The Zac Brown Band has added a show at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, as part of their Out In The Middle Tour, on September 22. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Hop On a Cure, a foundation created by Zac Brown Band member John Driskell Hopkins, after revealing he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, otherwise known as ALS.
“Playing in Nashville, my home away from home, is always something special,” Zac Brown says. “This particular one is meaningful because we’re raising awareness and funds for one of our very own through Hop on a Cure. We see all the love and support Hop has received thus far so we’re gonna bring the house down and show folks a good time in appreciation.”
Hopkins announced in May that he had been diagnosed with ALS, a noncurable illness that impacts mobility.
“I have tough news to share, and my brothers and sister have gathered to support me,” Hopkins said in a video, with all of the Zac Brown Band members, including Caroline Jones, beside him. “Over the past several years, I’ve noticed some balance issues and some stiffness in my hands. After careful analysis by some of the country’s top neurologists, I have been diagnosed with ALS. Because my symptoms have been slow-progressing from the start, we believe they will continue to be slow progressing going forward. God willing, I plan to be rocking with these amazing people for many years to come.”
Hopkins might have ALS, but he is determined to keep playing as part of the Zac Brown Band for as long as possible, hopefully for years to come.
“One of the beautiful things about my condition, if God-willing it remains the way it is for a couple of years, is I have the energy and the presence to make a big impact,” Hopkins told People. “I’m ready to go. I can still play, I can still sing, I can still make records — and I want to do all that. I’m trying to record everything I can in the event that one day I might not be able to.”
Pre-sale for the Zac Brown Band’s Ryman show will begin on Tuesday, August 23, with tickets available to the general public beginning on Friday, August 26. Tickets for all of the Out In The Middle Tour dates can be found at ZacBrownBand.com. More information on Hop On a Cure can be found here.