Rock & Roll Hall of Fame group Lynyrd Skynyrd will headline a Hurricane Ian Benefit Concert at Hertz Arena in Estero on Thursday, Dec. 1. The night will also feature performances by Ira Dean, Brian Kelley (of Florida Georgia Line), Gavin DeGraw, Tracy Lawrence, John Rich, RaeLynn and Ted Nugent. Naples resident comedian Jim Breuer will host the evening.
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Johnny Van Zant says, “You know we are a Florida band and true Floridians, we have grown up with Hurricanes being a part of our lives. Hurricane Ian did major damage and people lost loved ones and everything they had. The folks in Lee and Collier County, took the direct impact of the storm, guitarist Rickey Medlocke and our tour manager, both live in Fort Myers. We couldn’t sit by and not try to help people in a time of need. Hopefully, we can raise a bunch of money for the victims of the storm, get some musician friends to come down and join us, and bring some smiles to the faces of those people that have lost so much. We can’t wait to see everyone on Dec. 1 at the Hertz Arena!’ #FloridaStrong”
The event is produced by Live Nation and Ira Dean for Boots on the Sand, Inc. Proceeds from the concert will be directed to disaster relief efforts through Volunteer Florida and the Community Foundations of Southwest Florida.
Dean adds, “My better half, Jennifer Parisi, and her whole family are from Naples, Florida, so Florida is my second home. I think we all have seen the news footage of cars turned upside down, but this doesn’t capture the full picture down here. Spending a ton of time in SWFL, I know that it is largely made up of blue collar, hardworking folks. I didn’t realize the devastation that Ian left in its path until I got down here to check on the house. I spent the week with Jennifer, in Naples and saw people sleeping in their front yards, and witnessed people in tears that lost loved ones. I knew right then- I had to do something. So, with a lotta help from Jennifer, we partnered up with Hertz Arena (the Hoffmann family), Live Nation, and iHeart Radio, and began calling all my musician friends to throw a Hurricane Relief concert, where 100% of the money raised goes to the victims of this devastating disaster.”
Boots on the Sand, Inc., a Florida Not for Profit Corporation, is dedicated to the recovery of Southwest Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, one of the top five most devastating storms in US history. Boots on the Sand, Inc., is raising funds to address the specific needs of individuals impacted across the state by Hurricane Ian.
Tickets go on sale Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster.com or the Hertz Arena Box Office. A pre-sale for first responders will take place prior through their agency.
