It seems that what the world needs now is love, sweet love – and that is just what 1960s folk/pop icons Chad & Jeremy will be bringing to Tacoma on Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. when they play a free benefit concert for Pierce County Habitat for Humanity.

Immanuel Presbyterian Church (901 N. ‘J’ St.) is hosting the famed duo to raise funds for upcoming Habitat for Humanity builds in Guatemala. Admission to the show is free, but attendees are encouraged to donate generously while at the show.

In a rather cool move to bring the spirit of the 1960s to 2011, Chad & Jeremy are playing two free benefit concerts in the Northwest this month as part of their six-stop West Coast tour – one in Idaho to benefit the Central Asia Institute (which promotes community-based education and literacy programs, especially for girls, in remote mountain regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan) and the other right here in Tacoma.   

While Chad & Jeremy may be a distant memory for anyone over 40, the two Brits were quite popular in their day. Riding the wave of British Invasion musical groups that flooded the United States in the early 1960s, Chad & Jeremy found an immediate home in the blossoming folk scene stateside. As radio friendly as it gets and with unabashed messages of peace, love and understanding, Chad & Jeremy’s tunes were music to the ears of a nation in conflict, helping to alleviate some of the Vietnam War anxieties and the social and political unrest that marked the era.

From 1964-1968, Chad & Jeremy had 11 hit American singles and released seven classic albums. A search on YouTube for their songs reveals a walk down memory lane for fans of pop music from that time. Songs like “A Summer Song,” “Yesterday’s Gone” and “Willow Weep for Me” are just a few of their memorable contributions to the popular musical landscape.

What is special about Chad & Jeremy is in how their music is as relevant today as it was way back when. They play the gentlest of songs – their voices in softened
tones, singing together as one blended voice. Breathy flute, brushed snare and lilting strings form the background for the duo’s guitar strumming. Reuniting in 2003, the men proved they can still move audiences with their songs, and since then have toured in four countries. This will likely be their only performance in Tacoma for years to come.

To learn more about events at Immanuel Presbyterian Church, visit www.ipctacoma.org. Chad & Jeremy’s website is at www.chadandjeremy.com.