"From the time I moved to San Francisco in 1967 to play with the Steve Miller Band, there was a lot of support in the music community for one cause or another, but this one was special because it was put on by people who understood where musicians' hearts are"

When Boz Scaggs reflects on moving to San Francisco in 1967 to play with the Steve Miller Band, he recalls an era and a place deeply intertwined with causes larger than music itself. The late sixties in San Francisco were marked by a thriving counterculture, political activism, and a sense of creative camaraderie. For Scaggs and many contemporaries, being part of the San Francisco music scene meant not only playing in legendary bands but also supporting various social, political, and humanitarian causes that emerged from the city’s vibrant and progressive spirit.

Scaggs points out that, while support for different causes in the music community was common, a particular event or cause stands apart to him. What made it unique wasn’t just its charitable or activist intent, but that it was orchestrated by those who understood musicians on an intimate level. The organizers were not outsiders trying to leverage the popularity of musicians for publicity or fundraising; instead, they were insiders, people who recognized the rhythms of musicians’ lives, their vulnerabilities, and their capacity for empathy. They knew “where musicians' hearts are,” suggesting an empathy and authenticity at the heart of the effort that resonated deeply with performers.

Such understanding often makes for more meaningful participation. When artists feel a cause speaks directly to their values or is handled by those who genuinely recognize their contribution and motivations, they are more likely to engage wholeheartedly. Scaggs’s reflection underscores the difference between generic support and a movement that is personal, connected, and true to the artistic community’s values. In the collaborative spirit endemic to the San Francisco scene at the time, this alignment perhaps made the event not just special but transformative, for both the musicians involved and for the causes they championed. It exemplifies how, when the right intentions meet a shared understanding, collective action can be both powerful and deeply fulfilling.