Last Sunday night, acclaimed singer/songwriter Brandon Heath assembled Nashville’s Christian music community for a free concert benefiting their neighbours in Macon County, Tennessee,hit hard by a tornado on February 5th.The local event raised $18,690 and committed 85 volunteers to join in the clean-up efforts and help rebuild the storm-torn area.

Pictured backstage at Brandon Heath’s benefit show in Nashville last night are [L-R] Nathan Nockels, Christy Nockels, Bebo Norman, Michael W. Smith, Brandon Heath, and Jason Ingram

Held at Fellowship Bible Church, Heath invited fellow artist-friends to a songwriters-in-the-round show featuring intimate performances by Bebo Norman, Christy Nockels formerly of Watermark (performing solo but backed up by her husband Nathan, the other half of the now-defunct group), and SESAC’s Songwriter of the Year Jason Ingram. Plus, Michael W. Smith made a surprise appearance and performed several songs to close out the night.

“I am blown away by the response of the community,” Heath said. “It was great to have my friends there on stage with me, as well as in the audience.”He adds,”To see people wanting to reach out to their neighbours, not only responding financially, but wanting to give of themselves physically by signing up to go into the destruction and help rebuild was amazing!”

The concert was pulled together by Heath in less than 10 days after he visited the ravished county last week to help in the clean-up work. The devastating storms left 17 people dead and 150 homes and businesses destroyed. All the funds collected last night will go directly to the Macon County disaster relief fund administered by the Bledsoe Baptist Association.

For more information on Brandon Heath, visit his YMZ artist page.