Student-formed band, Crown Me King, has continued to make a name for themselves since Loyolapalooza in May, and they are now performing for charity.

On Nov. 19 in Bel Air, Maryland, Crown Me King performed at the after party for the Ruckster Run, a charity event held in honor of Dave Ruck.

Jennifer Neukam, the daughter of Ruck and organizer of the event, said, “We lost my dad to Sarcoma, a form of soft tissue cancer, back in the fall of 2018. The end of his physical journey on this planet has led to many others, this charity event included.”

According to Neukam, her father shared with her and their family a love for music, a love which is also shared by Ruck’s godson and guitarist for Crown Me King, Ben Ostrowski ’24.

Neukam said, “His passion for music clearly was a driving force, but when you take that, then mix in the sentimental aspect that Ben is my dad’s godson, well, then you get a truly meant to be, poetic homerun.”

Jacob White ’24, the drummer of Crown Me King, greatly enjoyed the opportunity to perform at the event.

He said, “We’re always looking for opportunities to play, even if it is unpaid, and it was extra special because it was a charity event involving Ben’s family, so it was nice to be able to play and support them.”

This is the first time the band has performed for a private event. Prior to this event, Crown Me King performed at the Battle of the Bands and Loyolapalooza last spring and the Fall Festival on Nov. 6. White said the experience of playing for a crowd of mostly strangers was a great, albeit different, experience.

“I would say it was different from playing at Loyola because these aren’t college kids, so their tastes in music are a little different. But honestly, the energy was still there, and it was just a blast to play for them,” he said.

Neukam, along with the rest of the diverse crowd, enjoyed the performance from Crown Me King.

“The crowd varied in age, anywhere from my two-year-old son to folks in their upper eighties, and the band was able to connect with everyone, regardless of their generation. I can’t imagine that’s something easy to do. Their passion and energy was contagious,” she said.

The Ruckster Run this year collected over $7, 000 to be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Featured Image courtesy of Ben Ostrowski.