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A Tale of Three Gigs Ministry, mercy and the road to Carnegie Hall BY BILL BURKE
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because, well, there’s a sold-out Carnegie Hall full of people waiting to hear Sarah McLachlan. Such is life for the multiskilled and quick-witted Goodro — an in-demand drummer, the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Plaistow, and founder of Mercy Street, a six-year-old organization that helps families affected by addiction and to provide hope for those in recovery. “Usually when we’re playing in New York we get out late and head back home,” he
COURTESY PHOTO
t’s Saturday night and Aaron Goodro is sitting behind the drums onstage at Carnegie Hall just a few feet away from Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. No time to entertain rockstar dreams though — before the end of the night he’ll be on the road back to Plaistow so he can lead Sunday morning church service. Then he’ll be preparing for a weekly gathering where he’ll counsel families who have lost loved ones to addiction But first, he’s got to count off the band
Aaron Goodro sits behind the drums on performance day at Carnegie Hall. nhmagazine.com | June 2021 31