Dierks Bentley Pledges To Give $1,000 To Each Of Whiskey Row’s 90 Hourly Employees
On Sunday, Nashville Mayor John Cooper and the Metro Nashville Health Department requested that all of Nashville’s bars shut their…
Dierks Bentley; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
On Sunday, Nashville Mayor John Cooper and the Metro Nashville Health Department requested that all of Nashville’s bars shut their doors in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus. While it’s the right thing to do to combat the sometimes deadly virus, the move is leaving hundreds of workers without a job for the foreseeable future.
Dierks Bentley is stepping up to help employees affected by the change at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row by giving each of them $1,000 to assist while they are out of work.
“My heart goes out to all the guys/girls down on Lower Broad,” he wrote on Instaram after giving last call at Whiskey Row on Monday (March 16). “Feels like yesterday that it was me down there working for tips. I am going to immediately give each of our 90 hourly employees $1,000 to help in the short run as our community and country try to get a handle on the situation. ”
The superstar closed his social media message by challenging other bar owners to do the same.
“Riot Hospitality Group and I encourage all bar owners on Lower Broadway to take care of their bartenders, barbacks, waitresses, security, dishwashers, etc. the best they can,” he urged. “Lower Broadway is the heartbeat of Nashville. Let’s make sure we help the folks who make that music happen.”
Like many artists, Bentley’s tour schedule has been affected by the coronavirus outbreak. It was just announced that his upcoming tour with Hot Country Knights has been postponed indefinitely.
Written by
Lauren Jo Black
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.