Backline hosted its second annual World Mental Health Day Benefit Show in October 2023.
Held in Nashville, Tennessee’s Brooklyn Bowl Nashville hosted a celebratory evening of music, including sets of original music from Rett Madison and Lindsay Lou leading into a Tom Petty Tribute set led by Derek Wells and headlined by the legendary Wynonna Judd.
The night acknowledged the necessity of mental wellness within the music industry, and showcased Backline’s efforts to improve access to quality resources through partnership and programming.
Backline raised $40,000, every dollar of which will go to the organisation’s continued expansion. It costs Backline an average of $35 to help one individual and the funds raised during World Mental Health Day will increase the organisation’s capacity to connect more people with life-saving care.
Eventric Master Tour also took the stage on Tuesday to announce a new feature in their popular touring software: the Mental Health Button in Master Tour mobile. All Master Tour app users can now access mental health resources immediately including: The Crisis Text Line and The National Sucicide Hotline, as well as Backline’s key programs including Case Management, one-on-one support for individuals in creating a specific mental health plan; weekly virtual Support Groups that provide safe spaces for music industry professionals; and free Wellness Offerings. With this new partnership, Backline’s resources will reach 250,000 new users.
The Handle with Care Benefit Show was the bookend for the Harmony In Practice Clinical Training Workshops for mental health providers that Backline hosted at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center this week. The workshops were sponsored by Warner Chappell Music.
Backline’s Executive Director, Hilary Gleason commented: “Our events in Nashville really represented who we are as an organization, as they helped us to build impact and celebrate our growing community. In the four years since we built Backline, we have never had a bigger week than this – where we achieved two long-standing goals: hosting the first-ever Clinical Training Workshops on working with music industry families, and announcing our massive awareness-building partnership with Master Tour. We are grateful for everyone who showed up to be a part of this moment, that helps us look to the future with more clarity, conviction and hope.”
