FIVE HANDS SAVING GIG'S LEGACY
Donation protected
SaveGigsLegacy
Hello, I am Cyndi Welch and I am spearheading the Five Hands Project in an attempt to raise legal funds for the lawsuit against Amanda, Gig Monster Music and The Estate of Michael Giggey. There have been two court dates so far and there is simply no money for legal fees...and it's a battle that they shouldn't have to fight. The death of Gig Michaels has left everybody financially and emotionally bankrupt. Just to be clear, this drive is also done with the approval of Gig’s family.
ABOUT GIG: Born January 4, 1964 – Died January 3, 2016
As many of you know, Gig Michaels was a singer, songwriter and world-class musician who gained the respect and friendship of many legendary artists/bands, including Artimus Pyle (original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd), Southern rock royalty Molly Hatchet, Steve Augeri (formerly of Journey) Rodney O’Quinn of The Pat Travers Band, Tony Bullard of the New Lords and more.
Amanda Miller Dyer was Gig’s Tour Manager for his band Swamp da Wamp. Many of you have asked what you can do to help. We couldn’t answer you then, but we sure can answer that now. Gig’s estate, our LLC, and Amanda (personally) are being sued…and we need you all to have our backs on this in every possible way.
These people (the plaintiffs) rang the bell, jumped in the ring and came out swinging before any of us even knew there was a fight.
Their lawyer was asked by one of Gig’s family members to postpone the second court date until they could get an administrator for the estate; he flatly refused. That’s crap… and that’s the kind of lawyer they have to face in a courtroom.
This lawsuit sucks. It sucks and it stole everyone’s time to grieve, including the fans. Instead of planning the memorial, they have been battling in the courts. It also sucks because it shows that these former "friends" apparently have no qualms about dragging everyone into court during a time like this. These folks need money for legal fees; they need representation. They would prefer this be settled in mediation, but even mediation requires lawyers. They are praying for a swift outcome but they must be prepared in case it turns into a full legal battle.
In a nutshell, these folks are claiming that Gig and Amanda used deceptive practices to elicit money from them. That is simply not true, and anybody that knew Gig or knows Amanda knows that is not true. Amanda was Gig’s (Swamps) tour manager. She did not handle money, contracts or negotiations of any sort. She didn’t even do merchandise or handle online sales. All orders for Swamp merchandise were packed and mailed by Gig’s very own hands. Gig was the man behind processing and shipping orders. It was his thing.
This is how things transpired during and shortly after Gig’s death in Amanda’s words:
Gig had been in ICU and sedated for two weeks. That was days of me traveling back and forth from my home, two hours one way, to the hospital he was in. I had a sprained ankle and bronchitis. I was exhausted but I wanted to be there for him. When it was just the two of us there I read to him; I like to think he could hear my voice.
During this time I had grown close to Lori, Gig’s sister. I don’t think I need to elaborate on what that picture above means to me, do I? She’s an amazing person, Lori; a beautiful, feminine version of Gig. She’s tall, with that same grin, high cheekbones, and his unbelievably gorgeous mane of long, wavy, dark blonde hair. She was very, very close with her brother. Sadly, along with several other siblings, she was at the house taking care of their exhausted and over-wrought parents when Gig passed.
It was only me sitting there...and I was holding his giant paw between mine when that great big heart of his finally stopped beating. We kept holding hands, he and I, and there was no way I was going to let go until Lori made it back to him. I was so shattered I couldn’t weep much…ma bit here, a bit there I guess; I mostly just rocked back and forth a little, periodically closing my eyes and resting my forehead on the cold, smooth metal of the bedrail while I waited for her. I gently smoothed his hair as best as I could with one hand. I used a Kleenex to carefully wipe the blood and foam off of his lips.
No one came in to stop the ventilator. I sat there listening to its whoosh, pause, whoosh; watching his chest rhythmically rise, still and fall; rise, still and fall; over and over and over again…and I couldn’t bring myself to ask the nurses to turn it off. Maybe I still held onto a little hope? Even then?
