On Friday, April 24, in the midst of the COVID-19 Crisis, Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic was blessed to be the beneficiary of a concert by local band Monroeville. A talented rock alternative bluegrass group well-known throughout East Tennessee, the band is fronted by Grammy-nominated Matt Munsey and his wife Brittany; the ensemble also features McCoy Borg, Chevy Watson, and Kyle Dillow.
Hosted by Ole Smoky Moonshine, the band played a set in familiar surroundings, the Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery in Gatlinburg. Due to current social distancing regulations, their only physically close audience was the camera crew, members of OSM management, and the carefully stocked walls of the space where they played, but virtually, their music reached far and wide. Broadcast on Ole Smoky Distillery’s Facebook page, the performance has been viewed more than 44,000 times as of the writing of this article.
In breaks during the performance, Matt spoke about Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic and the ways in which the Clinic serves those in the area without medical insurance. He also requested that viewers of the broadcast donate money and goods including personal protective equipment to the Clinic. The viewing audience responded generously to his plea, with dozens making donations online to Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic. The money raised will help the Clinic continue to see those who might not otherwise be able to afford a medical visit due to loss of work or benefits during this crucial time.
In yet another act of generosity, the band donated their payment for the evening to the Clinic. “Monroeville was honored to share our gifts during this fundraiser so Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic can share their gifts. They have been serving our community for twenty-one years helping many low-income, self-employed, and musicians like us get the healthcare they need,” Munsey said.
Monroeville’s performance can be found online here. For more information about Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic and how you can help keep those who live and work in Sevier County healthy, please reach out to Ashley Burnette at aburnette@mountainhope.org or call 865.771.9114.
