LOCAL

Lotus plans benefit concerts for missing drummer, son who attended Ohio Wesleyan

Max Filby
The Columbus Dispatch
Chuck Morris, 47, and his son Charley, 20, who are believed to have drowned on March 16, 2023 while kayaking on a family vacation in Arkansas.

The band Lotus will host benefit concerts to pay tribute to its percussionist and his son, an Ohio Wesleyan student, who are believed to have drowned March 16 on a spring break kayaking trip in northwest Arkansas.

Chuck Morris, 47, and Charley Morris, 20, disappeared while they were kayaking on Beaver Lake near Fayetteville, Arkansas. Charley Morris was a student at Ohio Wesleyan University.

More on Missing OWU student:Missing Lotus band member, son believed to have drowned on kayaking trip in Arkansas

The sophomore from Kansas City, Missouri went out on the lake with his father before a storm that morning, the Kansas City Star reported. They were on the lake while Charley's mother, Jennifer Thompson, and his sister, Amelia, 12, went into town.

The band plans to use the benefit concerts to celebrate the lives of the father and son with all of the net proceeds going directly to the Morris family, according to a press release. The first two benefit shows will take place at The Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, Colorado on April 21 and April 22.

Both Denver shows will feature special guest musicians that are friends, former band members and close collaborators of Lotus and Chuck Morris, according to a press release. To ensure the majority of the net ticket sales are going to the Morris family, Live Nation is offering “fee free” tickets. Both Denver shows are on sale now.

More will be announced soon, but so far special guests include:

  • Mike Rempel
  • Steve Clemens
  • Gabe Otto
  • Jeff Franca of Thievery Corporation
  • Allen Aucoin of Disco Biscuits
  • Dave Watts of The Motet
  • Jeff Lloyd of Heavy Pets
  • Rohan Prakash of Hive Mind
  • Wilson of Giant Walking Robots
  • Scotty Zwang of Ghost Light
  • Jeff Peterson
  • Anthony Fugate
  • Members of Genetics

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Lotus is also shifting two previously announced concerts in the Northeast into benefit shows for the same cause.

One is scheduled for May 5 at XL Live in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and the other is scheduled for May 6 at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York. Tickets for all four benefit shows are on sale now at LotusVibes.com.

Lotus has officially postponed their April West Coast Tour, which had the band making stops in Texas, Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington. Tour stops will be rescheduled and new dates will be announced soon, according to the band.

mfilby@dispatch.com

@MaxFilby