Outlaws Benefit Charity For Lost Friend

The outlaws were in town last night (July 9) to raise money for the Nikki Mitchell Foundation at Marathon Music Works. Nikki Mitchell, Waylon Jennings’ longtime time business cohort, passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2013.

Jamey Johnson led the bill, offering songs from Jennings and Hank Cochran, who passed in 2010 from the disease. Also taking the stage were Shooter Jennings, Jessi Colter, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Hayes, Jerrod Niemann, Julie Roberts, Josh Abbott and Carter’s Chord. Serving as the house band were Waylon Jennings’ touring musicians Richie Albright, Jerry Bridges, Fred Newell, Tommy Townsend and Carter Robertson, mother of the members of Carter’s Chord.

Nine board members formed the Nikki Mitchell Foundation to raise money for pancreatic cancer research, which has a six percent survival rate five years from diagnosis. The first fundraising show was held in May 2013 in Austin, Texas. Nashville will host the annual event, Full Moon Full Life.

The sold out crowd participated in live and silent auctions, where Brooks and Dunn’s “Red Dirt Road” lyrics went for $800, duck hunting sold for $1,100, and Waylon’s double platinum plaque for $5,700. Additional auction items included tickets to Dollywood, Cheekwood, Nashville Zoo, Nashville Shores, a Tennessee Titans game and restaurants Puckett’s, White’s Mercantile and Sunflower Café.

Estimates report the Nashville event raised $50,000, all in honor of a friend. Information on the charity can be found here.