It was New Year’s Eve that Nashville grasser Steve Thomas and his wife, Janet, were enjoying a quiet night at home, until they saw smoke filling the room. Two hours later they stood outside watching the home they had rented in Gallatin this past three years smoldering after the fire was finally put out.
Needless to say, they were devastated. Yes, they both escaped unharmed, as did Steve’s musical instruments, but they lost almost everything else. Cold and a bit disoriented, they prepared to stay at a neighbor’s house with not much more than the clothes on their backs.
In our earlier piece about the fire, we mentioned that plans were underway for a benefit concert, and the Nashville music community has really outdone themselves for this one. The consummate sideman, Steve has recorded, performed, or toured with almost everyone in town – and a great many others around the country. And so the “Ashes of Love” benefit show is scheduled for February 20 at the Ernest Tubb Troubadour Theater.
The list of entertainers reads like the lineup of a major three day festival:
| Del McCoury Band The Grascals Rambling Rooks Bobby Osborne Mark Newton & Steve Thomas Claire Lynch Marty Raybon Sister Sadie* Gary Ferguson Larry Stephenson Band Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle & Jerry Salley | Val Storey Paul Brewster Melonie Cannon Steve Gulley & Phil Leadbetter Aubrey Haynie Randy Kohrs Scott Vestal Mike Bub Ashby Frank Clay Hess and more | |
| * Dale Ann Bradley, Gena Britt, Deanie Richardson, Beth Lawrence, Tina Adair | ||
Doors for the show open at 6:00 p.m. with a 6:45 start time, running to 11:00 p.m. A $20 donations will be accepted at the door.
You can expect to see almost everyone in the Nashville bluegrass scene coming out to help their friends on the 20th. If you can’t make the show yourself, there are two ways to pass along a donation. Checks can be sent, payable to Steve Thomas, at:
PO Box 1016
Gallatin, TN 37066
…or using a major credit card or PayPal account by clicking the button below.
All funds received go directly to Steve and Janet.
We hope to have photos from the show after the fact.
