Charles Esten, MOC President Pete Griffin, Reba, Shane Tarleton, Martina McBride, Kelsea Ballerini and Dave & Kelli Haywood
Photo credit: Rick Diamond
Musicians On Call (MOC) kicked off their four-city Rock The Room Tour last night with a truly special evening that raised over $130K for the organization, the largest amount raised by any event held in Nashville. MOC, a groundbreaking nonprofit organization that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities across the country, created their first national expansion to Nashville in 2007 making it the obvious first choice to kick off the tour and the sold-out event at City Winery last night did not disappoint.
The packed house at City Winery were treated to acoustic performances by Black River Entertainment recording artist Kelsea Ballerini, multi-Platinum selling country star Martina McBride, country music icon Reba. There were also appearances by Nashville Mayor Megan Berry, Dave Haywood from Lady Antebellum, Warner Music Nashville President and CEO John Esposito and a moving speech by Charles Esten from the hit ABC show Nashville about his own experience with the healing power of music and support of Musicians On Call. The evening’s high points were also felt during the moving tribute video to the work and support of longtime MOC supporter Shane Tarleton, Warner Music Nashville’s Vice President & Creative Director, who received the “Golden Ukelele” for the Leadership in Music Award and his heartfelt speech that followed. The surprise finale of the evening took place when Reba and Martina pulled Shane on stage to perform a memorable duet of “Does He Love You,” bringing the crowd to their feet.
“We were so proud to launch the Rock The Room Tour in Nashville as we celebrate our amazing volunteers, supporters and celebrate delivering the healing power of music to 100,000 patients, families and caregivers in Music City,” said Pete Griffin, Musicians On Call President. “This ground-breaking, sold out evening would not have been possible without the support of our friend, Shane Tarleton, and we’re so grateful for the generosity of Reba, Martina and Kelsea to make this night so memorable.”
“It was an amazing evening celebrating the great work of Musicians On Call and my friend Shane Tarleton,” said Martina. “I loved getting to hear Reba and Kelsea sing! It was an honor to be there.”
“I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of the amazing work that Musicians On Call does and to share in this special evening of support and celebration with Reba and Martina, when I’m the new kid on the block, was truly an honor,” said Kelsea
Ballerini.
“To me, the most impactful stage for live music is that chair right beside the hospital bed of someone who is ill or injured. Musicians on Call sets that stage and fills that chair,” said Charles Esten.
The Rock The Room Tour was created to raise awareness of the impact music has on healing, honor leaders in entertainment and philanthropy and raise funds for Musicians On Call in order to continue making a difference in the lives of patients through its unique “bedside tours” in hospitals. The tour celebrates Musicians On Call’s impact in four major markets including Nashville, New York, Los Angeles, and Washington DC with special events honoring those who have showed tremendous support for the nonprofit organization. The artist performing and honorees who will be celebrated in New York, Los Angeles and Washington DC will be announced soon.
To learn more about Musicians On Call please go to www.musiciansoncall.org.
About Musicians On Call (MOC)
Musicians On Call (MOC) was founded in 1999 at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in NYC by Michael Solomon and Vivek Tiwary, with the mission of bringing live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities ranging from children’s hospitals to adult facilities, VA hospitals and hospices. To date, its volunteers have played for nearly half a million people in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Baltimore, with additional cities being continuously added. Musicians On Call continues its mission through room-to-room hospital performances by both local musicians and an esteemed list of national celebrities. MOC supporters over the years include Pharrell, Bruce Springsteen, Ed Sheeran, Lady Antebellum, James Taylor, Jessie J, Justin Timberlake, Gavin DeGraw and Imagine Dragons. For more information, visit www.musiciansoncall.org.
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