GUITAR MONSTERS benefit event with Jon Butcher, Johnny A, and Willie J Laws

Friday, April 17, 2026

$35 General Admission (guaranteed seating, first come, first seated)

Tentative schedule:

7:30 PM – Doors Open

8 PM The Music Starts

The Pub side will be open starting at 2 PM if you wish to dine with us and have GA tickets.

About the artists and show:

GUITAR MONSTERS Veterans benefit event featuring Jon Butcher, Johnny A. & Willie J. Laws

Rockin’ 4 Vets / Alive & Kicking Productions presents GUITAR MONSTERS, a high‑energy benefit concert featuring Jon Butcher, Johnny A., and Willie J. Laws, supporting PACE Community Food Center. Loaded with high-energy, high-octane guitar rock; Guitar Monsters is an explosive show.

This great line-up features 2 Grammy nominees, 1 New England Music Hall of Fame inductee, and 1 Boston Music Hall of Fame inductee.

If the name Jon Butcher feels familiar around Boston, it’s because it should be. A Grammy nominee and longtime pillar of the local music scene, Butcher was inducted into the New England Music Hall of Fame in 2025. From his early days with Johanna Wild, Jon Butcher Axis, to performances on Experience Hendrix tours, he has remained one of Boston’s most influential guitarists. His national touring résumé includes opening for The J. Geils Band, Def Leppard, and Rush.

Another hometown standout is Johnny A., a Saugus, MA native whose career has taken him from local stages to international recognition. A sought‑after solo artist and band member, Johnny has performed with Peter Wolf’s band and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame–inducted Yardbirds, while leading acclaimed projects such as From A. to Beatles and Beck‑Ola. Spanning three full‑length albums, Johnny A. has earned a Grammy nomination, Boston Music Award “Blues Artist of the Year” (2010), and induction into the Boston Music Hall of Fame.

Rounding out the front line is Willie J. Laws, a Texas guitar slinger and powerhouse vocalist delivering authentic, high‑energy Texas soul. Drawing from the traditions of T‑Bone Walker, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and Albert King, Willie blends blues, classic R\&B, country, and funk. A Massachusetts Blues Society Challenge winner and multiple New England and Boston Music Award nominee, Willie brings grit, groove, and undeniable soul.

Added as a special guest is Mark T. Small, previous Winner of Best Acoustic Blues Album and of the Boston Blues Challenge. Having opened for performers such as Johnny Winter, James Cotton, Coco Montoya, Robert Cray, and John Mayall, Mark is a solid addition to this great line-up.

The lineup is backed by AJ Vallee, Tim Archibald, and Todd Farland, delivering classics from Jon Butcher Axis, Hendrix, Allman Brothers, Yardbirds, and Jeff Beck along with standout R\&B favorites.

PACE assists those who earn a low income or live in poverty to maneuver the obstacles of poverty, which can include substandard housing, hunger, homelessness, inadequate childcare, and access to healthcare.

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