THE FANSITE FOR TONY IOMMI FANS CELEBRATING HIS BRILLIANT 50 YEARS OF DEDICATION AND SERVICE TO MUSIC
British Honour to Tony Iommi

Charity work

Some of charity projects Tony Iommi supported during his career. Tony's involvement with Armenia.

Black Sabbath participate in Live Aid project - 13 July 1985.

Live Aid, a rock concert organized to raise funds for the population of Ethiopia in the midst of famine, was held simultaneously in several places such as London’s Wembley Stadium attended by more than 72,000 people, and Philadelphia’s John Fitzgerald Kennedy Stadium attended by 100,000 people. Concerts were also held in Sidney and Moscow. The event was organized by rockers Bob Geldof of Boomtown Rats and Midge Ure of Ultravox. Black Sabbath performed Paranoid, Children Of The Grave and Iron Man;

Black Sabbath play a charity Gig at Top Spot Club, Oldbury, England, 29
May 1988.

Tony Iommi, Tony Martin, Terry Chimes and Geoff Nicholls played a unique performance at Top Spot club in Oldbury, England, for Children in Need charity.

 

Tony Iommi and Black Sabbath support Rock Aid Armenia charity project, 8 July 1989.

Rock Aid Armenia, also known as Live Aid Armenia -- a humanitarian effort organized by many of British well known hard rock and heavy metal bands, released a single and album, and held a concert on July 8, 1989 in London, in support of the victims of the earthquake in Spitak, Armenia.

 The project is most remembered for a re-recording of Deep Purple's famous hit, "Smoke on the Water", with different vocalists singing each verse. Recorded at historic Metropolis Studios in Chiswick, London, the single made it to the UK Top 40 Singles Chart. Recording began on July 8, 1989 and was completed over five different sessions. The rock musicians involved in the recording of the song included Tony Iommi, Ritchie Blackmore, Brian May, Bruce Dickinson, Ian Gillan, David Gilmour, Paul Rodgers, Bryan Adams, Geoff Beauchamp, Geoff Downes, Keith Emerson, Alex Lifeson, Chris Squire and Roger Taylor.

The other successful part of the project were the Earthquake album and video, which was released in 1990 and become gold. These compilations consisted of songs by Pink Floyd, Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Asia, Rush, Deep Purple, Foreigner, Yes, Whitesnake and others. Black Sabbath donated the track ‘’Headless Cross’’;

 

Tony Iommi participates on charity single ‘’The Stonk’’, January 1991.

The project named: Hale & Pace and The Stonkers , which includes Tony Iommi, David Gilmour, Brian May, Roddy Matthews, Cozy Powell, Neil Murray, Steve Carter, Rowan Atkinson, Roger Taylor and others, released a charity single ‘’The Stonk’’ ( A – side ) in aid of Comic Releaf. It was recorded at Metropolis Studios, Chiswick, UK, in January 1991. The single’s B – side was: Victoria Wood -- The Smile Song;

 

Tony Iommi’s participation in The Freddy Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness, 20 April 1992.

A Concert for Life : The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness was held on Easter Monday, 20 April 1992 at London's Wembley Stadium, attended by 72,000 people. The concert was a tribute to the life of Queen vocalist, Freddie Mercury, The profits from the concert were used to launch The Mercury Phoenix Trust AIDS charity organisation. The concert featured musicians such as Metallica, Guns’ n’ Roses, Def Leppard, Roger Daltrey, David Bowie, Robert Plant, Elton John and others. Tony Iommi played Queen songs as ‘’ I Want It All’’, ‘’Stone Cold Crazy’’, ‘’The Show Must Go On’’, and Sabbath’s ‘’Heaven and Hell’’ as well;

 

Tony Iommi involved in Gibson’s Rock The Cure charity raising funds for breast cancer research, 3 May 2005.

Tony Iommi was involved with Rock The Cure, a charity project organized by Gibson, which took part at the Los Angeles Hard Rock Cafe, raising funds for breast cancer research through the auctioning of personalized celebrity-designed guitars.
Tony Iommi joins a list of compassionate high profile celebrities including Sheryl Crow, Rod Stewart, Ellen DeGeneres, Melissa Etheridge, David Carradine, Mick Fleetwood, Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Brian Johnson of AC/DC and others;

 

Tony Iommi’s participation in Bryan Adams’ guitar auction Reach out to Asia, 16 November 2005.

The auction was a charity event for Reach out to Asia, a charity formed to help tsunami victims and their families. The Fender Arctic White Standard Series Stratocaster was signed by world’s most influential guitarists and sold at auction in Doha, Qatar. The auction price for the Reach Out to Asia Stratocaster was $2.8 million dollars. It was originally bought for $270,000 by a member of the Qatar royal family who then donated it for the auction where it was then bought by a different family member, Her Highness Sheihka Miyyassah Al Thani, heir to the throne of Qatar and chairwoman of Reach Out To Asia for $2.8 million. The guitar was signed by Tony Iommi, Bryan Adams, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Brian May, Liam and Noel Gallagher, Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, Ray Davies, David Gilmour, Mark Knopfler, Angus and Malcolm Young, Paul McCartney and Sting;

 

 Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi's guitar puts Bentley dealers on top of Trade Up table, 23 March 2009.

