time,” he said. Before his diagnosis, James played several times at Moonlight on the Mountain in Bluff Park in Hoover. “It is just a great place. It’s a real music room setting—a place where you can go if you really want to listen to some great local music,” he said. James said when he plays at Moonlight on the Mountain, he never keeps the proceeds. “I’ve always tried to support Keith (Harrelson) and try to keep that place busy because it is such an asset for music lovers in our area,” he said. “I always give the door money back to them.” James said he and his family have always been supporters of the American Cancer Society and have participated in several Relay for Life events. But after his diagnosis, James said he felt compelled to do everything he could to raise money for cancer research and to raise awareness about the disease. “You have to put your money where your mouth is. Yes, I’m fighting cancer, but this is not about me. There are so many people going through the same thing and even worse, and that’s why I want to do this concert—to do everything I can to help,” he said. ❖
James Harwell has performed several times at Moonlight on the Mountain in Bluff Park. He’ll sing and play piano at the Hoover music venue on April 14 to help raise money for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.
Harwell Keeps Singing After Brain Tumor Diagnosis
W
‘I wasn’t worried about me when I got the news from the doctor. I was more worried about my family.’ James Harwell the Beatles. I’m a huge fan,” he said. In the three weeks that he was bedridden after brain surgery, James said he turned to music to process everything that he was going through. “I ended up writing a whole CD worth of
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