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Four years after surviving his own traumatic brain injury, Country-Soul singer Drake White looks to support and inspire “the battle between your ears” with a new charity concert.
Announcing his “Benefit for the Brain,” White and a star-studded cast of fellow performers will share the stage for one night only at Nashville’s famous Ryman Auditorium on August 28. GET TICKETS HERE!
Seeking to advance research and support networks in the field of brain and mental health, White will lead a lineup which already features Randy Houser, Riley Green and Jamey Johnson, plus more special guests from the worlds of Country, Rock and Americana who will be announced soon.
Through his Big Fire Fund 501(c)(3) charity organization, all proceeds raised will be gifted to a handpicked slate of benefit partners representing three pillars: military personnel and their families with a focus on PTSD and other related issues, child and adolescent brain health, and progressive research into alternative brain and stroke treatments.
A cause near and dear to White, brain health became important to the acclaimed entertainer after suffering a stroke and collapsing onstage in 2019, being subsequently diagnosed with Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM). The rare vascular disorder forced him to relearn how to do almost everything – including playing guitar and singing – but White has since returned to the life he loves and is determined to help others battle their own brain issues.
“This will be a night of music and conversation shining light on brain and mental health,” White explains. “Through music and community, our goal is to raise awareness and resources to foster innovation in adolescent brain health, empower veterans and their families, and bridge the gap between alternative medicine and public perception. Together, we hope to inspire a community of understanding, improve quality of life, and give courage to face the battle between your ears.”
“I’m a paralysis survivor who thought I had lost the connection to myself, my parents, my wife, my guitar, pen and paper, forever,” White explained. “Then, by the power of God, I learned how to talk, walk, play guitar and re-learn an appreciation for what was at the foundation of who I am. Now, I can add my fans who stuck by me through all of this – and people I can now offer assistance to – into the mix.”
“Mental health isn’t what you want it to be, it’s what you need it to be,” he also said. “Acronyms and words that trigger people on social media aren’t enough to help people who may be at a desperate moment.”
Long hailed for his mix of swampy Southern Soul and Country roots, White was performing onstage when he suffered a stroke and collapsed in 2019. Left partially paralyzed and subsequently diagnosed with the rare vascular disorder, Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM), he is now determined to help others battle their own brain issues – and “Benefit for the Brain” is just one example of his drive.
News of the empowering benefit concert comes at the start of a brand-new creative chapter for White, who released his heartfelt new single “Spirit” at the end of June. A swaying traveler’s anthem with a hard-won sense of inner peace, the track was co-written by White with Leslie Satcher and Phil Pence, and marks the first taste of an upcoming project.
