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Berkeley-based jazz and rock saxophonist Ron Stallings passed away on Monday, April 13, after a long struggle with cancer. He was 62.

Stallings was a member of the North Bay's Huey Lewis & The News for the past 15 years, until he became too ill to tour with the band. He also performed with the likes of Stallings played with Elvin Bishop, Jerry Garcia, Jesse Colin Young, Merl Saunders, Boz Scaggs, Mike Bloomfield, McCoy Tyner, Gladys Knight, and John Santos' Machete Ensemble, among many others. He also co-led the Latin jazz band Que Calor with pianist Mark Levine.

Born in Houston, Texas and raised in San Francisco's Western Addition, Stallings was always considered a "first-call" session musician among his peers in the Bay Area music scene. 

A 1994 trip to Cuba opened Stallings' ears to the world of Afro-Cuban jazz, which he subsequently embraced with a passion.

The Bay Area jazz community had already set a benefit concert on April 26 at La Peña Cultural Center in Berkeley to help offset Stallings' medical expenses.

The benefit concert line-up includes (in alphabetical order) David Belove, Brad Buethe, Stephanie Bruce, John Calloway, Jeff Cressman, Bill Douglass, Cecilia Englehart, David Ewell, Mary Fettig, David Flores, Noel Jewkes, Bob Karty, Mark Levine, Murray Low, Melecio Magdaluyo, Jenna Mammina, Ron Marabuto, Frank Martin, Ray Obiedo, John Santos, Ray Scott, Khalil Shaheed, Saul Sierra, Bud Spangler, Rob Sudduth, Paul Van Wageningen, Harvey Wainapel, Wayne Wallace, Marty Wehner, and John Wiitala.

The evening's Master of Ceremonies will be KCSM's Jesse "Chuy" Varela.

The concert begins at 7.30 pm at La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Avenue, in Berkeley. For tickets or more info, call 510.849.2568 or visit La Peña's website.