Alabama, Jamey Johnson Lead Jacksonville State University Tornado Benefit
Country Music Hall of Fame members Alabama will lead a fundraising concert to benefit Jacksonville State University after the northeast Alabama school was damaged by a March tornado.
Set for September 26th at JSU Stadium’s Burgess-Snow Field, the show will also include performances by the Charlie Daniels Band, Jamey Johnson, Shenandoah, Riley Green, comedian Darren Knight (a.k.a. Southern Momma), and others to be announced. The event will be Alabama’s only 2018 concert date in their namesake state, and net proceeds from the event will be donated to the Jacksonville State University disaster relief fund.
“Just as we did with the Alabama fundraiser concerts when the 2011 tornadoes hit, we continue to want to help,” Alabama’s Randy Owen said in a release, adding that cousin and bandmate Jeff Cook’s wife happens to be a JSU graduate. “And one way we can help is to do what we do best, play music with our friends and raise money for the university repairs.”
The March 19th EF-3 level tornado caused millions in damages to the JSU campus, though fortunately the school was on spring break at the time and no one died. In 2011 Alabama spearheaded a similar event titled Bama Rising, which raised $2 million after another series of storms ravaged areas around Tuscaloosa and Birmingham.
Tickets for the show are on sale now, and Alabama is currently touring as part of their The Hits Tour.