Time passed; I don’t know how long…and then, Lori was there. "Is he gone? Did I miss it?" she asked, clearly in pain. I nodded.
I gently placed Gig’s hand on the bed, gave it a final squeeze…and let him go. I made it out of my chair, leaned over, placed my hand on the crown of his head, kissed his forehead, straightened up, and looked at her.
Dignity and devastation; love, and the acknowledgement that her beloved brother was… gone.
She leaned over the bed…hugging him…and sobbed. As I left the room, I heard her say to him in a loud whisper, "I love you…I’ll see ya later…."
The investors (plaintiffs) sent their first text asking to "talk" four days later. By then I had full-blown bronchitis, was still overwhelmed with grief, but blessed to have had hundreds of messages, texts, posts and phone calls to go through. Some calls had to be returned, all while having no voice as I added laryngitis to the bronchitis. Oh, and my kid was out of school and I had no child care. Yep, four lousy days.
There were more texts over the next week. Music rights and business were the last things any of us were thinking about. I asked for more time. before we "talked." All this while the law suit had already been filed and was being served on us any moment. Again, I was very ill, exhausted, kid at home, I still needed time to grieve…all of that. Denied.
How can you help?
Cyndi Welch has graciously agreed to spearhead this campaign for our legal fees; if there is any money left it will go towards Gig’s memorial. She and her husband Chris are some one of the kindest, most trustworthy people I have ever met. After Gig passed they and another couple mourned with us, as did our friend Pete, driving all the way from FL.
We are blessed to have friends in Tennessee, Nevada, Maryland, Virginia (Colonial Beach especially), Florida, Boston, Georgia, etc. Friends in "rival" bands. Many friends both in the U.S. and overseas; you know who you are. Throughout this awful, awful ordeal, these friends have shown us – me, Gig’s family, the band – their true colors…and those colors are beautiful indeed.
Again, your donations will enable us to hire lawyers who will help us navigate our way through this nightmare. They will help make things right for ALL of us (including them); hopefully, EVERYONE will be, at least, okay with how things turn out, no matter what that looks like.
Hello, I am Cyndi Welch and I am spearheading the Five Hands Project in an attempt to raise legal funds for the lawsuit against Amanda, Gig Monster Music and The Estate of Michael Giggey. There have been two court dates so far and there is simply no money for legal fees...and it's a battle that they shouldn't have to fight. The death of Gig Michaels has left everybody financially and emotionally bankrupt. Just to be clear, this drive is also done with the approval of Gig’s family.
ABOUT GIG: Born January 4, 1964 – Died January 3, 2016
As many of you know, Gig Michaels was a singer, songwriter and world-class musician who gained the respect and friendship of many legendary artists/bands, including Artimus Pyle (original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd), Southern rock royalty Molly Hatchet, Steve Augeri (formerly of Journey) Rodney O’Quinn of The Pat Travers Band, Tony Bullard of the New Lords and more.
Amanda Miller Dyer was Gig’s Tour Manager for his band Swamp da Wamp. Many of you have asked what you can do to help. We couldn’t answer you then, but we sure can answer that now. Gig’s estate, our LLC, and Amanda (personally) are being sued…and we need you all to have our backs on this in every possible way.
These people (the plaintiffs) rang the bell, jumped in the ring and came out swinging before any of us even knew there was a fight.
Their lawyer was asked by one of Gig’s family members to postpone the second court date until they could get an administrator for the estate; he flatly refused. That’s crap… and that’s the kind of lawyer they have to face in a courtroom.
This lawsuit sucks. It sucks and it stole everyone’s time to grieve, including the fans. Instead of planning the memorial, they have been battling in the courts. It also sucks because it shows that these former "friends" apparently have no qualms about dragging everyone into court during a time like this. These folks need money for legal fees; they need representation. They would prefer this be settled in mediation, but even mediation requires lawyers. They are praying for a swift outcome but they must be prepared in case it turns into a full legal battle.
