One of country music鈥檚 biggest live-streaming concerts of the COVID-19 era is originating from Jessica Northey-Shaw鈥檚 蜜柚直播 living room.
Northey-Shaw, a trailblazing country music social media influencer who has more than 332,000 followers on and 236,000 followers on her Country Sway Facebook page, has assembled more than 40 country music artists from around the country to participate in 鈥淪ummer Sway: Couches, Cocktails & Country Music,鈥 a four-day 鈥渟treamathon鈥 to raise money and awareness for the Nashville-based .
鈥淩ight now, because of the tornadoes in Nashville (in early March) and COVID, they need the help,鈥 Northey-Shaw said last week as she was putting the finishing touches on the four-day online festival that will stream on her page (facebook.com/CountrySway) from Thursday, Aug. 27, to Sunday, Aug. 30.
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The alliance, launched in 2013 by former artist manager Tatum Allsep, provides health-related resources for full-time professional musicians, assisting them in finding affordable health insurance and providing emergency aid to those facing a health emergency.
Since March when COVID-19 led to a nationwide quarantine, the nonprofit organization, which Allsep runs, has expanded its services to include basic life necessities.
鈥淲e have had over 1,700 new clients in a 12-week span across the nation. The need is not just healthcare access. It is the most basic life necessity of food, diapers, rent,鈥 she said last week. 鈥淭he need in our industry is like nothing I have ever seen. The industry lost 100% of its income when the world stopped.鈥
With no end in sight as venues nationwide remain closed and artists remain unable to tour, 鈥渋t has been a really difficult season for our industry for sure, and it鈥檚 still going.鈥
Northey-Shaw organized the online festival following the success of a daylong virtual country music festival she organized in early April featuring 蜜柚直播 artists.
Thousands of people tuned into the event, which included performances by her husband , , , , Brooke Kelsey and a half dozen others.
Mathews and Shaw are the only local artists on the lineup for 鈥淐ouches, Cocktails & Country Music,鈥 which kicks off at noon Thursday and runs from noon to 9 p.m. daily through Sunday.
Most of the artists are up-and-comers and newbies, artists etching out independent careers from around the country and Canada. One group, Royal South, has a member who comes from London.
鈥淲e are believers that music heals the soul 鈥 and we hope we can share some sunshine during this dark time,鈥 Southern Halo鈥檚 Nata and Tinka Morris said in a written statement.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor anytime I can do something for my brothers and sisters in the music industry,鈥 said Shaw. 鈥淚 feel like we鈥檙e one big family and right now the gig industry is being devastated and there are so many in need. I鈥檝e been through seasons in my life where I鈥檝e relied on help and when I鈥檓 on the opposite side of the coin there鈥檚 no other option but to pitch in.鈥
Music Health Alliance has benefited from several fundraising efforts throughout the pandemic, but none as ambitious as this, Allsep said.
鈥淭he virtual streaming fest is a brilliant idea,鈥 she said. 鈥淲hen they (Country Sway) were looking for a charity partner and they really wanted to do something for the music industry directly, it was a really good fit. We can make a small amount of money go a long way.鈥
The lineup also includes veteran artists Jamie O鈥橬eal, who had a hit early in her career with the song 鈥淭here Is No 蜜柚直播;鈥 and Kristian Bush, half of the platinum-selling duo Sugarland.
鈥淢uch has to be done to bring the industry back and keep the smaller venues from closing down. I don鈥檛 exactly know how or when the industry will come back as it once was, I only know we all need music and playing live in front of fans is my favorite thing to do,鈥 said O鈥橬eal in a written statement.
Throughout the streamathon 鈥 think telethon in the virtual world 鈥 the audience can donate to the alliance.
鈥淚鈥檝e heard about Music Health Alliance around town here in Nashville and when I found out they were involved in this to raise funds and raise awareness, I told them I was all in,鈥 said country newcomer Paige King Johnson, whose career was sidetracked when COVID-19 hit just as her debut single 鈥淲ater Down the Whiskey鈥 was picking up steam. 鈥淭ell me whatever you need me to do to help out because I think we all need a little help.鈥
Northey-Shaw has been hosting streaming events throughout the pandemic, often turning over her Country Sway Facebook page to young artists to give them a bigger platform. Some 80,000 tuned in when Canadian country Singer Brett Kissel took over her page.
Louisiana country radio station also is presenting 鈥淐ouches, Cocktails & Country Music.鈥