Zac Brown Band to Headline Gatlinburg Mountain Tough Benefit Festival

A free music festival in Gatlinburg called the Mountain Tough Benefit will feature the Zac Brown Band and be broadcast live to raise funds for wildfire recovery.

The November fires in Gatlinburg took a steep toll in lives, homes and businesses, touching anyone who cherishes the culture of East Tennessee and its musical soul. Answering the call to help, Ole Smoky Moonshine, Yee Haw Brewing Company, the Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau and Music City Roots are partnering to produce and present “Mountain Tough” on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016. The day-long, outdoor mini-festival will raise money in person and over a live broadcast for the Gatlinburg community.

Artists confirmed for Mountain Tough include the Zac Brown Band, Jim Lauderdale, Sam Bush, Derek St. Holmes, Jason D. Williams, Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley, Randy Kohrs, Sarah Potenza, Moe Pitney and Chelle Rose – with many more announcements expected in the coming days.

The outdoor show at 705 Parkway in Gatlinburg will be broadcast live on 100,000-watt WMOT/Roots Radio from Middle Tennessee State University as well as a network of statewide and regional radio stations. Music City Roots will webcast the event live worldwide as well. Donations will be possible through a variety of online and in-person platforms, and 100% of the funds will go to the Sevier County Community Fund, an affiliate of the East Tennessee Foundation established specifically for this cause.

“Our hometown has experienced immeasurable pain and suffering over the last week,” said Joseph A. Baker, founder of Ole Smoky Moonshine. “We’re working hard to open up the city, get people back to work and start making memories again for the millions of families that love to visit Gatlinburg. We’re incredibly grateful to the Zac Brown Band, Music City Roots, and many others for their help in making this Mountain Tough Benefit possible. While this event is free and all are invited, we hope that people will share what they can knowing that 100% of all proceeds from this effort will go to those affected by the recent fires.”

“In addition to raising much-needed money for the families that were devastated by the fires,” says Mark Adams of the Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We’re putting out the message that Gatlinburg is ‘Mountain Tough’ and open for business. The best thing people can do to help is to come here and enjoy the beauty, same as always. We need to get everyone back to work.”

Photo Credit: Danny Clinch / Shore Fire Media