Amplify Nashville

Bigfoot Yancey at the Brown County Playhouse.

~story and photo by Mandi Rainwater

Last summer, a group of music lovers and musicians got together with a singular aspiration: to bring rising stars to the big stage in Brown County. This goal was realized just months later in the form of the inaugural Amplify Nashville concert featuring Flick ‘n’ Rainwater, Bleu Django, King Bee & the Stingers, and Cody Ikerd and the Sidewinders.

Amplify Nashville returns for 2024 with a fresh roster of talent promising an unforgettable experience at the Brown County Music Center on Saturday, December 7.

Amplify Nashville is a charity event benefiting Mother’s Cupboard Community Kitchen and the Brown County Music Association. The organizations exemplify the two-fold mission of Amplify Nashville. As Bob Blass, Amplify committee member and president of the BCMA, explains, “Music is food for the soul, but sometimes people need food just in general.”

To that end, Amplify targets local musicians primed for a chance to perform in the 2,000-seat Brown County Music Center, and those musicians donate their time and talent to support these local charities.

In 2023, many of the event’s founding committee members also donated their talent as performers. Renowned harmonica player Corey Flick, who spearheaded Amplify and continues to serve on the committee, opened the show with Flick ‘n’ Rainwater and closed with Cody Ikerd and the Sidewinders. Flick described the event as a highlight of his career saying, “The dream was always [that] we got to play a big stage in a great venue, but we also got to give back to the community, and that, to me, was what made it extremely special.”

Sarah Menefee and Jeff Shew of King Bee & the Stingers are active on the Amplify committee as well. Menefee said, “It was such a thrill to perform on the Brown County Music Center stage and to be a part of inaugurating an event to help the community and musicians alike. I can’t wait to watch Amplify grow to its full potential and champion more incredible artists that deserve the spotlight!”

Also returning to the 2024 Amplify Nashville committee are Kenan and Mandi Rainwater of Rainwater Studios; Delena Hare, the owner of Platinum sponsor SERVPRO of Columbus; and singer/songwriter Jan Bell.

The Brown County community has rallied behind the event as well. Blass explained, “People understood what we were up to, and they were very open to being supportive and involved.

The list of sponsors for 2024 includes SERVPRO of Columbus, TACTIVE, Hills of Brown Vacation Rentals, Friends O’ Mine Campground, Rafters, Nashville Spice Company, Brown County Title, Centra Credit Union, The Wild Olive, The Toy Chest, Brozinni Pizzeria, Brown County Community Foundation, Nashville Chop House, and Brown County Inn.

The Brown County Playhouse stepped up to support this year’s Amplify Nashville by hosting the Songwriter Showdown, which featured 24 solo and duo acts competing for a prize package that includes the opening spot on the Music Center stage. The Playhouse’s programming director Bob McCutcheon spearheaded the project, which allows audience members to vote on their favorite performers, determining who will go on to the next round.

The Finals on November 2 features Taylor Hernly, Steve Hickman, Rick LeDune, and Michael Moulder. The winner will open Amplify with a three-song set of original music.

Going into year two, Kenan Rainwater notes, “We were fortunate to have such great talent on the committee and to experience Amplify ourselves. Now we’re really excited to share that experience with other artists from our region.” The lineup for 2024 includes four diverse bands. The D&O Band is a powerhouse of youthful talent delivering harmony-driven originals that range from pop to indie folk to country. The Hammer and The Hatchet provide bluegrass-inspired Americana roots music. Bigfoot Yancey’s foot-stomping tunes add the drive of a full drum kit to the string band. The night ends with dance-worthy funk rock from The Indigos.

Amplify Nashville takes place on the same weekend as the Brown County Christkindl Market, and the concert kicks off just after the Light Parade. The Brown County YMCA plans to partner with Amplify again this year to place luminaries along the Salt Creek Trail so parade-goers can walk to the Music Center from town.

High on the list of contributors to Amplify Nashville is the Music Center itself, which donates the venue and volunteers for the event. Director Christian Webb commented, “We are extremely excited to continue our great partnership with Amplify Nashville for year #2. Utilizing the Music Center to showcase local and upcoming talent, while being able to give back to the local community in a charity way, is exactly what this incredible venue was designed for.”

Tickets for Amplify Nashville are on sale now for $16.50 at www.BrownCountyMusicCenter.com