Dierks Bentley Gives Whiskey Row Nashville Staff $1000 Each Amid Coronavirus Shutdown
Dierks Bentley is reaching into his own pocket to help out the staff of his Nashville bar, who are temporarily out of work due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Bentley is providing $1000 each to his 90 hourly employees to help tide them and their families over while Music City's entertainment sector is self-quarantining.
Bentley's Whiskey Row is one of the dozens of bars on the famed SoBro strip in Nashville that recently closed because of social safety concerns caused by the coronavirus pandemic, effectively leaving 90 of the bar's employees temporarily out of work.
The three-floor bar closed its doors on Monday (March 16) as Bentley relayed this message on his Facebook page: "Just gave last call at @whiskeyrownashville as we close the doors for a while. My heart goes out to all the guys/girls down on Lower Broad. Feels like yesterday that it was me down there working for tips."
Bentley's message continued with the country star offering a $90,000 financial assist to the bar's hourly employees.
"I am going to immediately give each of our 90 hourly employees $1000 to help in the short run as our community and country try to get a handle on the situation," Bentley continued. "@riothospitalitygroup and I encourage all bar owners on Lower Broadway to take care of their bartenders, bar backs, waitresses, security, dishwashers etc. the best they can. Lower Broadway is the heartbeat of Nashville. Let’s make sure we help the folks that make the music happen."
The month of March has not been kind to Nashville residents as the coronavirus pandemic hit Davidson County (where Nashville is located) just days after a series of devastating tornadoes reaching up to EF-3 status ripped through the city. EF-4 tornadoes produced by the same storm were also recorded outside of Davidson County.
Bentley's nearest tour date on his website, Country Thunder in Kissimmee, Fla., on March 27, has recently been rescheduled for Oct. 16-18, and his band Hot Country Knights have postponed their upcoming tour.
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