More than 10,000 rowdy fans packed downtown Nashville’s lower Broadway last night as the fourth annual “Music City Gives Back” concert hosted by country superstar Rodney Atkins took over for a pre-CMA Music Fest bash benefiting W.O. Smith Music School. The concert, which featured Atkins and headlining act Lee Brice as well as Jana Kramer, Dustin Lynch and Josh Thompson, lasted for more than five hours and wrapped shortly before midnight on June 3. Fans were treated to several surprise appearances throughout the night, as Justin Moore joined Lynch on stage for a performance midway through the show and Tyler Farr and Jerrod Niemann joined Brice late in the night for a crowd-riling rendition of Hank Williams Jr.’s “Family Tradition.”
Atkins and “America’s Morning Show” Host Blair Garner emceed the event, which was sponsored by Carl Black Chevrolet and Wrangler®. Cumulus Media stations NASH-FM and WSM-FM were also supporting on-site.
“I’m grateful to all of the artists and sponsors who came out last night to support W.O. Smith and make this show such a huge success,” said Atkins. “It was amazing to look all the way down Broadway and see it just packed with fans. It was a great night of fun and music for a great cause.”
Founded in 1984, W.O. Smith Music School provides music instruction to children from low-income families for the nominal cost of 50 cents per lesson. An all-volunteer teaching artist faculty of 220 gives music lessons to more than 650 students annually. Instruments and all learning materials are loaned to the students at no additional expense.
Atkins is currently working on his fifth studio album for Curb Records and performing headlining dates across the country. For more information, please visit www.RodneyAtkins.com
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