A live stream virtual music telethon has been announced in support of Marquita Bradshaw, Tennessee’s first Black woman to ever win a statewide party nomination. Musicians playing the event include Margo Price, Bully, Roseanne Cash, John McCauley and Vanessa Carlton, Robyn Hitchcock and Emma Swift, Daisha McBride, William Tyler, Lillie Mae and more.

The telethon will be hosted by Third Man Records and streamed on YouTube on October 20, starting at 7 pm CT. It costs $15 minimum to RSVP and get a live stream link, but the option to donate more is encouraged at the ticket site. Since donations are for a political cause, contributors must be US citizens and at least 18 years old among a few other stipulations. 

Bradshaw is the Tennessee Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate. The press release points out that she beat her Democratic opponent James Mackler in spite of Mackler’s much larger campaign budget, and includes a statement from Bradshaw, “Momentum surrounding Team Bradshaw grows each and every day. Meeting the many supporters on the campaign trail brings me so much joy and hope! With all the excitement building up around our movement, I think we’ve earned a little celebration, don’t you? Join us and wear your dancin’ shoes. Let’s keep making history—together.”

The idea for the event came from Nashville-based musician William Tyler, who believes in what Bradshaw’s doing, “I see in Marquita Bradshaw’s campaign not only a stark and inspiring contrast to the old con job style GOP candidates Tennessee continues to elect, but an actual inspiring and galvanizing individual who not only ideates change—she lives it”

Third Man Records’ Ben Swank added a third statement, “The United States and Tennessee need leadership that values working people, the environment, education, healthcare, and justice. Marquita Bradshaw embodies strong leadership in all of those issues and more. Third Man is committed to using our voices and platform to advance those causes alongside so many other great Tennessee citizens. These are the critical issues of our time and we’re proud to help in any way to shine a light on a candidate who values people above capital, and who believes that a better future is possible and has a path to help take us there.”

Nashville-based alt rock band Bully have gotten some hype this year after the release of their latest album, SUGAREGG. They also released a cover of Billy Bragg’s “A New England” in September. In July, mxdwn got the chance to interview Bully’s vocalist Alicia Bognanno about SUGAREGG and more.

Margo Price has been recording and performing a lot of music this year. Her latest album, That’s How Rumors Get Started, came out in July. It was produced by Sturgill Simpson and shows off more of a rock sound for the contemporary country star. Earlier in the year, she played some live stream shows, one of which benefitted Tennessee tornado relief. She also performed at a John Prine tribute show live stream and covered Prine’s “All the Best” for the In My Room stream series. She shared a cover of John Lennon’s “Nobody Told Me” as well.

Rosanne Cash has made a name for herself beyond her father’s name, and released a collaboration with John Paul White of The Civil Wars called “We’re All In This Together Now” in April. Her last album was 2018’s She Remembers Everything, which was about the loss of her parents.

Photo credit: Kalyn Oyer