Billy Bob’s Texas online concert to help Fort Worth artists amid coronavirus pandemic
In the past, Billy Bob’s Texas would celebrate its anniversary on the dance floor with hundreds of its friends.
But the coronavirus pandemic has stopped that this year.
A celebration, however, is still on.
On Wednesday, a watch party streaming concert for the iconic Fort Worth honky-tonk will come directly to fans to celebrate its 39th birthday. And the donation-based event also will benefit the Creative Industry Relief Fund of Fort Worth.
Fans are being asked to tune in at 7 p.m. Wednesday to Billy Bob’s Texas’s Facebook page for the event, which is also being presented by United Way of Tarrant County and Visit Fort Worth.
All donations will go to United Way of Tarrant County, Hear Fort Worth, Film Fort Worth and the Creative Industry Relief Fund, which was developed to help support filmmakers, visual artists and musicians who have lost work because of the coronavirus.
“Though we are moving through unprecedented times in the entertainment industry and the world with the COVID-19 pandemic, we still wanted to find a way to honor this milestone,” said Keitha Spers, director of marketing at Billy Bob’s Texas in a news release.
The goal is to reach $20,000, but the fund will stay open as long as donations come in.
“With so many artists relying on hourly or one-time income from large social gatherings in establishments now closed, this population has been hit hard by the virus,” said Leah King, president/CEO of United Way of Tarrant County in the news release. “We encourage the community to support this initative.”
The fund is open to Tarrant County musicians, filmmarkers and visual grants. Qualified applicants will be eligible for a one-time grant of $300.
“Members of the creative community have been ambassadors for our city and we need to support them in this crisis,” said Mitch Whitten, vice president of marketing and strategy at Visit Fort Worth in a prepared statement.
For more information or to donate visit unitedwaytarrant.org/CREATIVES.
This story was originally published March 31, 2020 at 1:57 PM.
