Music has been good to the patriot Mark Reis. He is glad he has never been in battle. He’s thankful for the men and women of the U.S. military who lay down their lives for this country and eager to comfort the families they leave behind. That’s why he formed “Our Sacrifice,” a Web site designed to raise money he funnels to various family- and soldier-related charities.
“Fighting a war is one thing,” he says. “Giving your life for me is another.”
Reis’ site has a gimmick: rock ‘n’ roll. Donate $20 and you enter a monthly drawing for an autographed guitar. When he launched the site in 2009, the idea was to award only one guitar, a Fender Stratocaster, custom-painted by local artist Cindy Kotik showing an American eagle in flight clutching the American flag. The site caught on; a few weeks ago, it awarded a custom Fender along with a $2,000 amplifier crafted by local firm Dr. Z.
Reis has had difficulty publicizing his effort; to date, his site has raised only about $3,000. The music community, however, has been supportive.
“The more artists find out what I’m doing, the more they want to become involved,” he says. “Just recently, the Black Crowes sent me two autographed guitars. Billy Squier signed two this year. Miranda Lambert – I was in Switzerland with her at the end of last year – signed two guitars for me.”
Reis is obviously well-connected. He’s guitar tech for Joe Walsh.
Reis will travel with the Eagles for a month-plus starting February 15, preparing 28 guitars Walsh will use for shows in huge venues all over Asia. He will be far from Parma, his lifelong home, and will be living well.
“Most of the time, I directly approach the artist or I know somebody who’s working for the band through my musical contacts,” says Reis, who briefly played guitar in a late version of the Cleveland pop band Beaucoup.
There are "a lot of people” in his contact list, noting earlier stints with the likes of Todd Rundgren, Richard Marx and David Lee Roth. “Working for the Eagles has opened up a lot of doors for me. You can’t get any better, seriously. I’ve been with Joe Walsh for six years.”
The Cause
Reis’s father was a World War II veteran, part of the 82nd Airborne Division that parachuted into the Battle of the Bulge and D-Day. The elder Reis was involved in the invasion of Normandy and got his right-hand index finger shot off. His stories captivated young Mark.
“I saw what war did to him,” says Reis. Continued on page two...
