GAINESVILLE — Local musician Peggie Hoskins couldn’t just sit by and do nothing as her longtime friend Wayne Langford and his family struggled.

Langford formerly played guitar in Hoskins’ band, The Vertigo Band, for 10 years and now spends many of his hours with wife Shirley and 3-year-old daughter Sophia at Egelston Children’s Hospital.

Sophia is suffering from anaplastic medulloblastoma, a rare form of brain cancer.

"The goal here is to raise money and as long as (people) make a contribution, that is what we care about," Hoskins said. "Wayne and Shirley both work for the Gwinnett County School System and they do have insurance ... it costs $17,000 a day that Sophia is in the hospital. You take $17,000 a day and then take 10 percent of that, that is still $1,700 a day that comes out of their pocket.

"The prognosis is not great but we are all still hopeful and this is her chance."

Along with Hoskins and The Vertigo Band, nine other acts from North Georgia, including musicians and comedians, will come together and raise money for the Langford family.

The Langfords now live in Stone Mountain and just welcomed baby Fiona into the family about a month ago.

"I can’t even imagine what (Wayne Langford) is going through, but I can sympathize," said Chad Bowmar, local musician who will perform at the event. "I’m going to be doing about eight songs, including two covers that are pretty good and mostly original. I have a guy that is going to be playing lead guitar with me, he will be doing acoustic ... David Anderson, he’s a guy from my church and is a phenomenal guitarist."

Other artists performing are Gainesville’s King Daddy Polecats, who play an assortment of blues, swing, honky tonk and rockabilly. The lineup also includes The Fabulous Green Street Parade Dixieland Jazz Band, Red House, Nate Currin and Robbie Russell.

"I’m playing acoustically with a hand drummer that plays with me a good bit, Andrew Ferguson — he’s been playing with me for a couple years now," Currin said. "I’ll be playing some of the songs (from the upcoming CD), but more acoustically and probably a couple older songs and a couple covers as well."

Currin describes his music as contemporary folk with an indie rock mix.

Comedians Wes Duncan and Shelly Ryan also will take the stage to perform and get the audience laughing.

"Wes Duncan is local and Shelly Ryan has been called the Nickelodeon mom. She is on Nickelodeon all the time," Hoskins said. "Also, Vicky Blankenship is coming down. We are also selling a compilation CD with all the bands contributing one song on the disk, also Shelly Ryan and Vicky Blankenship are bringing CDs of their work. In fact Shelly has written a story on CD and she wrote it for Sophia, it is about a princess."

While the music and entertainment will be continually jamming from the stage, the event will feature family activities with clowns, face painting, inflatables and activities for the kids. A silent auction will be held along with raffles and a bake sale.

"People can bring coolers and lawn chairs and a jacket; it is an outdoor event and it can get cool," Hoskins said. "It’s basically a four-hour continual concert and the bands are one after the other. There is no lapse time. (Wayne) is also going to try and be there, he is going to do his best to sit in with my band ... it’s kind of a huge jam session for the hour we are on, there is so much talent that will be on stage at one time."

Two police officers will make a special appearance giving tours of their patrol vehicles, Hoskins said.

Tables also are available for $500 with seating for six, and the cost includes food and drinks.

If you would like to donate to Sophia’s trust fund, you can send donations to the Langford Family Special Needs Trust, HLM Financial Group, 125 Clairmont Ave., Suite 150, Decatur, GA 30030.