Jamey Johnson and friends teamed to raise more than $112,000 recently to support pancreatic cancer research. All proceeds went to the Nikki Mitchell Foundation, which is dedicated to seeking and supporting the most breakthrough data available for the early detection and cure of pancreatic cancer.
On Wed., Sept. 23, Johnson headlined a benefit show at Nashville’s Marathon Music Works that raised more than $45,000. He was joined by friends such as Shooter Jennings, Jerrod Niemann and Randy Houser. Also performing were Julie Roberts, Scotty Emerick, Naomi Cook,Jennifer Wayne, Chris Hennessee, Waylon Payne, Carters Chord, andKevin “Frenchie” Sciou.
On Sunday, Sept. 27, Johnson returned to his home state of Alabama to host the Fourth Annual Jamey Johnson Golf Tournament, which raised about $67,000 for the foundation. The golf tournament was held at Montgomery’s Cottonwood Golf Club and quickly sold out.
The tournament was followed by a concert that raised nearly $4600 and 114 new toys for the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots. The show featured Johnson, Randy Houser, T. Graham Brown, Chris Hennessee, legendary rock bassist Chuck Garric, Jeremy Popoff of Lit, Keith Gattis, Gina Gailey, River Dan and Donica Knight, as well as Montgomery’s own upstart group dubbed The Local Band with members ranging in age from 14-17.
“I’m so grateful to my friends for donating their time to fight pancreatic cancer,” Johnson says. “This is important to me because I’ve lost so many friends to pancreatic cancer in the last few years.”
Johnson was a close friend of Nikki Mitchell, who was Waylon Jennings’ business manager for 22 years and died from pancreatic cancer in 2013 at the age of 58. He was also close with legendary songwriter Hank Cochran, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2010 at age 74.