Sinise’s Lt. Dan Band about doing something positive

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Gary Sinise stands above the skepticism or derision that awaits most actors who dabble in rock ‘n’ roll. And it’s not all because he’s so darn likable.

Kevin Bacon and Bruce Willis have fans who like them, too, but that didn’t stop the jokes or the “battle of the bands” challenges radio host Howard Stern used to throw down.

But Sinise is extra-insulated. First of all, most shows by the Lt. Dan Band (named for his “Forrest Gump” character) are for active duty troops, tied to veterans’ causes or to buy school supplies for children in Iraq.

Anyone wanna make fun of that?

Moreover, “It’s something I do for fun,” says the 52-year-old “CSI: NY” star. “I don’t try to make a living. I’m not recording our own songs or writing music or anything. I’m not a frustrated musician. I just like to play.”

Finally, “It’s a good band,” Sinise says of the group that plays The Cannery on Sunday. It’s a rare return to the area where he filmed his first big mainstream role, starring in the TV movie of Stephen King’s “The Stand” in 1994.

“I had my first guitar in fourth grade,” he says, and he didn’t start acting until he was lured into a high school production of “West Side Story.” “I played in a lot of bands from the time I was 10 years old all the way into my mid-20s, and then my acting kind of took over.”

Sinise started playing again about 10 years ago, and the Lt. Dan Band began in pickup sessions with pro-musician friends in Chicago.

After the Iraq war began, Sinise became more involved with troop visits for the United Service Organizations. “After four or five tours where I would just go out with an actor and shake hands,” he asked USO officials if he could take a band along.

“The band got bigger and better,” he says, playing rock ‘n’ soul covers in “hundreds of gigs, all over the world, for the troops and various charities.”

After the second of his three visits to Iraq, Sinise started Operation Iraqi Children with author Laura Hillenbrand. “It’s a great way to help support the troops because these supplies come in handy for them,” he says. “When they travel around the country, they can pull into a village and say, ‘Hey we’ve got some stuff for the local kids.’ And then they start unloading these basic school supplies. … It’s a very good way to help the kids by helping the troops.”

It’s only one of many military-related causes Sinise is affiliated with. “I just think it’s important to keep helping out, to keep trying to do something positive.”