BOISE, Idaho — The City of Trees has the phrase "Boise Kind" for a reason. Residents aren't just nice people, they want to help out others wherever they can. A talented musical artist recently moved to the Gem State not only to be with his Idaho-raised fiancé, but to immediately participate in the spirit of "Boise Kind."
Singer, actor, and now Treasure Valley resident Elijah Rock has been all around the world singing his songs and telling his stories, but it all started in Cleveland, Ohio.
"I came up singing with the Cleveland Orchestra Children's Chorus, the Cleveland Opera Children's Chorus when I was a boy soprano before my voice changed and everything went downhill from there," said singer Elijah Rock.
You don't see or hear a lot of modern artists taking their pages from the Great American Songbook these days;
"That music is American's Classical music!" exclaimed Rock.
But for Elijah, he can't get enough of it, and explains how he convinced himself that he's not just another crooner trying to make it in the music industry.
"What you bring to it, Elijah, is enough. Your story, your voice. And as long as you're authentic, and you tell these classic, timeless stories of love, loss, and love again which we've all experienced, if you just do that in an authentic way, your voice and your sound will be enough for people to care," said Rock.
His fiance´ Lesley has taken a different career path, but that all started in a much more familiar place.
"I grew up in Idaho, Eastern Idaho, and I've been in Boise for 12 years. I've been in the senior living industry for about 22 years now, ever since I was 16," said Lesley Jacobson.
Lesley's career path was influenced by experiences shared by Elijah, and was a big factor in how they connected.
"When I was a young girl, my grandmother was really ill, and I watched my mom and aunts take care of her, so I always wanted to become a nurse," said Jacobson.
"My father has onset dementia so one of the things that she and I had in common when we first met was the fact that I was going through this experience with putting my dad in assisted living," said Rock.
So the couple made a decision. For Elijah's first-ever show in Boise since moving to the Treasure Valley just a few months ago, they'd put on a red-carpet extravaganza that benefits locals going through the same heartbreak that they have felt.
"We're doing a show here at the Knitting Factory called Our Love is Here to Stay, I'll be headlining with a nine-piece, little big band is what I call it. Local, fantastic, the top brass here in Boise, which is always very important to me to highlight the local musicians. And we are going to give all proceeds, 100% of the proceeds will go to the Alzheimer's Association," smiled Rock.
Sounds like Lesley's Idaho roots spread quickly, as Elijah already knows what it means to be Boise Kind.
And the red carpet event they were just chatting about will be held on September 23rd at the Knitting Factory in Boise, and remember, all proceeds will go to the Alzheimer's Association. For more information and to buy tickets, or to find Elijah's music, head to www.elijahrock.com.
