New England to Nashville: Songs for the Children

Since it’s conception in 2012, New England to Nashville (NETN) has grown to over 500 songwriters and artists based in or connected to New England whose artistic efforts are focused on the Nashville music scene. NETN welcomes various Nashville songwriters and artists throughout the year for workshops and performances.

But not only has the organization grown internally in size but also the reach of goodwill they offer has increased through several events that benefit people or organizations in need. It is really amazing how much New England to Nashville and it’s members do for the community in which they live.

And this weekend will be no different- on Saturday, May 16th, New England to Nashville, will host ‘Songs for the Children,’ which will benefit the Needham-based Alliance for Children Foundation. The event will be held at Loretta’s Last Call and Boston’s Country 102.5 will be on site in support of this great cause.

This incredible event will feature some of New England’s best singers and songwriters including Alec MacGillivray, Houston Bernard, Kate Cameron, Susan Cattaneo, Jenna Lotti, Erin Ollis, Annie Brobst, Emily Hodges and many more!

A message from the host, Matt Casey (founder of New England to Nashville):

A few years, I traveled to Haiti a few years with the Alliance For Children Foundation, which is my mother’s non-profit organization. I was amazed to see the incredible impact the Foundation is making in the mountain village of Kenscoff. 

They have built a home, a school, a medical facility and taught women in the village how to make jewelry that was then shipped to the US and sold with all the money going to help them and their families. 

I felt a little helpless though because I immediately felt a very powerful connection with the kids in the village, but was little more than an observer on that trip.

Since then, I try to use the chance to use my music to help the Foundation any chance I get. I am thrilled and humbled that so many talented NETN artists, including Bonnie Delongchamp who runs the Foundation alongside my mother, have offered to be part of the event and play some of the songs that I have written to raise money kids. Bonnie will also be talking about the mission of the fundraiser, to raise money for their new program in Africa. I am honored that so many NETN artists have stepped forward to lend their amazing voices to this effort and also that my partners in NEON Publishing Allen Shervelle and Keith Dozier have added some of the songs they wrote to the cause as well.

I am also really excited that my sister Marisa, who was adopted through the Alliance For Children (long before the Foundation was created, my mother started the Alliance For Children, an international adoption agency) is going to be creating a video presentation of the work the Foundation has done in other countries and that it seeks to continue in Africa.

She is also an award-winning photographer and will be there to take pictures and video the performances on May 16.

NETN member and talented singer/songwriter Liam Alves, also adopted through the Alliance For Children is another one of the artists who will be performing.

It’s really a blessing that you can work with your family on something like this to help other kids and families.

I hope you will join us.

If you can’t attend and you buy tickets, we will give them to an AFC adoptive family on your behalf or you can make a donation directly to the foundation here.

Ticket for this great event can be purchased here.

More information on this event can be found here.

For more information on this event and other NETN’s events, follow them on Facebook and Twitter!

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