Billboard Bits: Avon, Appel Farm, Indigo Girls

Singer/songwriters Delbert McClinton, Marcia Ball, and Fred Eaglesmith will perform at the inaugural Avon Kiss Goodbye to Breast Cancer Benefit Concert May 29 in Austin, Texas. The event will raise money for the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin.

The Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade plans to stage a country music Nashville event in August, and a November Latin music concert in Miami to benefit local organizations; performers have not yet been announced.

Launched in 1992 to fund access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer, the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade supports programs in 50 countries. For more information, visit the organization's Web site.

-- Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y.

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Joan Armatrading and Rosanne Cash will headline separate stages at the 15th annual Appel Farm Arts & Music Festival in Elmer, N.J. Sponsored by Comcast, the June 7 event will also feature performances by Little Feat, Martin Sexton, Kim Richey, Jeffrey Gaines, Gaelic Storm, Vance Gilbert & Ellis Paul, 4 Way Street, Xavier Rudd, and Amos Lee. A children's village sponsored by U.S. retailer Target, will feature music, storytelling, and other activities.

Advance tickets are available for $32, or are $36 at the festival gate, and can be purchased at 800-394-1211 or through the non-profit Appel Farm Arts & Music Center's Web site.

-- Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y.

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The Indigo Girls have signed on to perform during the April 4-10, 2004, Western Caribbean cruise organized by Olivia, a travel service provider geared towards the lesbian community. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to perform our music in an environment where women are empowered to be themselves," the duo's Amy Ray said in a statement.

The concert will take place on board the ship during the cruise's first stop, in Key West. The itinerary will also include stops in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico before returning to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. For more information on the cruise, visit Olivia.com.

"As a company whose roots stemmed from music and social activism, Olivia is honored to have such a talented duo as part of its entertainment line-up," Olivia CEO Amy Errett added.

-- Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y.