Hot Springs music lovers are familiar with the name Dean Agus – his band Crash Meadows (which includes younger brother Medo Agus) is a popular draw. But fans may be surprised to find that Dean Agus has a philanthropic side.

“During [last Fall’s] Gallery Walk, we raised funds for Circle of Friends,” Dean says during a recent interview. “It was all about Arkansas Children’s Hospital. It felt good to give.” The fundraiser, at Gallery 404 B Central, featured Dean’s solo music as well as a unique art form he discovered with his seven-year-old daughter, Neelah. “I picked up my daughter’s Etch-a-Sketch and started doodling with it,” Dean explains with a grin, adding, “It got pretty ridiculous!”

Dean’s exhibit featured 10 Etch-a-Sketch artworks, including an incredibly intricate Mona Lisa. He searched online and discovered an entire community of Etch-a-Sketch art enthusiasts. To capture this ephemeral medium, Dean removes excess aluminum dust after completing a work and then glues the knobs in place. This self-taught artist is also a self-taught singer/guitarist who formed his first band with his brother during their days at Hot Springs High School.

Dean’s heartfelt lyrics and soulful voice hint at overcoming pain; indeed, the road to Hot Springs was a rocky one. “My brother and I were born in Skopje, Macedonia,” he explains, adding that his parents began seeking better educational opportunities for their growing family. After years of struggle, the young family came to America through a sponsorship program with First Presbyterian Church of Prescott. “The first thing I remember seeing was the Statue of Liberty,” Dean recalls.

The church members taught them English, and Dean’s father began looking for work. He set out for Memphis but took the Hot Springs exit and landed his first job at the Arlington Hotel, where he stayed for 15 years, becoming the headwaiter. The Agus family had found a home. English was still difficult for Dean’s parents, however. “It was frustrating for him and my mom,” says Dean.

After high school, Dean’s musical goals led him to experience what many aspirants encounter: studio executives’ grandiose promises; long hours spent recording only to see the project shelved; working day jobs and playing nights. “I worked at UPS for four years while my brother worked at FedEx,” he says. “We joked about naming the band ‘Fed Up’ – I wasn’t getting any sleep!”

Along the way, Crash Meadows produced CDs and performed countless shows throughout the Mid-South. Dean’s solo acoustic CD, “Awake,” benefitted the Circle of Friends’ fundraising for Arkansas Children’s Hospital. “I have several friends whose children were treated at ACH and a friend who was diagnosed with leukemia at age 20,” he says.

As Dean seeks to give his music a wider audience, he is mindful of the solid foundation Hot Springs has provided and grateful for a chance to give back. “When Bryan Sink was at Three Monkeys [a popular downtown nightspot], I was performing and broke a string,” Dean recalls, explaining that Bryan immediately offered the use of his guitar -- a top-of-the-line Taylor acoustic worth thousands of dollars. “I played it and it was wonderful. After the show was over, Bryan said, ‘I don’t want it back. This is what you need -- keep it!’ I feel like I owe him forever,” Dean says, adding, “I play it to this day.”