All-Star Band Together Texas Benefit Concert Raises More Than $8.5 Million for Flood Relief

An all-star group of country singers, actors and athletes came together on Sunday night (Aug. 17) in Austin, Texas for the Band Together Texas benefit concert for flood relief. According to organizers, the show headlined by Miranda Lambert and Parker McCollum at the Moody Center raised more than $8.5 million for organizations helping Texans recover from last month’s devastating Central Texas flooding.

The three-hour show honoring the 137 lives lost in the floods and celebrating the first responders who rushed in to aid opened with Lambert and McCollum dueting on the George Strait classic “True,” followed by Lambert singing her own “Bluebird” and “The House That Built Me.”

​​”The devastating floods that took so many lives, businesses and homes last month broke a lot of hearts. As that day gets further away into the distance of our rearview mirror, it’s only natural that our concern and attention recede just like those flood waters — but we must remember, for the families who suffered, they are just beginning the lengthy journey to rebuild their lives,” said Uvalde, Texas native actor Matthew McConaughey to open the evening, according to a transcript of his comments provided by organizers.

“Tonight is about restoration… we are here to revive,” he added. “Because even in the hardest times, we have to believe in the power of joy. So while we honor the heavy truths that brought us here, we will also celebrate the light that must continue to shine.” After the Strait song, Lambert thanked the fans who showed up to raise money for The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country and the Central Texas Community Foundation.

“Thank you Austin, Texas for showing up tonight. Thank you, everybody, for tuning in and showing up for us. We are banding together as Texans tonight,” Lambert said. “It’s going to be a magical night of music, and for an amazing cause. My buddy Parker and I, we called each other right away and we asked, ‘What can we do? We can sing, so let’s go sing.’ And that’s what we’re doing tonight!”

Lambert’s friend, Red Dirt singer Wade Bowen, then paid homage to the victims of the floods, singing an acoustic version of “A Beautiful World” over video and photos of flood victims. McCollum was up next with runs through “Solid Gold Country” and “Handle On You,” telling the audience, “I’d like to give a shout out to Miranda Lambert, she’s the whole reason all of this is going on. She texted me right away and asked, ‘What can we do?’ I said, ‘I’ll do anything I could ever possibly do to help these people.’ So, good on all of y’all for being here on a Sunday night. I’ve never been more proud to be born and raised in the great state of Texas than I am tonight.”

The 29-song set list included a pair of songs from Houston native Lyle Lovett (“Don’t Cry a Tear,” “South Texas Girl”), two from Lukas Nelson and Pat Green (“Waltz Across Texas,” “Just Outside of Austin”), as well as collaborations between Lambert, Jon Randall and Jack Ingram, Randy Rogers and Brady Black, a pair from Ryan Bingham (“Hallelujah,” “Nobody Knows My Trouble”), and Jason Aldean performing “She’s Country” and “Amarillo Sky” with Lambert.

Aldean had performed at the Moody Center the night before and hung around as a surprise guest for Sunday’s benefit, donating his stage and production crew to the event. “Jason was here last night, as you already know, but he left all of his stuff for us to use, and stayed an extra day to sing a song for us, so you’re an honorary Texan tonight, friend,” Lambert said of the Georgia native.

Ronnie Dunn performed “Neon Moon” and “Believe” (with the Levites), and Cody Johnson helped close things out with “Dirt Cheap,” “Til You Can’t” and “How Great Thou Art” before a group singalong to the Willie Nelson classic “On the Road Again.”

Fort Worth-born Kelly Clarkson was slated to perform at the event, but pulled out just days before due to “personal circumstances” after earlier postponing the remainder of her Las Vegas Studio Session residency shows in August citing the ill health of her ex-husband music manager Brandon Blackstock; Blackstock died of melanoma at age 48 on Aug. 7.

The show also featured appearances from Houston-bred actor Dennis Quaid, former UT Longhorns head coach Mack Brown and players Emmanuel Acho, Colt McCoy and Vince Young, baseball legend and Houstonian Roger Clemens, TV host and Dallas native Chris Harrison and Austin-based fashion designer Kendra Scott. Acho also brought out Ainslie Bashara, 19, a counselor from the Christian summer camp Camp Mystic — where at least 27 campers and staff members were swept away by Guadalupe River floodwaters — to celebrate her heroic actions that saved 16 lives.

Fans who want to support the Band Together event can make a donation here.

Check out the full set list from the show below.

“True” – Parker McCollum & Miranda Lambert
“Bluebird” – Miranda Lambert
“The House That Built Me” – Miranda Lambert
“A Beautiful World” – Wade Bowen
“Nothin’ But Texas” – Wade Bowen
“Tree Birds” – Dylan Gossett
“Don’t Cry A Tear” – Lyle Lovett
“South Texas Girl” – Lyle Lovett
“Waltz Across Texas” – Lukas Nelson & Pat Green
“Just Outside of Austin” – Lukas Nelson & Pat Green
“Solid Country Gold” – Parker McCollum
“Handle on You” – Parker McCollum
“Tin Man” – Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, Jack Ingram
“Times Like These” – Jack Ingram
“Keep On Keepin’ On” – Jack Ingram
“Keep On Moving” – Jon Randall
“Girls From Texas” – Jon Randall
“Buy Myself a Chance” – Randy Rogers & Brady Black
“In My Arms Instead” – Randy Rogers & Brady Black
“Hallelujah” – Ryan Bingham
“Nobody Knows My Trouble” – Ryan Bingham
“She’s Country” – Jason Aldean
“Amarillo Sky” – Jason Aldean & Miranda Lambert
“Neon Moon” – Ronnie Dunn
“Believe” – Ronnie Dunn with The Levites
“Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson
“Til You Can’t” – Cody Johnson
“How Great Thou Art” – Cody Johnson
“On The Road Again” – All Sing