CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — John Angotti and Friends hosted a concert at the Robinson Grand in Clarksburg on Sunday where the crowd celebrated life through music. Even WBOY’s own 304 Today host, Lauren Winans, joined in on the celebration by singing a song of her own.

“One of the songs we sing is called West Virginia Rise Up, and it talks about how West Virginia itself was founded on liberty and equality you know that people believed in equality, and this is such a huge melting pot of people of many different races and backgrounds,” Angotti said. “So, we want to be able to help others, and go out to others, and say ‘look you have a chance, you can have an opportunity, we can do better, we can be better.’”

Angotti said the purpose of the concert is to unite people and to bring joy and celebration to all walks of life, adding that as a country, people are so divided, and he is trying to unite the world and make it a better place by singing songs about peace and love.

“I sometimes feel I’m a bookie for God, that I know a lot of people went and connect people, and I’d love to be able to let other people shine and let their gifts come forward and you know with no ego just bring your gifts for and let others experience that beauty,” Angotti said. “I want people to be able to look at life as a mystery, and the two things that you can never prove exist are the existence of God and the existence of love, but if you believe in love, that there is something greater than ourselves, and if we can unite on love, what a difference we can make in the world. So, that’s what I want people to know.”

Proceeds from the benefit concert went to help fund the Doris Nicholas Social Work Scholarship for Minority Students at West Virginia University.