Pianist's competitors rally for fellow artist

Third in an occasional series

When earnestness trumps envy and competition gives way to cooperation, great things can happen among friends, though adults — especially those in the public eye — seem often to act otherwise.

So when Russ Dixon, leader of a local band called "Colors," called a fellow musician last month to perform free of charge at a benefit concert for pianist Paul Cardall — whom some fellow LDS musicians may consider to be "the competition" — the answer "left me with goose bumps," Dixon said.

"I'd pay money myself to come and do that show," came the reply.

When at least two dozen local musicians, producers, sound and lighting technicians and cameramen came together this week at Cottonwood High School, they added their silent "amens" to the reply Dixon heard. Each left without a dime in their pockets, though the concert was a sellout.

"Living for Eden," as the show was dubbed, was a full-blown community effort to raise money for their friend and fellow musician, whose damaged heart won't beat much longer. Cardall and his family — including his 3-year-old daughter, Eden — are waiting for a phone call that says a donor heart is waiting to be transplanted into his chest. It's his last shot at being able to see his daughter grow up. After living for more than three decades with congenital heart disease, he's undergone 28 operations and seven open-heart surgeries.

While Cardall's spirit is strong, his heart grows weaker by the day.

Peter Breinholt explained the connections between fellow artists in a backstage interview before his own performance.

"I got a call a month ago from Jeremy Baron," Cardall's friend and former business partner who got the benefit ball rolling. "He told me Paul was in trouble. But what Jeremy didn't realize was that behind the scenes, production people got wind of it and it started rolling. Graphic designers, artists and all of them started calling. We had to turn people away from helping out with this. There were lots of other performers that would love to have been here."

It was a decade ago, when Breinholt had established himself and Cardall was an up-and-coming wannabe, that they first met. "He started asking if he could drive with us to shows. We went to Rexburg to perform and Paul came along. He didn't play, he just wanted to learn the music trade. After a four-hour drive up and back, we were friends."