Richie McDonald is set to play the May 2 installment of the Artist at the Alley series at the Walnut House

Soak it in—with each evening featuring a different well-established music artist, The Alley on Main’s concerts for charity series has (so far) raised over $145,000 throughout the last three concerts alone for those whose life luck may have them feeling a little less than well-established.

Alley co-owner Shawn Hackinson tells the Pulse it’s “a God thing.”

“I was at our bar telling my wife [Alley co-owner Christy Hackinson] how I just wished I could organize something [like this concert series]. I mentioned having Lee Brice or Randy Houser play a show. Randy Houser is one of my favorites but I was not getting anywhere with making connections to get something started. And [singer] Jared Blake of The Nashville Cartel just happened to be there that night. He spoke up and said ‘Sorry to interrupt but I know both of those guys.’”

Since that night, Houser and Brice have indeed both headlined the series. Tracy Lawrence has, too, and next up in the heavy-hitters department are Aaron Tippin and Richie McDonald, the latter a founding member of Lonestar, though he very recently left the group to pursue other projects such as focusing on spending more time with the group Frontmen of Country.

As a longtime area resident, Tippin is no stranger to helping out the community; he additionally just opened an aviation business in nearby Sparta.

To borrow from a Lonestar title, the Artist at The Alley series has become something of a thing of amazement. The way it’s all come together might be more aptly described by a slightly lesser-known Lonestar title—unusually unusual. And hey, instead of having to go through industry avenues for these concerts in collaboration with the Cartel, they’re taking the Alley way.

“To be able to have one of my top five all-time artists perform at Artist at The Alley was a pretty big deal for me. Randy Houser absolutely blew the hair back of everyone in attendance last night for over two hours,” Hackinson wrote on social media following Houser’s performance in support of the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties back in December. “Charitable organizations are having a brutal time trying to raise money to help others in their community and artists in the music industry have had their hands tied not being able to perform and do what they love while putting food on their tables as well.”

So, let that double blessing marinate.

While these events are presented primarily by The Alley, the intimate evenings take place at the nearby Walnut House event venue. Seating is reserved by table and there is a small group of tables for the room. Limited two-seat reservations are available for $800; if interested call Shawn Hackinson at 713-303-1291. Dinner and an open bar is included (perhaps “Kiss This Cherry” or “Blue Angel Blueberry” blends from Tippin’s Crossville-based Stonehaus Winery will make an appearance).

The Sunday, May 2, installment of this charitable concert event presented by Nashville Cartel members Jared Blake, Jared Weeks and Bigg Vinny, featuring Tippin and McDonald, will help fund Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. Doors open at 4:45 p.m., dinner is at 5:30, and the show starts at around 6:45 p.m. Dress is casual. Walnut House is located at 116 N. Walnut St.

For more information, call or text 713-303-1291.