Forbes.com is reporting that on February 18th in Portland, Oregon, KISS gave a surprise performance at the close of a gala fundraiser event, where legendary rockers such as Alice Cooper, Robby Krieger of the Doors, Danny Seraphine from the band, Chicago, and Will Lee from The Late Show with David Letterman, among others, also performed. The exclusive “All-Star Salute to the Oregon Military” event raised $1.4 million toward completing the construction of the $20 million Oregon Military Museum named after KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer's father, Brigadier General James B. Thayer. To help raise funds, Tommy Thayer joined forces with Zenith Swiss watch brand to create a special commemorative watch and a small, limited edition collection.

“Obviously, this is important to me on a personal level because my father is involved,” said Tommy Thayer in a private interview, “but it is important, too, for people to remember and commemorate the amazing people and their stories of heroism. The things they did for our country are inspirational and help us understand where we came from, what helped make us, as a country.”

Similarly, KISS rocker Gene Simmons also has a personal connection, in that his mother and her family were held in a concentration camp believed to have been a part of the network of camps that Thayer infiltrated. You can read more about that story here.

“Gene’s mother’s life was spared at the age of 14, but what she went through makes this effort even more personal for all of us in the band,” says Tommy Thayer. “The band as it is today, all of us are very close and very supportive of each other’s charitable and philanthropic efforts, and especially this one. We have supported the military and the veterans throughout our tours in various ways.”

Read the complete article here.

Thayer recently stopped by Portland's CW to discuss his new children's storybook app, Ernest Hummingbird. Now available for download on iOS and Android.

Ernest Hummingbird is the heart-warming story of a young hummingbird named Ernest, who wants to sing rather than just hum like other hummingbirds. It's a story of friendship, inspiration and never giving up on your dreams.

Ernest Hummingbird is a partnership between Tommy Thayer, and Mechem Media, led by the former CEO of the company that owned Hanna Barbera for 25 years, Charlie Mechem. Country music star Darius Rucker of Hootie And The Blowfish fame, narrates and tells the story. Learn more at this location.