Country music star Jacob Bryant will come to Columbus this week in a benefit to raise money for Contact Helpline, the local crisis hotline.
The concert, which opens with Columbus musician C.J. Bell, begins at 8 p.m. Friday at Muddy Waters Sports Bar on Moores Creek Road. Doors open at 7, and the entry fee is $30.
The benefit is a collaboration between Bryant, Muddy Waters, Contact Helpline and Soul Sister Events, said Soul Sister co-owner Evie Vidrine. While part of ticket sales will go to bringing Bryant to Columbus, she said, the rest will go directly to Contact Helpline.
Contact Helpline provides trained volunteers to answer crisis calls from those considering suicide, need to be connected to local mental health resources or other nonprofits, or who simply want someone to talk to about their situations. Executive Director Katrina Sunivelle previously told The Dispatch her office has seen more than double the usual number of calls since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March.
That’s the reason for the benefit, Vidrine said.
“A lot of our nonprofits in this area have obviously suffered in all of this COVID nonsense,” Vidrine said. “Contact Helpline is really important because depression is just rampant right now with everyone having to stay home and people not being able to do the things they would normally do. So they’re seeing a rise in suicide rates. So our goal is to kind of raise awareness but also raise money for this organization that is so helpful for people who are suffering from depression and anxiety and all of those things.”
She stressed that the concert is outdoors, and masks will be provided to attendees who do not have their own.
A native of north Georgia, Bryant is a singer/songwriter whose first album, “Practice What I Preach” released February 2019, which debuted No. 1 on the iTunes country chart, according to his website jacobbryantmusic.com. His online biography says his music combines “the storytelling and heart of traditional Country Music but with a hard hitting Southern Rock bit of KICK!” Vidrine said Bryant specifically requested coming to Columbus for a concert because of its available outdoor venues.
Attendees can purchase tickets at the door. Vidrine said organizers are expecting about 300 attendees, but the outdoor venue can accommodate more.
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