Competition in Birmingham’s top business trade-a-thon got turned up to 11 last week – with the arrival of Brummie heavy metal legend Tony Iommi. The Black Sabbath axemaster is used to sitting at the top of the charts, but this time it was the team at Bentley Lamborghini providing back-up instead of Bill Ward, Geezer Butler, Ronnie James Dio or Ozzy. The Black Sabbath axemaster is used to sitting at the top of the charts, but this time it was the team at Bentley Lamborghini providing back-up instead of Bill Ward, Geezer Butler, Ronnie James Dio or Ozzy.

Iommi – who created the classic heavy metal sound on Sabbath’s first album way back in 1970 – donated a signed guitar to the Bentley team, as part of their latest move in The Great Trade Up – the charity competition that has Birmingham’s top firms competing to raise money for the new renal unit at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Tony Iommi’s left-hand black Gibson guitar is worth an estimated £5,000 and puts the Bentley team at the top of the list. The guitar comes with the black leather lined case and Tony has also included a signed photo of himself. The guitarist was brought on board the Bentley charity team by senior sales specialist John Machin. The rocker is a regular customer at Bentley’s garage on Fort Parkway, and so Mr Machin got in touch with his agent to ask Iommi – who was recording in Los Angeles at the time – to get involved. Trade Up team leader Claire Pettis said: “He was in LA recording and he just immediately said ‘not a problem at all’. “We are really really chuffed about it. Everyone here is feeling like its game on and we are trying to think what we can do with the guitar now.” The £5,000 guitar has put Bentley in the top trade up spot.

 

Tony Iommi takes part in a Tribute To Ronnie James Dio at High Voltage Festival, 24 July 2010.

Proceeds from the concert were donated to the Ronnie James Dio “Stand Up And Shout” Cancer Fund which committed to the early detection and prevention of cancer through facilitating access to medical screening and medical educational programs, supports programs designed to integrate medical knowledge into local communities such as cancer screening programs, education on nutrition in cancer prevention, exercise and overall wellness. The goal of the fund is to reduce the risk of developing life threatening cancers by offering access to preventative medical services;

 

Tony Iommi plays a charity concert in Birmingham, 22 April 2011.

Tony Iommi appeared on the charity gig at Broad Street’s Gatecrasher club for Bev Bevan’s induction to Birmingham’s Walk Of Stars. Joining former Move and ELO drummer Bev Bevan on stage were also ex-Move colleague Trevor Burton, comic Jasper Carrott and country music rocker Raymond Froggatt. Money raised from the profits of ticket sales was donated to the Birmingham Mail Charity Fund.

 

Tony Iommi records a charity single and releases an album Who Cares with Ian Gillan and friends 2011-2012.

The WhoCares CD single released on 6 May 2011, and the following double-album are a Tony Iommi and Ian Gillan collaboration, a direct continuation of the Rock Aid Armenia charity project. The CD single contains two brand-new songs "Out of My Mind" and "Holy Water" with the using of traditional Armenian instrument, the duduk by two musicians Arshak Sahakyan and Ara Gevorgyan. Other musicians involved are John Lord, Jason Newsted, Nicko McBrain and Linde Lindstrom.

The album, released in 2012 contains rare archive tracks from Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Ian Gillan and Tony Iommi’s solo careers. The sale of both single and album is intended to raise money to rebuild a music school in Gyumri, completely destructed in the 1988 earthquake, and to buy musical instruments for children.

Ian Gillan and Tony Iommi directed $15,000 in advance to the construction of the school and the rest of the sum will be transferred after the album sales. Rockers had visited Armenia together on various occasions in past years, and were awarded by the government for their long term helping;

 

Black Sabbath plays a Gig in their native Birmingham raising funds for Help For Heroes charity, 19 May 2012.

Played recently, but having every reason to become legendary in Black Sabbath’s history, concert in the native Birmingham’s 02 Academy 19 May was a benefit event, proceeds from which was donated to Help For Heroes -- a noble and worthy charity.
Help for Heroes provides direct, practical support to wounded, injured and sick Service personnel, veterans, and their families. This is provided through grants to individuals and other Service charities, capital build projects and support for life at Recovery Centres across the UK;

 

Tony Iommi signs KEF speakers for charity auction, 29 June 2012.

