Clarksville Tornado Relief Benefit Concert at Tin Roof Broadway in Nashville

Hey Nashville Rockers,

December 19th marked an evening Music City could be proud of and it set in stone that Nashvillians and music artists together truly care about people who’ve been affected by the Tornadoes that ripped through Clarksville, TN just a couple of weeks ago. In some areas as reported on several news outlets there was total devastation and then just 200 feet in one direction, no damage at all. When tornadoes roll through though, there is always damage to property and sometimes, sadly, to family and friends.

In this case, 13 tornadoes total swept through the Clarksville and North and East Nashville areas affecting people in a wide swath of land. 7 People lost their lives. Check out this Fox news story for more information on the tornadoes.

TORNADO NEWS STORY

YOU CAN STILL GET SHIRTS AND DONATE SO PLEASE DO! EVERY PENNY GOES TO CLARKSVILLE TORNADO VICTIMS!

This night was to use what we know in Nashville, Music, to not only raise money, but to have a good time and enjoy some great Nashville artists at the same time.

Enter Eric Byford and EBX Productions partnering with Nikki in Nashville, multiple Nashville artists, sponsors (Titan Motoring) and the Tin Roof Bar on Broadway. Putting together a lineup of artists to raise money for the victims of the tornadoes was right up the alley for all involved.

Starting off the night was a face we are seeing alot these days. The troubadour Scott Levi Jones, lead off the event with his story-telling style and even performing crowd favorites including a song about cocaine and poop. Now, honestly I don’t know the whole story about this song, but it is worth it to go see him and the band and find out what that song is all about. Accompanied by a sweet feminine presence looking on in admiration, Scott set the pace for what was to come from the night of music.

Next, was the soft and sultry sound of Tony Hannah who brought a sweet and dreamy tone to follow up Scott’s performance. My personal favorite was a little dose of reality Christmas in a song titled “Three Empty Stockings.” If you get the chance, check out Tony when you can.

Now bringing on some true energy from her honky tonk touring AND an accompanying guitarist, Amanda Pruitt commanded the stage and doubled the energy in the room. With her stomp-worthy tunes and emotional heartfelt lyrics, Amanda and her partner (I missed his name. Email me for credit.) worked off of each others energy for some great traveling tunes, a sound that could be compared to Bonnie Raitt and a rousing cover of the 4 Non Blondes, What’s Going On. Amanda is traveling alot and you could see her in your town soon. Check out her site and her tour schedule for more.

Next was a band I hope to hear more from (being a rock guy after all), The Reveal. These guys put some rock on the stage among a totally country room and town for that matter, but let’s not forget that Nashville is MUSIC CITY. Not country city. Yes, there is alot of rock in this town and The Reveal represented well. Bringing in tunes reminiscent of Red Hot Chili Peppers and a little bit of the old Incubus, The Reveal provided a real treat for the mostly country fan audience. They popped in a Nirvana cover to top it off. I really enjoyed this band and think they have room to make a real run at some popularity.

Flipping the rock music completely on its head was The Reeves Brothers. I mean if you could put Hank and Waylon on the stage together, this would be the Reeves Brothers. With heavy real country roots, these guys put the Honky in Tonk. Thick country accents top off the true country lyrics and lifestyle for that matter. The big hats top off the look and feel these guys bring to the stage. Now, I don’t know if they are real cowboys, but they look the part and the crowd responded to them well as if tapping into the country vein that runs through Nashville.

Another flip happened right after The Reeves Brothers yet this time we add a little R&B Pop/Funk into the mix and even a little rap with the ensemble being led by Matt Ferranti. Matt is known for being the guitarist for Brett Young, a well known Nashville country artist. With funky beats and r&b vocals mixed in with a little rap, this talented group put out a totally different vibe in the room from the rest of the artists previously on the stage. Vocalists belting out lyrics and syncopated guitar riffs lent themselves to a bridge full of rap lyrics. The dance floor popped off and filled up to this trio and their sound.

Next up was another traveling troubadour in Cam Pierce. Visually showing us a down home and Americana vibe, Cam almost immediately surprised us all with an invitation to the stage of an accompanying trumpet player (email me for credit) who made his way through the audience playing along with Cam as he made his way to the stage. The two together put on a true storytelling show with songs that resonate with anyone.

To close out the show was Michael Applegate accompanied by one of the music mafia’s original members Pino Squillance on drums. Both are part of Every Day Nashville, a group of musicians that help each other excel. These two put on a show of commanding improvisation and alternative music fit for a Nashville audience.

The night was a great time for music and a great opportunity for artists to give back to those who were devastated by the Clarksville tornadoes. Tin Roof Broadway’s upstairs stage was a perfect setting for such a show and allowed for a ton of money to be raised to help those in Clarksville and in real need.

Eric Byford and EBX Productions would like to thank all the sponsors involved as well as Tin Roof Broadway for making this benefit a possibility and for helping the tornado victims! Have a look at Eric’s post on the delivery of the funds here

RESULTS NOTICE

Keep rockin Nashville and keep showing everyone that we take care of each other.
See ya next time Nashville Rockers!