Country music luminaries Morgan Wallen, Hardy and Ernest perform a lengthy “Writers’ Round” performance in honor of Big Loud partner and CEO Seth England at the 49th TJ Martell Foundation Gala in New York on Tuesday night. The gala raised around $2.6 million for cancer research – the highest amount in over 20 years. England was honored with the foundation’s Lifetime Music Industry Award.

Highlights included Hardy opening with his hit “Truck Bed,” a collaboration between Wallen and Ernest on “Flower Shops,” and Wallen’s hit “Last Night.” He also performed his new, unreleased song “Love Somebody,” which was featured on his recent European tour, and the three teamed up for their hit collaboration with Post Malone, “I Had Some Help” (though Post was not in the house).

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The event was hosted by Steve Gawley, Chairman-elect of the TJ Martell Foundation, and the Gala Co-Chair Committee, which included Ben Adelson, Tyler Arnold, Scott Borchetta, Tom Corson, Archie Davis, John Esposito, Clint Higham, Lynn-Anne Huck, Monte Lipman, Avery Lipman, Rakiyah Marshall, Debbie Martell, Joey Moi, Brian O’Connell, Andre Stapleton, Julie Swidler, Greg Thompson, Candice Watkins and Craig Wiseman.

“When I asked Seth England if he would be this year’s honoree, he didn’t hesitate, he didn’t have to check his schedule, he just said yes, because that’s Seth. He’s genuinely interested, understood the importance of our cause and was fully committed to it. Seth’s only question was, ‘How can we make the biggest impact?’ Because Seth always thinks big,” commented Steve Gawley, Chairman-elect of the TJ Martell Foundation Board of Trustees, in his speech honoring England. “The next day, Seth and his wife, Rakiyah Marshall, launched the campaign with a personal donation of a quarter of a million dollars. The Big Loud Team and the Martell Team planned a kickoff breakfast at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium last May that raised over $1.1 million and highlighted the true spirit and generosity of the Nashville music scene. Our fundraising campaign continued at full speed into the summer, and that’s when I got a call from Craig Wiseman, Seth’s other partner at Big Loud. Craig just made it clear to me how immensely proud he was of mentoring Seth throughout his career. Craig asked me, ‘How much do you need to go over $2 million? I’ll give you $300,000 today, we’ll break the record today, and now get some more for cancer research, my friend,’ and I was pretty stunned.”

In his acceptance speech, England said, “None of us would be here without the incredible work of the historic TJ Martell Foundation. This year, I have learned a lot about what this organization means to people – the lives it has saved and the money it has raised that continues to go toward cancer research. The work of the TJ Martell Foundation has touched countless lives and I am humbled to be part of that legacy. I am honored to be able to contribute to that mission in this small way tonight.”

“I always want to remind the three of them,” he pointed to Wallen, Hardy and Ernest, “and anyone else who’s listening, that this business is about what you do, not who you are,” he continued. “Tonight, I couldn’t be prouder of these three who have been there for me, for this foundation and for cancer research, because that’s what they are as people.”

The evening is the foundation’s flagship fundraiser of the year, supporting its mission to cure cancer by funding high-risk but high-reward research that could lead to breakthrough advances in early detection, screening and treatment. For more information and to make a contribution, visit tjmartell.org.

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