Born Blue Tour Supports Children Born with Heart Defects

Memphis, TN, August 26, 2014 (Newswire.com) - Blues guitarist John D'Amato, who was literally born blue, continues to celebrate the completion of his newest CD “Born Blue... The Sun Sessions”, recorded at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis, TN with a homecoming concert at Café 9 in New Haven, CT Saturday August 23, 2014.

“I have a special place in my heart for the [Memphis based] International Children's Heart Foundation”, John says. “I was born with a condition known as Coarctation of the Aorta (a narrowing of part of the aorta, the major artery leading out of the heart), which caused me to have circulation problems, essentially meaning that if my blood was having problems getting throughout my body I wasn't getting enough oxygen. That lack of oxygen caused me to literally turn blue. I eventually made it home from the hospital 3 weeks later. Though I was home and seemed to be doing fine, the prognosis was not very good”, he continues. “Unfortunately in 1957 there was no way to correct Coarctation of the Aorta. The doctor’s speculated that as I grew the narrowing would create so much pressure in my aorta that eventually it would burst; it was just a question of when, so I had to be monitored closely and tested frequently.

When I heard about Johnny Damato (no relation) and the Children's Organ Transplant Association, I was compelled to help. I have pledged $1 from each "Born Blue… The Sun Sessions" CD or Digital download sold to COTA. $5 from each "Born Blue" T-Shirt sold will be split 50/50 COTA/ICHF until they are sold out.

John D'Amato, Blues Guitarist

My childhood seemed like an endless routine of doctor visits and hospital stays until I reached age nine. At that point we were informed that a surgeon at Yale New Haven Hospital had performed a new procedure on a young boy that corrected his Coarctation of the Aorta. So at age nine, I had the same life saving surgery”. One year later I was told by my doctor that I was totally healthy and did not have to come back and see him”, he concludes.

When John heard about Fort Lee, NJ resident, Johnny Damato (no relation) and the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, he was compelled to help. John has pledged $1 from each “Born Blue… The Sun Sessions” CD or Digital download sold to COTA for Johnny. $5 from each “Born Blue” T-Shirt sold will be split 50/50 COTA/ICHF until they are sold out. D’Amato will be performing a concert to benefit COTA For Johnny on August 26 near Johnny’s home town at Mexicali Live in Teaneck, NJ.

John, who grew up in East Haven, CT, spent his late teens and most of his early adulthood life playing in various local bands on the Connecticut/New York/New Jersey music scene. Since John D’Amato entered the blue scene in 2010 with the release of his debut CD “Ain’t No Big Deal”, he has performed on stage with many notable musicians, including Jimi Hendrix’s bass player Billy Cox, the legendary B.B. King, Eric Gales and Joe Louis Walker. John also performs with Joe Louis Walker on his award nominated CD “Hell Fire”. For more info see: http://JohnDAmato.net Search: #Blues4COTA

About COTA: Giving Hope … Making Miracles is the guiding vision of the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA). COTA is the premier organization providing fundraising assistance to families facing a life-saving transplant. Since 1986, transplant families nationwide -- representing every ethnic, economic, religious and social background -- have worked with COTA. - See more at: http://COTA.org

About ICHF - The International Children's Heart Foundation is a non-profit medical charity dedicated to providing lifesaving surgical care to children with congenital heart defects in developing countries around the world. Since 1993, more than 7,000 children in 33 different countries have received surgical care and thousands of other children have benefited from the education and training provided to the in-country medical staff during these humanitarian trips. ICHF depends on financial contributions from individuals, businesses, corporations, foundations and organizations in order to continue its very worthy mission of saving children with sick hearts in under-resourced countries around the globe. Visit http://BabyHeart.org or call 901-869-4243 for more information.

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