Published: June 11, 2009 10:15 am      

Randy Rogers Band hosts 4th diabetes benefit in New Braunfels

Randy Rogers’ reason for helping Camp Sweeney, a camp designed for kids with diabetes, is simple. He knows the disease all too well.

“In my family there’s a lot of diabetes. It definitely hits pretty close to home,” Rogers said from the road earlier this week. “My dad has it and my grandfather has it. It’s been around my whole life.”

The Randy Rogers Band’s annual “For the Sake of the Song” weekend will kick off Friday with a charity golf tournament at Bandit Golf Club in New Braunfels and live music both Friday and Saturday at the Whitewater Amphitheater. All proceeds will benefit Camp Sweeney.

Slated musicians include Adam Hood, San Marcos’ Adam Carroll, Hal Ketchum, Kevin Welch, Jonathan Tyler and Northern Lights, Jason Eady and the Wayward Apostles, Jason Eady and the headlining Randy Rogers Band. For tickets and more information visit www.randyrogersband.com.

Camp Sweeney, owned and operated by the Southwestern Diabetic Foundation, serves more than 1,000 kids with diabetes each year. The camp, located 75 miles north of Dallas, hosts three summers sessions, one winter session and a three-day spring session each year.

The Randy Rogers Band plans to go into pre-production for its new record in July, and begin recording in the fall. The group was recently featured in Rolling Stone as a “Must See Tour” this summer, performed on The Late Show With David Letterman and Tonight Show With Jay Leno and received an ACM nomination for “Best Vocal Group.”

“It’s a lot of hard work every day,” Rogers said. “We’re on the road right now, and we’ve got two weeks where we’ve got a gig every day.”

“Basically the kids get to do every-day camping things like biking and skiing, and at the same time are taught how to take care of themselves,” Rogers said.