To borrow an oft-overused, but largely appropriate phrase: “If you build it, they will come.” And when Americana pioneer and proud Texan Robert Earl Keen recently announced a benefit concert to raise money for his beloved Hill Country neighbors, tickets sold out in under five minutes. 

Today, Buc-ee’s Presents Robert Earl Keen & Friends: Applause for the Cause announced a partnership with Amazon Music, DIRECTV, Veeps, and YouTube to bring the August 28th benefit concert worldwide via free livestream. Keen, along with Tyler Childers, the trio of Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, and Jack Ingram, Cross Canadian Ragweed, and many, many more will take the stage at Whitewater Amphitheater outside of New Braunfels, Texas, for a very special night raising money for the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. For those watching from afar, there will be multiple online donations prompts throughout the stream. 

“We are overwhelmed by the generosity fueling this concert and grateful to Robert Earl Keen, Buc-ee’s, and every artist lending their voice to recovery,” said Austin Dickson, CEO of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. “Every ticket sold is a lifeline for families, businesses, and first responders working to rebuild. This is the Hill Country at its best—coming together to lift each other up.” Applause for the Cause’s partner, the donor management platform BetterUnite, will ensure all donations received from in-person fans and at-home viewers funnel directly to the Community Foundation. Click here to donate. Beaver Aplin, Founder of Buc-ee’s, shared, “Looking out for each other is just something Texans do. We’re proud of our state, and we’re honored to be involved.” 

None of this would be possible without the generous support of Whitewater Amphitheater, Miller Pro AVL, C.C. Creations, illustrator Dorothy Nottingham, and, of course, Buc-ee’s, who have already pledged a one-million-dollar donation to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country.

What: Buc-ee’s Presents Robert Earl Keen & Friends: Applause for the Cause.

Who: Robert Earl Keen with special guest Tyler Childers, a trio set from Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, and Jack Ingram, plus Cross Canadian Ragweed, Randy Rogers, Ryan Bingham, Ray Wylie Hubbard, and many, many more.

Where: Graciously hosted at Whitewater Amphitheater in New Braunfels, TX. 

When: August 28th, livestream begins at 3:55 PM central time. 

Why: In REK’s words, “Do as much as you can, for as long as you can” to support those who were affected by the July 4th flooding in Kerr County. All proceeds will be donated to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country.

Tickets and how to watch: In-person tickets sold out in under 5 minutes however, there are many ways to watch from afar. We are grateful to our streaming partners Amazon Music, DIRECTV, Veeps, and YouTube (stream to be hosted on Robert Earl Keen’s YouTube channel).

Merch: Exclusive Applause For The Cause merchandise can be purchased in-person at Whitewater during the benefit, online at robertearlkeen.com, and via Veep’s streaming portal. 100% of benefit merchandise proceeds will be donated to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. 

Watch on Amazon Music: Prime members can watch the Amazon Music livestream of Applause For The Cause on Prime Video. Fans can also stream the event on the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, no subscription required. More information can be found here.

Amazon’s work with Applause For The Cause exemplifies its continued efforts to aid Texas flood victims. To date, Amazon has donated more than 155,000 supplies to communities most impacted by the disaster and provided technological assistance to help search-and-rescue crews after the floods.

Watch on DIRECTV: Applause For The Cause will be free for anyone in the U.S. to watch through MyFree DIRECTV by downloading the DIRECTV app on mobile or streaming devices. DIRECTV will also make the livestream available to all consumer and business customers on channel 101.

Watch on Veeps: Applause For The Cause can be streamed for free via the Veeps app available on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku, iOS, Samsung, and Android, or via veeps.com. Claim your free ticket at https://veeps.events/applause-for-the-cause. Veeps is also accepting donations for the Community Foundation of Texas Hill Country which may be made any time leading up to the event, or during the broadcast.

Watch on YouTube: Access the livestream free of charge via Robert Earl Keen’s YouTube channel. Fans do not need a YouTube account to watch. 

For more information, please visit whitewaterrocks.com or robertearlkeen.com. Click here to donate.