Dan + Shay singer, country stars visit Nashville, help neighbors with relief efforts after devastating tornadoes
Country stars, fans and other members of the community are rallying to support those affected by the devastating tornadoes in Tennessee on Tuesday.
Many have shared powerful social media posts to call attention to the terrible conditions in Nashville and much-needed assistance during this time, including musician Dan Smyers, one half of popular country duo, Dan + Shay.
In a touching social post, Smyers said that East Nashville has been the place himself and his wife, Abby Law Smyers, have called home for the past 7 years.
He detailed how he was having trouble grasping the devastation and mourning the lives lost. At least two dozen people were killed by the tornadoes, and officials say multiple people remain unaccounted for.
"The day after it happened, I struggled to process the fact that lives were lost, and many of the places that @abbysmyers and I frequented, no longer existed," Smyers wrote. "I distracted myself deep in a 16-hour tour rehearsal, pretending like nothing was wrong, but today it became real, and knew we needed to help."
He said he traveled back home with his wife and checked out the damage on their first home and neighbors' homes. They also witnessed firsthand how much the community is coming together to help each other.
"People, of all kinds, selflessly gathered in each yard, banding together with complete strangers, to help," he wrote. "As painful as it was to see the destruction in person, we saw the light of humanity shine through."
"I watched a group of young girls walk from yard to yard offering homemade cookies that they had baked for volunteers who might need a snack," he continued. "I watched a man with a chainsaw dismantle a gigantic tree that had fallen through a roof, and branch by branch, people carried it away until there was nothing left."
The musician also shared a message of hope, assuring his fans that "the spirit of East Nashville is far from broken."
Dan + Shay also announced Thursday that the group will be making a $100,000 donation to The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
Another country music band, Old Dominion, also pitched in with relief efforts in Nashville. The band shared a post, featuring footage of the devastation, that also reflected on the incredible support within the community.
"When I moved to Nashville I was struck by the kindness of its people," a member of the band wrote in the caption. "If I got lost people would not only give directions but would recommend other places and introduce me to other people that could help. Today I witnessed that Nashville love in a huge way."
"You’ve seen the pictures but nothing can show you the magnitude like being in it," the band member added, sharing that their crew have spent days in the area helping out.
Meanwhile, Taylor Swift shared on Instagram that she'd made a donation to the Middle Tennessee Emergency Response Fund, and her spokeswoman Tree Paine confirmed to the Tennessean that it was in the amount of $1 million.
"Nashville is my home," Swift wrote on Instagram. "And the fact that so many people have lost their homes and so much more in Middle Tennessee is devastating to me."
Many artists within the country music industry, including Miranda Lambert, Dierks Bentley, Chris Young, Trisha Yearwood, Garth Brooks and more, also raised awareness to relief efforts and encouraged their supporters to pray for those affected.
Tennessee native Justin Timberlake did too.
"Devastated for this city so many of my friends and family call home. Hurts to watch it get hit like this. But Tennesseans are some of the strongest people out there, and I know we’ll stick together and rebuild," he wrote. "Please join me in supporting and donating to this incredible community while it recovers. Swipe to check out some local organizations you can get involved with... everything helps. #NASHVILLESTRONG"
