Country Kindness with Justin Adams and Friends

What do you get when you combine Christmas with country music?

Christmas is the spirit of giving without any thought to getting and the country music industry is filled with some of the biggest hearts there is. It's definitely the time of year when the random acts of kindness are plentiful. For example, The Last Minute Toy Store in Nashville, TN has been working hard since 1993 to provide a little Christmas cheer.

The Last Minute Toy Store, a ministry of Sixty-First Avenue United Methodist Church of Nashville, Tennessee has distributed free toys and other gifts to thousands of low-income children and youth who live in Davidson County. Working in cooperation with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s “Toys for Tots” program and other local toy providers, the “Last Minute” Toy Store is for low-income families who did not pre-register with those other providers earlier in the fall. 

For the last five years country singer Justin Adams has been volunteering every Christmas to help out The Last Minute Toy Store. The past two years Justin Adams' Ugly Sweater Christmas Concert has been Adams' way of raising money for this good cause. This years Ugly Sweater Christmas Concert is on December 7th and takes place at 3rd and Lindsley. Nada from The Bobby Bones show will be hosting the evenings events again. This years fantastic line up includes Ryan Hurd, Drew Baldridge, Maggie Rose, Kelleigh Bannen, Carly Pearce, The Railers, Mitchell Tenpenny, Courtney Cole, Erik Dylan and a special songwriters round with Casey Beathard, Lee Thomas Miller and Wynn Varble. The last Minute Toy Store is such a great cause and  Justin Adams' Ugly Sweater Christmas Concert is a fantastic way to help support it. The cover charge is just $10 and an unwrapped toy is encouraged.

If you can't make the concert, but still want to help I found a couple of options on The Last Minute Toy Store website to help you. If you don't live near Nashville or just wish to donate online visit their website here. Have toys you want to drop off? Take them to 61st Avenue UMC 6018 New York Avenue in Nashville during these listed times: 

TOY DROPOFF HOURS:

12/5 - 12/9 (Monday to Friday) 9 am - 6 pm

12/10 (Saturday) 9 am - 4 pm

12/11 (Sunday) 1 pm - 6 pm

12/12 to 12/17 7:30 am - 6 pm

12/18-19 1 pm – 5 pm

Country Kindness with Parmalee

     The artists in the country music industry have some of the biggest hearts I have ever witnessed. They are constantly going above and beyond for their fans. Although they would never see it that way. They do things that seem like no big deal to them because that is just who they are beneath the music. One such case that will melt your heart comes to you out of Eau Claire, WI. On the night of February 20th, Terri Johank made her way to Wagner Lanes with her 21 year old son Cody. Cody has down syndrome, but that doesn't stop him or his mom from enjoying live concerts (and it shouldn't either). Before the 20th Cody had only been to two concerts, but as they say "the third time is the charm." Do you remember that feeling of excitement when you got to see your favorite artist live the first time? Well country rock band Parmalee is the favorite in the Johank household and mom Terri has seen them live multiple times. However, the 20th Cody was getting to see them perform for the first time. 

Before the Show with the band

When this mom picked up meet and greets for the band, to make the night extra special for Cody, she had no clue exactly how special it would end up being. When talking with her, she said Cody was a little shy during the meet and greet, but everyone from the band to the crew was incredible with her son. According to her the perfect cure for her son's shyness was the magic of Parmalee's music. Having seen Parmalee live myself, I could not have agreed more when she told me that their music is magical. Cody was apparently making himself all kinds of friends during the concert, even snagging some kisses on the cheek from multiple ladies. If the night had ended there it would have left a smile on Cody's face for days, but a simple gesture from the band made it a night young Cody will never forget. Scott Thomas, the drummer for Parmalee, came back out and gave Cody one of his drum sticks. That sweet gesture was not the end though. It lead to Cody and his mom hanging out a bit after the show with the band. Cody got his drum stick signed by all four members of the band, hugs, handshakes, a few guitar picks, and a new round of photos with everyone.

After the show with the band

As you can tell, a picture truly is worth a thousand words. Just look at the difference in young Cody's smile in the above photos from prior to the show and then after it. If that smile is not enough to tell you that this simple act of random country kindness left an important and lasting impact on Cody's life look at this last photo:

 It's been a week since the concert and according to mom, he sleeps with his signed drum stick every night! Apparently he has even started asking when they get to see "the guys" again. Its stories like this one that make me love country music even more. Thank you Parmalee for proving the world is still full of people who actually do nice things and do not expect anything for it.