Friends and family of late Rush drummer Neil Peart are planning a hometown concert to honour his memory and raise funds for cancer care.

A Night for Neil is scheduled to take place on May 16 at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines.

Peart, a legendary lyricist hailed by both fans and peers as one of the greatest drummers of all time, died in January after being diagnosed with brain cancer. He was 67.

The people who loved Peart have been looking for a way to celebrate his life and have settled on an event they promise will bring together world-class musicians and guest speakers, according to a media release. The release didn't contain any details about who would be performing or speaking at the event.

Overtime Angels, a charity Rush has worked with in the past, is helping organize the event, which will also benefit the St. Catharines Hospital and Walker Family Cancer Centre, The Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre in Hamilton, and the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre in Barrie.

"We are grateful for the team that Overtime Angels is assembling ... we are especially pleased to be able to support this charity event that will benefit some much-needed organizations that are close to our hearts," said Glen and Betty Peart, Neil's parents, in a media release.

Donna Halper, a longtime friend of the band, said organizers have already seen a huge response to the event.

"The fans really wanted a way to honour Neil Peart and can you blame them? His music touched the lives of so many millions of people."

Halper, who now works as an associate professor at Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass., first heard of the band when she was working as a rock DJ in Cleveland back in 1973.

When she dropped the needle on a song called Working Man she knew right away the band was something special.

Rush went on to sell millions of records and influence generations of rock musicians.

Words fail me when I think of the gift that Neil Peart was. Sometimes, cancer takes the finest people, and in this case, that is what happened. It's difficult to think of a world without Neil in it. May he rest in peace. <a href="https://t.co/ZqDnEYlG5x">pic.twitter.com/ZqDnEYlG5x</a> —@DevorahLeah

While it breaks her heart to help set up the night of music and remembrance, Halper said she hopes it can provide a service for fans.

"In many ways [Neil] is still with us because his music lives on and has touched so many lives. This is just a way to honour his life and his legacy," she explained.

"Our plan is to create an event that will not only delight the fans, but bring some closure. If we can make his family smile, if we can make the fans smile and if we can honour Neil's legacy that would be such an amazing thing."

Tickets for A Night For Neil will be sold through Ticketmaster starting at 10 a.m. on Feb. 28.