Next week, legendary The Who frontman Roger Daltrey will rock the Verizon Hall stage as part of a concert for Teen Cancer America to benefit The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Recently Mr. Daltrey sat down with for a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) where fans from across the globe had an opportunity to get answers to their most pressing questions, including those that wanted to know more about the benefit concert in Philly, his involvement with Teen Cancer America, and his friendship with rocker Joan Jett.
Q. (via Reddit user Frogginfish): So, how did you start getting involved with Teen Cancer America?
A. Teen Cancer America is something I’ve been trying to get started in America for 12, 13 years. And I’ve been banging on doors, talking to professional people, doctors and people in the medical world, that there was something greatly lacking in your country, which we in Britain recognized over 20 years ago. And we formed a charity which is called Teenage Cancer Trust, and in Britain, in that 25 years, we have built by the end of next year, we’ll have built, we have 29 at the moment, but by the end of next year we will have 32 hospital wards built especially for the ages of 13-23. Because we recognize in this age group, they are certainly not children, and they are certainly not adults. They are very, very different. […] So there’s a lot of reasons why they deserve something special at this age. Pyschologically it’s very different for a teen-ager getting diagnosed with cancer rather than a child. For a teen-ager, they know exactly the ramifications of having cancer. And they’ve had no life. They’re a flower about to blossom. […] You have fabulous medicine. But this part of your care system could be improved greatly with a lot of goodwill from the administrations and the oncologists, pediatric and adult, of course. It’s just goodwill and understanding that you will get much, much better results by making this facility available.
Q. (via Reddit user Hpholly): What is your favourite song to perform live?
A. I enjoy performing all of ‘em. There’s only one song that I’m a little bit not bored with, because I find it just a harder to get into than any of the others, and that is Won’t Get Fooled Again. I’m not tired of the song, because I do perform it in different ways, I’ve done a gospel version of it and all kinds, I’m just a bit bored of it with the length on the piece as the record. As a singer it’s the one song - maybe it’s because I can’t do the scream like I used to! But all the other songs, I love singing them. Especially when it’s a good night, and the voice is good, and the show is going well. I try to sing them as if they’re the first time I’m singing in my life. Hopefully I succeed sometimes. But that’s how I feel about it.
Q. (via Reddit user Bluth_man_group): … I’m hoping to finally come see you perform in Philly! Is there anything cool you can tell us about the concert?
A. Well, I’ve known Joan Jett obviously for years. She’s a real rocker and she still cuts it, really cuts it. Well what I can tell you about the concert is that it’s a fundraiser to build one of our spaces at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia so all the proceeds are going to that, and that wing will obviously have these facilities in it. And I should be playing Who Songs, and some of my songs. It’s going to be a fun night. There are meet and greet packages, we are just trying to raise as much money as we can.
A Concert for Teen Cancer America to Benefit CHOP
Roger Daltrey
performing The Who Hits and More!
with special guest Joan Jett and The Blackhearts
Mon, Jul 28 | Verizon Hall
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