In early December, music city faced widespread power outages due to horrific tornadoes that touched down. Yet, the same storm ripped through six states – leaving dozens dead and thousands of structures destroyed.
“This is the deadliest tornado event we have ever had” shared Kentucky’s Governor Andy Beshear on CNN’s State of the Union. “I think it’s going to be the longest and deadliest tornado event in U.S. history. We know that one of these tornadoes was on the ground over 227 miles. That tornado was on the ground in Kentucky for over 200 miles,” he concluded.
As city officials and communities come together to cope with the aftermath, several musicians from NBC’s The Voice have joined forces to help raise money for struggling tornado victims. On Wednesday, December 15 – Jake Hoot, Worth The Wait, Pryor Baird, Ian Flanigan, Emily Ann Roberts, Cali Wilson, and Ricky Duran took center stage at Blake Shelton’s honky-tonk bar and restaurant, Ole Red Nashville on Broadway.
One by one, each musician showcased their astonishing talents by singing originals and chilling covers. While under the spotlight, they encouraged the high-energy audience to donate to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief fund.
“There is something so incredibly special about getting a group of people together for such a great cause. Getting the opportunity to raise money for the tornado victims with some of my Voice family was so special,” Hoot exclusively told Music Mayhem. “We were so excited to not only come together and get to put on a great show but to get to partner with Ole Red and having Blake Shelton call in and be a part of it was just icing on the cake. We had a great turnout and were all so honored to be a part of such a great cause.”
Following the star-studded evening, Season 17 champion of The Voice Jake Hoot took to Instagram to share a short clip showcasing the heartwarming event. “Rallied some of my former @nbcthevoice buddies to raise some money for tornado victims last week and celebrate the Season 21 finale at @olered! The man himself, @blakeshellton, even called in during the show!! Thank you to all of these awesome artists and friends for stopping by,” he said under the action-packed video featuring breakout stars that made an impact on their community.
It wasn’t long until country music fans flooded the comment section with support, “We were there!! It was AWESOME!!!,” wrote a fan. “@ian_flanigan is awesome! I wish I could have been there,” another one added.
To go along with the social media post, Hoot asked his loyal fan base to pass the word along about their touching initiative. “If you are interested in donating to support those affected by the tornadoes this month, you can text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a &10 gift.”
Hoot’s philanthropic effort is not a surprise, as he has a rich track record of giving back to his community. During his time on The Voice, the hitmaker created a charitable merchandise line. While winning over America, viewers instantly wanted to support the soulful singer, and they did not hesitate to contribute to the good cause. Shortly after his exit from the show, the “Love Out Of Time” artist donated more than $15,000 to local organizations in his hometown of Cookeville, TN.
While using his powerful platform to drive change, Hoot kept the positive momentum by teaming up with Tenors Music. Together, the group brought their jolly jingle “When Christmas Has Come and Gone” to The Kelly Clarkson Show. Fans can watch Jake Hoot, and Tenors Music spread the holiday cheer here.