In a new story with GQ, several musicians, including Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler talked about their travails with drug addiction and abuse and getting clean.

Tyler said he had a lot of fun saying, “You have a shot of Jack Daniel’s and you play Madison Square Garden and you get offstage and you go clubbing with Jimmy Page—come on! After two encores in Madison Square Garden, you don’t go and play shuffleboard. Or Yahtzee, you know? You go and rock the fuck out. You’ve done something that you never thought you could, and you actually think that you are a super-being.”

He went on to say, “It was more or less the thing to do, back then as well. I don’t think there were any bands that even knew what sober was. I was the kind of guy who would hate to be the guy who never came down because he never went up, if you can understand that. So I played with everything.”
Tyler then concluded, “It absolutely works for a while. But then things go wrong. You become addicted, it’s something you do all the time, and suddenly it starts influencing your greatness. What happens with using is: It works in the beginning, but it doesn’t work in the end. It takes you down. There’s nothing but jail, insanity, or death.”

Iconic music legend and humanitarian Steven Tyler announced the return of his GRAMMY Awards® Viewing Party to benefit Janie’s Fund, presented by Live Nation, on Sunday, February 10th, 2019 at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. Hosted by Jane Lynch, the exclusive gala promises to be an unforgettable night building off of the inaugural celebration in 2018. Featuring a can’t-miss performance by America's all-time top-selling rock 'n' roll band, Aerosmith, the gala will toast music’s biggest night with a VIP cocktail reception and dinner, live viewing of the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards telecast, and live auction to support Janie’s Fund, Tyler’s philanthropic initiative that provides “a big voice for abused girls.”

Co-chair supporters for the event include Aerosmith, Lenny Kravitz, Scarlett Johansson, Kate Hudson, Michael Rapino, Mick Fleetwood, Shep Gordon, Tiffany Haddish, Sharon Stone, Ashlee Simpson & Evan Ross, Nina Dobrev, Cody Simpson, Alice Cooper, Caitlyn Jenner and Ciara.

Steven Tyler’s annual GRAMMY Awards Viewing Party first launched in 2018 and raised more than $2.4 million dollars for Janie’s Fund, a philanthropic initiative created by Tyler in partnership with the national family services nonprofit Youth Villages to bring hope and healing to girls across America who have suffered the trauma of abuse and neglect. Tyler first gave voice to this cause with his hit “Janie’s Got a Gun,” and his establishment of the fund ensures that these vulnerable girls will have an enduring voice for years to come.

“The journey to give these girls of Janie’s Fund the opportunity to LIVE OUT LOUD continues and we’re thrilled to present the 2nd annual JANIE’S FUND GALA. We won’t stop until we meet our goal to give these girls the safety of home and a zest for life,” Tyler said. “What we accomplished in 2018 was only the beginning and we will continue to spread the love and the word! It’s so clear just by looking into the smiling faces and witnessing the spirit that surrounds this community that we’ve made an impact on the lives of these girls...there’s no way we can stop now. We were completely taken aback by the overflow of support from our friends and family since the beginning. It’s only because of that, we’ve been able to create a path that is helping these girls to find their VOICES...and giving them the chance to LIVE OUT LOUD is our top priority. In 2019, we’re committed to ensuring that we can expand these programs so even more girls know and will have help to REACH FOR THE SKY AND BEYOND!”

Since the November 2015 launch of Janie’s Fund, the organization has raised more than $4.5 million, directly helping more than 800 girls and providing more than 115,000 days of therapeutic care. Recently, Janie’s Fund provided $536,000 to expand services for girls who age out of foster care in New York City, Boston, Tennessee and North Carolina. On Feb. 4, a second Janie’s House will open in

Memphis, Tennessee, to provide further support to vulnerable young girls who are survivors of abuse and neglect. The new facility will provide residential accommodations for up to 26 girls annually with access to 24-hour medical care and therapeutic support. The first Janie’s House opened in 2017 at Youth Villages’ Inner Harbour campus outside of Atlanta, Georgia.

Sponsors for the event include Live Nation and Hilton. A media alert with further information on attendees will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information on table purchases or company sponsorships, please email janiesfund@aabproductions.com.