Old Dominion, Ashley McBryde + More Sign on for Nashville’s Christmas Bombing Benefit Show
Old Dominion, Ashley McBryde, Lee Brice and Scotty McCreery are on deck to perform during an upcoming two-hour show called the 2nd Ave Strong benefit, according to Music Row.
Airing live from Nashville venue the Wildhorse Saloon on NewsChannel 5 on March 26, the benefit show will support rebuilding efforts focused on restoring the city's Second Ave. neighborhood. Located just off downtown Nashville's Broadway strip, that neighborhood was impacted by 2020's Christmas Day bombing.
Aside from the musical performances, the 2nd Ave Strong benefit show will feature a look at the history of the neighborhood and its role in Nashville's evolution over the years. The show's goal is to raise $2 million to contribute to the estimated $10 million needed to restore the area. Nashville mayor John Cooper will make an appearance during the event, as will Tennessee governor Bill Lee.
Additionally, the benefit concert will feature a tribute to the first responders who helped lead residents in the Second Avenue neighborhood to safety on the morning of the bombing, keeping the attack from turning deadly.
When the bombing occurred on Christmas morning (Dec. 25) of 2020, the intentionally-set explosion damaged more than 40 buildings and injured three people, according to CNN. The blast originated from the area of Second Avenue and Commerce Street. Prior to the explosion, police responded to reports of a suspicious RV and a recording voice coming from the RV that indicated that a bomb would explode in 15 minutes and that everyone within earshot should evacuate. Ahead of the bombing, the RV also played a recording of Petula Clark's hit 1964 release, "Downtown."
In the days that followed, authorities named 63-year-old Anthony Quinn Warner as the person responsible. Human remains found inside the RV indicated that Warner was inside the vehicle when it exploded, making him the sole casualty of the blast.
The New York Times reports that Warner, who lived in the Nashville suburb of Antioch, Tenn., was an IT specialist who appeared to live a fairly solitary life. There was evidence to suggest he'd been tying up loose personal and professional ends in the weeks leading up to the bombing, but no possible motive was immediately clear.
A number of country stars voiced their shock and horror at the incident, and their support for Nashville. Tim McGraw offered up prayers for the city, also including a clip of his 2013 hit, "Nashville Without You," as a tribute to Music City. For her part, Carrie Underwood thanked the first responders who prevented the human toll of the bombing from becoming much worse.