Fundraiser Sunday for Sioux Falls Musician Who Nearly Died on Stage

Friday March 21st was a normal weekend for Clayton Hartley of Sioux Falls. He had helped set up sound and lights for a show with his band Solera. Hartley plays guitar. Hartley has been playing guitar in bands around the area seemingly forever even though he's only 38 years old. What happened that night, no one could have expected. Hartley suffered a massive heart attack on stage and only the quick work of emergency medical personnel in the audience saved his life that night.

A number of medical issues have surfaced since that night and Hartley continues to recover, but like most musicians whose music career is their only job and source of income, he doesn't have insurance.

Hartley has always been the type of person who gives freely of his time, whether it's helping a friend learn the guitar, to running sound and lights for other bands performing around the area, to going out to support fellow musicians on nights off for Solera.

So when this tragedy hit someone that everyone considers a friend, everyone wanted to help when bandmate and best friend Manda Kokales-Scheaffer came calling to put together a fundraiser for Clayton.

This Sunday (May 25) at the American Legion in Sioux Falls (1701 W. Legion Drive), the huge fundraiser will take place from Noon - 6pm.

Your $5 donation at the door includes lunch, raffles, live and silent auctions, a bake sale and of COURSE, live music from JT & The Mad Men, Iron Creek Band, a band from Brennan Rock & Roll Academy and Dakotah Daze!

Over 60 area businesses have contributed to the raffles and auctions. From gift cards, to tattoos, to musical instruments, to concert tickets to VIP RibFest tickets with a chance to meet one of the performers, there is literally something for everyone and it all goes to help our friend, Clayton Hartley.

For more information, you can check out the Facebook Event page created here.