Tony Iommi, Slash, Alice Cooper, Ronnie Wood, Michael Stipe, Steve Hackett, Ian Anderson and Sammy Hagar are just few of the rock legends who have signed a pair of KEF speakers, being auctioned off in order to raise money for charity. All the money raised will be donated to ChildLine Rocks and will go to help the thousands of vulnerable children who experience terrible abuse and suffer in silence. ChildLine Rocks, part of the ChildLine Charity, is a service provided by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).


Tony Iommi gives priceless guitar to Dio Cancer Charity, 31 October 2012.

Heavy rocker Tony Iommi has given the cancer foundation set up as a tribute to late bandmate Ronnie James Dio a big boost by offering up a one-of-a-kind auction item at an upcoming fundraiser. The Black Sabbath star, who is himself battling cancer, has donated a priceless Gibson Iommi Sg prototype left handed guitar to the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund for its second annual awards gala, set for Halloween night (31Oct12) in Hollywood. The axe is expected to go under the hammer for thousands - and to boost the pot, Iommi has agreed to sign the instrument and pose for a photo with the winning bidder.

Tony Iommi gives guitar strings to jewelry charity, 30 May 2013

Tony Iommi has found a novel use for his old strings. They are being turned into jewelry. Iommi is giving his old strings to WearYourMusic.org, which will then craft them into fine jewelry. All profits from sales will go to the Nordoff-Robbins charity. Nordoff-Robbins is a U.K. charity that uses music therapy to help children and adults with a range of challenges such as autism, dementia, mental health problems, stroke, brain injury, depression and life-threatening or terminal illnesses, such as cancer. The Rock Recycled Bracelets are hand-wrapped with sterling silver to create a one-of-a-kind bangle style bracelet. Tony uses very light gauge strings. These make his bracelets especially unique.

 

Tony Iommi participated at a fundraiser organised to boost funds for the Mikey Abdou Foundation, 18 July 2013

Tony Iommi teamed up in memory of a tragic Midland teenager killed in a road crash. Tony guests at a fundraiser organised to boost funds for the Mikey Abdou Foundation. The charity aims to help underprivileged children in education in memory of the 19-year-old Solihull doctor’s son. It will also help youngsters in Cairo as the youngster was part-Egyptian. Some of the raised money is going towards building an orphanage.


Black Sabbath teams up with Secret Seven" to release 100 copies of "Age Of Reason" single in aid of War Child, January 2014

Black Sabbath with "Secret 7" release 100 copies of an "Age Of Reason" seven-inch single in aid of War Child, a family of independent humanitarian organizations which work together to help children and young people affected by armed conflict.

 

Tony Iommi supports Macmillan Cancer 

Tony Iommi started to support Macmillan Cancer Foundation in various ways in August 2015, by first visiting awareness campaign event at Bullring Shopping Centre, Birmingham, to help highlight the loneliness felt by people fighting cancer. Tony's partnership with Macmillan continues successfully, involving fan teams as Crossroads of Sabbath from Birmingham (www.crossroadsofsabbath.com) and international Tony Iommi Fan-Tastic (yours truly) and Global Black Sabbath Convention, in common efforts. Tony also actively supports the Great Lefty: Live Forever tribute album, raising funds for Macmillan Cancer. Tony Iommi did a dinner speech in December 2015, with TV presenter Nick Owen for charity. All the money raised were shared between Macmillan Cancer Support and Wythall Animal Sanctuary.

 

Tony Iommi became a patron of Wythall Animal Sanctuary, November 2015

Tony became a patron of animal shelter in Wythall, near Birmingham, he actively supports the Sanctuary with private money donations, visiting it in person, raising funds on public events (dinner speech with TV presenter Nick Owen in December 2015), and collaborating with fan team Crossroads of Sabbath, organising fundraiser events. Tony's patronship with Wythall Animal Sanctuary continues successfully. 

 

Tony Iommi signs rare items at Q Awards for WaterAid, October 2015

Tony Iommi has signed an exclusively produced Q Awards vinyl and Fused album CD at Gibson Les Paul Awards on 19th October 2015. The rare items were auctioned and all the profits went to support Wateraid charity organisation. 

 

Tony Iommi participates on a Christmas charity single by Aston Villa footballers, December 2015

Tony Iommi is featured in the video for a Christmas charity song recorded by U.K. soccer legends Stiliyan Petrov and James Milner. "Christmas Way By 19 & 7" (a reference to Petrov and Milner's shirt numbers) will raise funds for the NSPCC, Help For Heroes and blood cancer charity Bloodwise. Petrov and Iommi have battled leukemia and lymphoma. "Christmas Way By 19 & 7" was written by songwriter and producer Glenn James McDonald and features contributions from The Neales, finalists in "Britain's Got Talent"; Jonny Marenghi, who sang with Gary Barlow on the ITV show "Journey To Afghanistan"; and the recently crowned winner of "BBC Songs Of Praise Gospel Choir Of The Year." Tony Iommi's role is one of ambassadors for the track.


