ABOUT
With a passionate foreword from David Uosikkinen, the drummer of The Hooters, the first band to perform in Philadelphia at Live Aid, Live Aid Runaways is Shane Robitaille's second novel.
David Uosikkinen from The Hooters
Live Aid Runaways the Novel
A loud crash shook the house to its core, waking Nick Stark in the middle of the night. He finds his mother’s lifeless body in her car, which she had crashed into the front door of their home. Drunk and unconscious again, Nick, 16, is left to fend for himself, unsure of where he will sleep or go. Facing an uncertain future, he then learns the unthinkable: his father is Johnny Russo, from Johnny Russo and the Bandits, one of the biggest-selling bands of the 1980s, who are performing at Live Aid, the largest global concert broadcast worldwide on July 13, 1985, for famine relief in Ethiopia.
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Nick leaves his small town of Mineral Wells, Texas, on July 6, 1985, to find his father. Grabbing his Sony Walkman, tapes, and 10-speed bike, Nick must find his way to Philadelphia for the concert of a lifetime. Boarding a Greyhound bus in Fort Worth, Texas, he meets Stacy Rivera, 17, who is running toward her dream of becoming a singer in honor of her late mother. The journey proves daunting with many hurdles along the way.
Will they make it to Live Aid?​​​
Please email queries to liveaidrunaways@gmail.com
Available December 2025 around the world wherever books are sold.
Shane Robitaille is an international selling author and poet. His last novel, Rockit Crew (The Adventures of Teenage Hip-Hop Misfits), was inducted into The Hip Hop Museum in the Bronx, New York.
An award-winning early-career talent leader and a retired Air Force senior master sergeant, Shane has spoken at high schools, universities, and the United Nations about youth empowerment, mentoring, and individuality.
Passionate about music, Live Aid left an indelible mark on his soul, leading him to write this book.​
Based on a year’s worth of research to detail the concert’s 16 hours of performances and events. Learn more about the research in the afterword, written by award-winning journalist, Livi Stanford.
Celebrating the 39th anniversary of Live Aid where JFK Stadium used to be.
Featuring input from legendary Live Aid Philadelphia producer Larry Magid, radio personalities Debbi Calton and Patty Jackson, and tributes from super fans around the world.