In a nutshell, these folks are claiming that Gig and Amanda used deceptive practices to elicit money from them. That is simply not true, and anybody that knew Gig or knows Amanda knows that is not true. Amanda was Gig’s (Swamps) tour manager. She did not handle money, contracts or negotiations of any sort. She didn’t even do merchandise or handle online sales. All orders for Swamp merchandise were packed and mailed by Gig’s very own hands. Gig was the man behind processing and shipping orders. It was his thing.
This is how things transpired during and shortly after Gig’s death in Amanda’s words:
Gig had been in ICU and sedated for two weeks. That was days of me traveling back and forth from my home, two hours one way, to the hospital he was in. I had a sprained ankle and bronchitis. I was exhausted but I wanted to be there for him. When it was just the two of us there I read to him; I like to think he could hear my voice.
During this time I had grown close to Lori, Gig’s sister. I don’t think I need to elaborate on what that picture above means to me, do I? She’s an amazing person, Lori; a beautiful, feminine version of Gig. She’s tall, with that same grin, high cheekbones, and his unbelievably gorgeous mane of long, wavy, dark blonde hair. She was very, very close with her brother. Sadly, along with several other siblings, she was at the house taking care of their exhausted and over-wrought parents when Gig passed.
It was only me sitting there...and I was holding his giant paw between mine when that great big heart of his finally stopped beating. We kept holding hands, he and I, and there was no way I was going to let go until Lori made it back to him. I was so shattered I couldn’t weep much…ma bit here, a bit there I guess; I mostly just rocked back and forth a little, periodically closing my eyes and resting my forehead on the cold, smooth metal of the bedrail while I waited for her. I gently smoothed his hair as best as I could with one hand. I used a Kleenex to carefully wipe the blood and foam off of his lips.
No one came in to stop the ventilator. I sat there listening to its whoosh, pause, whoosh; watching his chest rhythmically rise, still and fall; rise, still and fall; over and over and over again…and I couldn’t bring myself to ask the nurses to turn it off. Maybe I still held onto a little hope? Even then?
Time passed; I don’t know how long…and then, Lori was there. "Is he gone? Did I miss it?" she asked, clearly in pain. I nodded.
I gently placed Gig’s hand on the bed, gave it a final squeeze…and let him go. I made it out of my chair, leaned over, placed my hand on the crown of his head, kissed his forehead, straightened up, and looked at her.
Dignity and devastation; love, and the acknowledgement that her beloved brother was… gone.
She leaned over the bed…hugging him…and sobbed. As I left the room, I heard her say to him in a loud whisper, "I love you…I’ll see ya later…."
The investors (plaintiffs) sent their first text asking to "talk" four days later. By then I had full-blown bronchitis, was still overwhelmed with grief, but blessed to have had hundreds of messages, texts, posts and phone calls to go through. Some calls had to be returned, all while having no voice as I added laryngitis to the bronchitis. Oh, and my kid was out of school and I had no child care. Yep, four lousy days.
There were more texts over the next week. Music rights and business were the last things any of us were thinking about. I asked for more time. before we "talked." All this while the law suit had already been filed and was being served on us any moment. Again, I was very ill, exhausted, kid at home, I still needed time to grieve…all of that. Denied.
How can you help?
Cyndi Welch has graciously agreed to spearhead this campaign for our legal fees; if there is any money left it will go towards Gig’s memorial. She and her husband Chris are some one of the kindest, most trustworthy people I have ever met. After Gig passed they and another couple mourned with us, as did our friend Pete, driving all the way from FL.
We are blessed to have friends in Tennessee, Nevada, Maryland, Virginia (Colonial Beach especially), Florida, Boston, Georgia, etc. Friends in "rival" bands. Many friends both in the U.S. and overseas; you know who you are. Throughout this awful, awful ordeal, these friends have shown us – me, Gig’s family, the band – their true colors…and those colors are beautiful indeed.
Again, your donations will enable us to hire lawyers who will help us navigate our way through this nightmare. They will help make things right for ALL of us (including them); hopefully, EVERYONE will be, at least, okay with how things turn out, no matter what that looks like.
Organizer and beneficiary
Cyndi Klock-Welch
Organizer
Lusby, MD
Christopher Welch
Beneficiary
