WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and Josh Abbott joined Facebook Live this afternoon to discuss the Save Our Stages Act, Sen. Cornyn’s bill to provide relief to music venues forced to close down because of the coronavirus pandemic. Josh Abbott spoke to the impact the pandemic has had on Texas’s music industry and the need for relief through Sen. Cornyn’s bill. They also answered questions from viewers.
“Texas seems to be one place where we tend to grow a lot of great musicians, a lot of great entertainers,” said Sen. Cornyn. “That’s what the purpose is… this is not for the big names or the front guys like you, to be honest. This really is so that the unseen army of people who support you, and support people like you, and again, not just in the country music area, but for the symphonies, the Broadway shows, you name it.”
You can watch the Facebook Livestream here.
You can download a high quality version of the video here.
The Save Our Stages Act would make grants available for independent live music venue operators affected by the pandemic, provide six months of financial support to keep venues afloat, and preserve a critical cultural and economic industry employing thousands of Texans.