HAVE A HEART BENEFIT KEEPS THE BEAT FOR TEENS.

Byline: Evan Henerson Staff Writer

Four years ago, six friends - all colleagues who work in the music industry - found themselves grousing over a persistent lack of soul within their chosen field. Ego, money, bottom line ... but no heart.

So Remi, Hollye Dexter, Debra Davis, Tracey Brown, Joy Bonner and Kiki Ebsen decided to take action of their own.

``Music had somehow healed each of us,'' says Dexter, who regularly performs with her band, the Brave Souls, on the L.A. club scene. ``We decided to take the gift we had and use it to help other people the way it helps us.

``It was sort of kismet. The first night we had a meeting, a huge shooting star went across the sky. We thought, 'Oh, it's a sign.' ''

Music Heals, the nonprofit organization founded by the sextet, conducts classes for at-risk teens in foster care. In addition to piano and vocal lessons, Music Heals offers a creativity course designed to get teens to channel their emotions through art and music. They've also established a partnership through California State University, Northridge's music therapy program and wellness clinic.

This Sunday's Have a Heart III event is the organization's fourth annual benefit concert. Scheduled performers at the Canyon Club include the band Ambrosia, Kenny Rankin, Lauren Wood and the Carmen Grillo Band - all of whom are friends of one or more of the Music Heals founders. Given the cause, the participating artists were more than willing to get into the act.

``One of the guys from Ambrosia attended our concert last years,'' says Dexter. ``He loved it and said, 'Call us next year. We want to do it.' So we did, and they sound amazing.''

Ron Borczon, the director of CSUN's Music Therapy Clinic, met Dexter two years ago. Last year's Have a Heart II took place on the CSUN campus. Through the Music Heals and CSUN partnership, residents of the Children Are Our Future Group Foster Home come to campus for weekly music therapy sessions. In addition to benefiting already existing programs, proceeds from Have a Heart benefits will help the organization establish new types of programs for foster kids.

``We have a very nice mutual understanding,'' says Borczon. ``I respect Music Heals because those ladies understand that what they're doing is not really therapy. They're giving an outlet through art and music for the kids to be creative. They're not therapists. They're caring, wonderful musicians.''

Evan Henerson, [phone]

evan.henerson(at)dailynews.com

HAVE A HEART III

Where: Canyon Club, 28912 Roadside Drive, Agoura Hills.

When: 7 p.m. Sunday; Doors open at 5:30 for dinner and silent auction.

Tickets: $40 to $125. Call [phone].

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Music Heals - the charity established by Debra Davis, left, Kiki Ebsen, Hollye Dexter, Joy Bonner, and Remi and Tracey Brown - holds a fund-raising concert Sunday at the Canyon Club.