Last night (August 17), Miranda Lambert, Parker McCollum, and a star-studded cast of musicians, actors, and athletes from the Lone Star State took the stage at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, for a benefit show to raise money for victims of the deadly Hill Country floods. Band Together Texas raised more than $8.5 million. The money went to The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country and the Central Texas Community Foundation.
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A-list actor and proud Texan, Matthew McConaughey, opened the event with a monologue that laid out the reason they were all gathered at the Moody Center. “The devastating floods that took many lives, businesses, and homes last month broke a lot of hearts,” he said. “As that day gets further away into the distance of our rearview mirror, it’s only natural that our concern and attention recede just like those flood waters—but we must remember, for the families who suffered, they are just beginning the lengthy journey to rebuild their lives,” he added. “Tonight is about restoration… we are here to revive. Because even in the hardest times, we have to believe in the power of joy. So while we honor the heavy truths that brought us here, we will also celebrate the light that must continue to shine.”…