Rodney Atkins and Friends Party with Preds Fans for ‘Music City Gives Back’

Rodney Atkins expected there would be somewhat of a crowd for his Music City Gives Back event, but little did he know he and his country music friends would be looking out into a sea of gold.

Coincidentally, the Music City Gives Back event that kicks off the CMA Fest festivities landed on the same day as Game Four of the Stanley Cup Finals with the Nashville Predators taking on the Pittsburgh Penguins. While Smashville lined the streets of lower Broadway to catch the game on the big screen, they rallied their spirits together for the sake of a little country music before the puck dropped.

“It’s divine intervention. It’s really kind of fun when you get down there and you see this. I mean, I’ve never seen this many people on all these roofs down there. The rooftops are rocking. The energy is crazy. I mean, we’re in a championship here in this town, lining up with the greatest music in the world. It’s pretty cool,” Atkins told Sounds Like Nashville and other media at the Music City Gives Back concert.

Letting in a loaded lineup of artists such as Brett Young, Granger Smith, Kip Moore and Atkins himself, the fans went wild to each set while the artists rocked out to some of their biggest hits among the Smashville crowd. To Atkins’ disbelief, he could not have felt more honored and grateful to host such a massive star-studded show and he always remains eternally thankful for the artists that take the time out of their busy days to drop by and play a set.

“When I started out Music City Gives Back, it was just an idea,” Atkins admitted. “I didn’t know if other artists would actually jump in to play because you just don’t know. You realize the great thing about artists here in this town is you throw out an option for somebody to help you out, and, man, Johnny-on-the-spot. Every year, we have these crazy lineup of artists that come in.”

Music City Gives Back benefited the kids at W.O. Smith Music School, which gives the students a place to get creative within their musical scales. Relying on that music education and outlet to express themselves, Atkins realizes how much music changed his life in the most inspiring way just as he hopes it passes along to the children learning their notes and ranges every day at the facility.

“I think that the most important thing that you can teach a kid is to be creative and get their mind going. I know it. Music kept me out of trouble, trying to learn a D chord and a G chord, and then you try to write some songs. When you go into that place, it’s magical that these kids are in a safe haven. They’re in a place where they can hang out. We’ve got the best musicians in the world, and they’re going down there teaching music lessons for a quarter, or 50 cents, or whatever it is. The smiles on their faces … You see parents coming and dropping their kids off. They go in and they feel like they’re growing; they’re learning. You want to have hits as an artist, but it’s so you can be a part of places like that,” explained Atkins.

The continuation of 2017 CMA Music Festival will officially start on Thursday, June 8, and run through Sunday, June 11.