VetsAid concert starring Joe Walsh at UBS Arena canceled 

The eighth annual VetsAid concert at UBS Arena in Elmont, featuring Joe Walsh with friends Eric Church, Kool & the Gang and Toto plus special guest Post Malone, which was originally scheduled for Veterans Day, has been canceled by the organizers due to circumstances "beyond their control."

"The well-being of our veterans and their families remains my foremost concern and the primary mission of VetsAid," Walsh said in a statement. "While I am disappointed in the cancellation of this year’s event and apologize for any inconvenience to our fans, I am thrilled to share that VetsAid will provide $400,000 in grants to these fine organizations who will focus these funds on the ground in New York and New Jersey to veterans who have sacrificed so much and asked for so little in return."

For the past seven years, VetsAid has put on a benefit concert in a different American city each with a large veteran and military population. All net proceeds from the shows go directly to veterans services. To date, VetsAid has disbursed nearly $3,500,000.

Helping veterans is something Walsh, 76, is passionate about.

"Everywhere I go there are vets by the freeway with a cardboard sign and downtown homeless vets who need help. I can’t stand that," Walsh told Newsday. "They are forgotten warriors who deserve help. That’s what VetsAid is. It comes from touring the country and finding pockets of vets who are trying to help each other and funding that. I just thought this is a place where I could make a difference so I decided that’s what I would do."

Walsh has a long history of military service in his family and grew up as a "Gold Star kid."

"My father was killed in active duty. He was a fighter pilot between World War II and the Korean War," says Walsh, who attended junior high school at what is now M.S. 216 in Queens. "I’ve kept him in the front of my mind the whole time I’ve been alive. I’m trying to live a life that he didn’t get to."

Most recently, Walsh has been busy with his role as lead guitarist of the Eagles, who are rocking a sold-out residency at The Sphere in Las Vegas.

Ticket holders for the VetsAid concert will be contacted by Ticketmaster with refund instructions.

By David J. Criblez

david.criblez@newsday.comDavidJCriblez

David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.