Tuscaloosa Tourism & Sports To Host Second Virtual Music Experience

Tuscaloosa Tourism & Sports will host a second Virtual Music Experience this week to benefit the Small Business Relief Fund, a TTS spokesperson announced Monday.

Barrett Elder, the Marketing & Communications Director at TTS, said the second event will be held Friday, May 8th, and feature Grammy-nominated Southern Avenue.

The free event will be live-streamed on the TTS Facebook page. Any donations given will directly benefit the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama's Small Business Relief Fund, which was created to assist local restaurants and retailers adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic and the closures it has necessitated.

The first Virtual Music Experience was hosted on April 22nd, and Elder said it generated more than 28,000 impressions over six hours and raised more than $5,000 for the SBRF.

“We can’t wait to bring you another virtual music experience and are so excited to have Southern Avenue in town.” Tuscaloosa Tourism & Sports CEO Don Staley said. “Working with the Chamber of Commerce to bring a free, virtual event that benefits a great partner of ours in Tuscaloosa.” 

Southern Avenue, a soulful jam band out of Memphis Tennessee, said they can't wait to perform for the people of Tuscaloosa.

“After over a month of sheltering-in-place back in Memphis, we couldn't be more excited to return for a safe and quick road-trip to Tuscaloosa," said founding member Tikyra Jackson. "We were unable to play last summer at the Druid City Music Festival due to the weather, so to be able to come back to town and perform virtually to help the local community...it's the next best thing.”