While much of the music world focused on trophies and televised speeches during Grammy weekend, something more meaningful was unfolding across town.
At the Hollywood Palladium, Janie’s Fund hosted its 7th Annual Jam for Janie, bringing together an all star lineup of musicians, advocates, and supporters for a cause that goes far beyond the spotlight. By the end of the evening, the gala had raised $4.1 million to support trauma informed care, housing, and long-term recovery resources for girls and young women.
A Mission Bigger Than the Music
Founded by Steven Tyler, Janie’s Fund focuses on providing safe housing and sustainable support systems for survivors of abuse and neglect. This year’s fundraising efforts will help build at least two new Janie’s Houses, expanding access to stable, trauma informed environments for those in need.
Opening the night, Tyler reflected on the organization’s decade long journey and emphasized the importance of investing in lasting solutions, not quick fixes, that empower survivors to rebuild their lives and thrive.
The event was hosted by Melissa Joan Hart, who helped guide the evening’s mix of performances, personal stories, and fundraising appeals.
An All-Star Lineup Takes the Stage
Musically, Jam for Janie delivered the kind of surprise filled setlist you’d expect from a room full of rock royalty.
Performers included: Matt Sorum, Robin Zander, Marcus King, Chris Robinson, Nuno Bettencourt, Billy Corgan, and James LoMenzo.
Plus a surprise appearance from YUNGBLUD, adding an extra jolt of energy to the night.
Later, house band jams and covers kept the crowd on its feet, with performances that leaned into classic rock favorites and crowd pleasers. One of the more personal highlights came when Billy Corgan invited his daughter onstage, creating a heartfelt family moment amid the high-volume celebration.
Per press release,
Hosted by Melissa Joan Hart, the evening featured live performances from Steven Tyler, Robin Zander (Cheap Trick), Marcus King, Chris Robinson (The Black Crowes), and Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins) with a surprise performance from YUNGBLUD.
Stories That Matter Most
Beyond the music, the evening’s emotional core came from survivor testimonies.
Mia Tyler addressed the audience before introducing Michalann Clark, a Janie’s Fund ambassador who shared her journey through poverty, food insecurity, and more than a decade in foster care across 11 homes. With support from the organization’s LifeSet program and mentorship, Clark became the first in her family to graduate college and is now pursuing a degree in social work to advocate for children in the foster system.
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Her closing words, declaring herself a “cycle breaker”, drew one of the night’s strongest responses.
Big-Ticket Auctions, Real-World Results
The live auction also helped push the fundraising total past $4 million towards the goal to build three new Janie’s Houses, with once in a lifetime memorabilia including a guitar signed by Oasis, boxing gloves worn by Muhammad Ali, a 1962 Cadillac Coupe DeVille, a pure gold, playable Aerosmith “Dream On” record
Each item helped drive home the event’s central message: when the music community shows up, it shows up big.
Final Thoughts
Jam for Janie proved that Grammy weekend isn’t just about accolades. It can also be about action. With major performances, powerful personal stories, and tangible results, the event once again demonstrated how music and philanthropy can work hand in hand.
For one night, the spotlight wasn’t on awards. It was on impact.
Every time Aerosmith’s “Dream On” comes on, I’m instantly back in a sticky-floor ’90s theater watching The Last Action Hero like it was the greatest movie ever made. Seeing Arnold Schwarzenegger cracking jokes while the world exploded behind him, with that song blasting, made the whole thing feel mythic instead of just loud.
About Janie’s Fund
Janie’s Fund is a philanthropic initiative created by Steven Tyler in partnership with one of America’s most effective nonprofits, Youth Villages. Named after Aerosmith’s 1989 hit, “Janie’s Got a Gun,” which tells the story of a young girl who was abused by her father, Janie’s Fund provides hope and healing for many of our country’s most vulnerable girls who have survived the trauma of abuse and neglect. Through Janie’s Fund, Tyler is using his big voice to give a voice to thousands of victims who haven’t had one. For more information, visit JaniesFund.org. For more about Steven Tyler, including his bio, visit StevenTyler.com.
