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Introduction
Alan Jackson’s Most Prominent Charitable Effort: The Newnan Tornado Benefit Concert
Alan Jackson’s most significant charitable contribution is arguably the “Where I Come From: Tornado Benefit Concert,” held in his hometown of Newnan, Georgia, on June 26, 2021.
Here are the specific details of this event:
- Background: On March 26, 2021, a powerful EF-4 tornado tore through Newnan, Georgia, completely destroying approximately 70 homes and damaging over 1,700 others. As a native of Newnan, Alan Jackson and his wife, Denise, were heartbroken by the tragedy.
- Purpose: The concert was organized to raise funds and boost the spirits of residents affected by the tornado. All proceeds went directly to the Coweta Community Foundation’s tornado relief fund.
- Venue and Scale: The event took place at the Coweta County Fairgrounds in Newnan. Tickets initially sold out within hours of going on sale, with over 16,000 tickets purchased. The event was later expanded and is estimated to have attracted over 20,000 attendees.
- Contributions:
- The concert raised an estimated $2 million for tornado relief efforts.
- The lead sponsor, Cornerstone Building Brands, contributed over half a million dollars to the rebuilding efforts, including $100,000 in cash to the Coweta Community Foundation and a commitment of $500,000 in building materials for Habitat for Humanity to be used specifically in the affected area.
- Title sponsor, Southtowne Chevrolet of Newnan, also donated $105,000.
- Guests and Performances: In addition to Alan Jackson’s nearly two-hour headlining performance featuring 22 songs, the event also included performances by fellow country artists Chris Young and Caylee Hammack, along with singer-songwriters Adam Wright and Brian Wright (also Newnan natives).
- Live Broadcast: Alan Jackson’s performance was exclusively live-streamed on Facebook, reaching nearly 1 million fans worldwide and allowing them to contribute to the fundraising effort online.
- Significance: This event not only provided crucial financial resources to help rebuild Newnan but also brought immense hope and moral support to the residents who had experienced the tragedy. Alan Jackson expressed his deep affection for his hometown, sharing that witnessing the tornado’s damage “broke his and his wife’s hearts.”
This is considered his most prominent charitable effort due to its deeply personal nature, the significant scale of fundraising, and the direct, meaningful impact it had on his hometown community.
Video