(AUSTIN, TEXAS - Aug. 16, 2016) - ALL ATX is gearing up for its annual charity concert and album release event, this year titled " Low Down Violet Crown: Austin Rocks the Blues"  taking place on Sept. 29 at ACL Live. The evening will mark its largest fundraising event yet, with concert and album proceeds going in a brand new direction. This year's event proceeds will now benefit four of Austin's most beloved music nonprofit organizations, including Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, SIMS Foundation, Austin Music Foundation and Black Fret. The concert will be headlined by The Doobie Brothers and also feature performances from Bob Schneider, James McMurtry, Guy Forsyth, Nakia, Jackie Venson , Walker Lukens  and many more. Selected from a wide variety of genres, each local artist will perform their take on classic blues songs, and a studio album of the featured renditions will be available for purchase both at the event and at Waterloo Records. Doors for the show are 6:30 p.m. with music at 7:30 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets for the evening, please visit: www.acl-live.com/calendar/all-atx-2016 .

 

"Under new strategic direction, ALL ATX has shifted its focus from providing Austin with a 'Music Factory,' to improving the overall conditions for the city's musicians," said Gary Keller, Founder of ALL ATX.  "After a deep study of the Austin's Music Census, we were able to identify key areas in which musicians need support: healthcare, education, affordability, professional support and housing. As a result of these findings, we now want to provide musicians with the fundamental support they need by channelling the funds raised by ALL ATX into local charities that are helping to solve these issues."

 

ALL ATX's primary mission is to protect and develop Austin's position as the "Live Music Capital of the World" by helping Austin musicians with education and affordability solutions.  ALL ATX costs will be underwritten for the next five years by Gary Keller and Mary Pfluger, ensuring that every dollar raised goes to support local musicians.

 

"There are so many great organizations that already exist that are targeting these key areas. With a strong push towards these organizations, and a more unified effort, we believe we can help make a longer lasting contribution to this city and our music community," said Keller. "This year we have chosen HAAM and SIMS in healthcare, the Austin Music Foundation in education, and Black Fret in professional support, and we are actively exploring ways to move the meter quickly in the affordability and housing areas."

 

ALL ATX's leadership is dedicated to providing Austin's music nonprofits with what they need to be able to reach as many local musicians as possible. For example, ALL ATX arranged for a property on South Lamar to be secured and rented at cost to HAAM. The nonprofit now has a larger, more dynamic office space to continue the phenomenal work they do for the city's musicians. ALL ATX has also arranged a gift from Gary Keller and Mary Pfluger to Foundation Communities in order to provide more affordable housing opportunities for musicians.

 

"HAAM has a very special friend in Gary Keller and ALL ATX, but so do all of Austin's musicians," said Reenie Collins, Executive Director of HAAM. "Gary and his wife Mary have personally been very generous to HAAM - even allowing us to office in one of their buildings, and they have supported us in so many ways including the ALL ATX concert for the past four years. We are so pleased that ALL ATX has grown to support not just HAAM but other organizations who support struggling musicians in our city. ALL ATX is about bringing Austin music lovers together to support what we all love about our city - our musicians."

 

"Gary Keller and his ALL ATX concert are home-grown Austin ingenuity and resources addressing the very real struggle of Austin musicians trying to make it in our changing city," said Heather Alden, Managing Director of the SIMS Foundation. "The SIMS Foundation is proud to be a partner and gain support from ALL ATX." 

 

"The Austin Music Foundation is thrilled to see ALL ATX partner with the cornerstone organizations for music in Austin," said Danny Gillespie, Austin Music Foundation, Board of Directors President. "We are united in our shared commitment to ensure that Austin's creative class and music industry thrive. Support from ALL ATX will give AMF the fuel to continue to provide the highest levels of professional business education and artist development for our musicians and to strengthen and connect the local music community. Actions speak louder than words and Gary and his ALL ATX team are making it happen."

 

"Austin has a fine tradition of creating some of the most innovative local music charities in the world," said Colin Kendrick, Founder of Black Fret. "HAAM, SIMS, AMF and Black Fret have been providing direct health, education, mentoring and funding to our city's incredible musicians for years. ALL ATX is a brilliant new addition with a powerful yet simple vision to unite and empower those organizations."

 

"As people and as businesses, we have all chosen to make Austin home," said Keller. "For years we have hung our hat on this city being the 'Live Music Capital of the World.' We've all benefitted from this unique culture. However, as a city, we have not united in protecting our musicians and the culture they helped create. If you take a look at the Music Census, our city is losing its creative community. We need to unite to keep them here. That is why we created ALL ATX."

 

ABOUT ALL ATX :

ALL ATX is an Austin music education based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that, in addition to its education outreach, raises money for Austin's music charities that aid musicians in the areas of healthcare and income support. Currently, ALL ATX benefits the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM), The SIMS Foundation, Austin Music Foundation, (AMF), and Black Fret. Through investing in these organizations, ALL ATX is striving to make Austin a musician's paradise that provides our professional musicians with the resources they need to not only succeed in their craft, but also maintain a healthy livelihood. ALL ATX's primary mission is to protect and develop Austin's position as the "Live Music Capital of the World" by helping Austin musicians with education and affordability solutions. For more information, please see: www.allatx.org .

 

ABOUT HAAM:

The mission of Health Alliance for Austin Musicians is to provide access to affordable health care for Austin's low-income, uninsured working musicians, with a focus on prevention and wellness. Austin is the "Live Music Capital of the World," yet many professional working musicians are self-employed and rarely have access to health insurance. Without insurance, they cannot afford preventive health care, including primary medical care, basic dental services and mental health counseling. For more information, please see: www.myhaam.org .

 

ABOUT SIMS:

SIMS provides access and financial support for mental health and addiction recovery services to Austin musicians, music industry professionals and their family members. SIMS works with over 90 therapists, psychiatrists and addiction recovery professionals in the Austin area to provide low or no cost services to music professionals suffering from depression, anxiety, trauma, stage fright, relationship problems, addiction and other serious mental health issues. SIMS Foundation: We're Listening. For more information, please see:  www.simsfoundation.org.

 

ABOUT THE AUSTIN MUSIC FOUNDATION:

Austin Music Foundation (AMF) is a nonprofit whose mission is to strengthen and connect the local music community with innovative programs that empower music professionals and music businesses within Austin's creative economy. Austin Music Foundation offers free education specifically tailored to today's music business climate. With expert panels, consultations, mentoring and mixers, AMF's programs provide the necessary tools and opportunities to help the Austin music industry succeed. Since 2002, AMF has helped over 20,000 musicians and music industry professionals and remains committed to ensuring that Austin's creative class and music industry thrive. For more information, please see: www.austinmusicfoundation.org .

ABOUT BLACK FRET:

Black Fret is a public charity headquartered in Austin whose mission is to empower musicians to create and perform great new music. The organization is an innovative evolution of the age-old symphony patronage model that is focused on supporting popular local music. Together, Black Fret's limited membership will build an endowed institution capable of sustaining more than a million dollars a year in grants to Austin's artists. For more information, please see: www.blackfret.org .