Giving Hearing with the Hollywood Vampires

Normally most association between hearing and rock ‘n’ roll, is the hearing loss caused by loud music, but last week in Rio de Janeiro we teamed up with the Hollywood Vampires to flip that script.

We provided the gift of hearing to more than 200 children and adults with the help of the band, including Alice Cooper, Joe Perry, Johnny Depp, Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum, Bruce Witkin and Tommy Henriksen. We were also delighted to be joined by Amber Heard, Sergio Mendes, Zak Starkey and the Queens of the Stone Age - Josh Homme, Troy Van Leeuwen, Dean Fertita, Michael Shuman and Jon Theodore.

While it was great to see the band members’ passion, it was also amazing to see the faces of the patients as they were connected to the world of sound. Many were able to hear their families and experience the joy of music for the first time. 

“For these people to hear for the first time in years, it’s an amazing thing to see,” said Cooper. “Normally you give money, or you do a concert, but rarely do you get your hands in there and physically do it. What an experience.”

Depp added, “It’s an amazing opportunity for us to be able to experience something like this…to be able to give this gift that Dr. Bill [Austin] has so generously created. To be able to help these kids, to be able to help these people is amazing.”

Following the hearing aid fittings, we transported recipients to the Hollywood Vampires’ performance at Rock in Rio festival, giving them the rare opportunity to see these rock legends perform as part of their very limited engagement tour and the chance to experience the thrill of hearing music.

For more coverage on our hearing mission in Rio with the Hollywood Vampires, check out these stories from People, E! Online, US Weekly, Entertainment Tonight, Business Insider, NBC News and Daily Mail.