Tony Iommi donates profits of a special event to his favourite charities, 19 March 2016

Tony Iommi took to the stage at Town Hall, Birmingham on 19 March 2016 for a unique event that witnessed him reviewing his life and career. One of the world’s finest guitarists, he spent the evening in conversation with  British TV sports presenter Gary Newbon, who stated during the event: "Tony Iommi is the pride of Birmingham. For being the birthplace of a man who created so much, achieved unthinkable success, never compromised his integrity and yet remains humble, modest and sincere, Birmingham should be proud".

Tony donated profits to two main charities that he supports - Macmillan Cancer Support and Wythall Animal Rescue, and presented them with cheques on stage.

 

Tony Iommi auctions his guitar strings for cancer patients, 7 September 2017

Tony Iommi has raised over £8,000 by auctioning off the strings from the guitar that he used for the last Black Sabbath concert on their world tour. Tony very kindly decided to split the money that he raised between Ward 19 at Heartlands Hospital and Macmillan Cancer Support. The music star was inspired to raise money for Ward 19 after visiting a friend of his who was being treated for cancer on the ward and thought that auctioning off his guitar strings would be a brilliant way to do this. Ward 19 at Heartlands Hospital treats thousands of people from across the West Midlands each year and specialises in treating patients with a wide range of cancers including breast, lung, prostate and leukaemia. Heartlands Hospital Charity raises money to provide ‘added extras’ for the ward over and above that which the NHS can provide. These added extras help to make life easier for patients and staff on the ward and, to-date, have included medical equipment, special seating for patients and even nurses who provide chemotherapy at patients’ homes.

Tony said: “I am proud to have raised money for Ward 19, my friend received the highest standard of care whilst on the ward and I wanted to do my part to give something back. I would encourage everyone to do what they can to help support this nationally-renowned local cancer ward. Having been treated for lymphoma myself, I am aware of the challenges that being diagnosed with cancer can bring. The incredible staff on Ward 19 do everything they can to ease these challenges and I hope the money raised means they can provide even more for their patients in the future.”

Mr Shankara Paneesha, Haematology Consultant and Heartlands Hospital has asked Tony to be a patron of Ward 19. Mr Paneesha said: “I am delighted that someone of Tony’s fame has decided to fundraise for Ward 19, it will be an honour to have Tony as a patron and I’m sure his influence will help Ward 19 to continue to provide the best possible care for our patients.”

Justine Davy, Head of Fundraising for Heartlands Hospital Charity said: “The Charity is so grateful to Tony for his amazing fundraising efforts. As someone who has spent most of their life in the West Midlands he is well aware of the importance of Ward 19 to the region.”

 

Tony Iommi signs a vintage 1960s Vox guitar for MacMillan Charity, June 2017

A supporter of Macmillan Cancer Support UK Keith Stubbs has made it his mission to collect as many music legends signatures as possible on a classic sixties vintage Vox Soloist guitar. Mr. Stubbs collected autographs over ten years in the aftermath of his own cancer diagnosis.

The guitar has been happily signed by Tony Iommi along with other music legends as: Bob Geldoff, Paul Weller, Ray Davies, Richard Hawley, Chris Martin, Brian May, Jonny Marr, Elvis Costello, Cliff Richard, Hank Marvin, Van Morrison, Robert Plant, Ricky Wilson, Kelly Jones, Graham Coxon and many more, and was auctioned online 10 June 2017, raising £2,550 for MacMillan.

 

 

Tony Iommi contributes to Heart of England Foundation Trust, and Birmingham Childrens Hospital, March 2018

Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler both kindly signed CDs of Black Sabbath Ultimate Collection album, that were offered in a raffle to fans, with all funds raised, 127 BP, going directly to the Heart of England Foundation Trust, which is one of Tony's favourite charities. On 9 March Tony also supported Birmingham Childrens Hospital's event "Big Bandage 18 Day".

 

Tony organizes a charity lunch in support of Ward 19 of Heartlands Hospital, April 2018

Tony organized an exclusive charity lunch at Opus Restaurant in Birmingham UK, on 20 April 2018, with a bunch of his best superfans. Tony had a one hour Q&A session, hosted by his friend Gary Newbon, and provided signed items for a raffle. Happy fans were at seventh heaven, this was really an incredible evening. The King of Riffs had conversations with guests, and told stories from his life and career with Black Sabbath, touring the world with one of the biggest bands of all time. Tony is Patron of Ward 19, the dedicated cancer ward at Heartlands Hospital and is supporting the Charity's campaign to raise £150,000 for an extension of cancer services at Solihull Hospital.

He published the following information on his social media: "Many thanks to everyone who came to the lunch yesterday, you raised over £23,000! The money will go towards equipping the new cancer ward. You’re real fans and special people."