Sanford songwriter, friends to hold benefit concert Dec. 18

Nov. 30—Taylor Phillips, a Sanford resident who has made it big in Nashville with his songwriting skills, wants to give back to the residents who have supported him through the years.

On Dec. 18, Phillips will do that with the 2022 Taylor Phillips HITS Lee County with Friends benefit concert to be held in the Dennis Wicker Civic Center.

This is the second year for the concert which helps raise funds for various community causes.

His inaugural concert in 2021 raised funds for suicide awareness. This year, the proceeds will go to the Lee County chapter of the N.C. Firefighters Burned Children Fund.

It's only appropriate given that Phillips continues to work as a volunteer firefighter when he's home in Sanford.

"I want to shine a light on the positive and give back before Christmas to people who are I way more need than I am. I want to do what I can and help change people's lives," Phillips said Tuesday.

The concert will feature five favorites of country music: Frank Ray, Andrew Jannakos, Sam Grow, Drew Green and Chase Matthew, according to a news release.

The show will be all acoustic as the artists sit on the stage and tell the story behind the songs they will sing, Phillips said.

Phillips has made his mark on the country music scene by writing nearly 100 recorded including top hits and songs and Billboard's Top 20 Country Music songs.

Ray's musical style has been described by Rolling Stone magazine as "easygoing contemporary County with pop-soul hooks and a dash of Southwestern spice," the release said.

He has had two singles to top the charts and three top 10 single on Texas Country Radio since his career took off three years ago.

Jannakos competed in NBC's "The Voice" in 2016. A video clip of his hit single "Gone Too Soon" went viral.

"Grow's 'Love and Whiskey' hit Number One on iTunes' Country Albums chart — doing so with zero radio airplay — and since then he's only poured more gas on the fire," the release said Grow has been featured in the "7 Country Acts To Watch" list.

Green, a Tennessee native, started his career as a well-known songwriter in Nashville and recently recorded "Little More Be Alright."

Matthew has been selling out at venues around the country on his "Born For This" tour and his single, "She Loves Jesus," is out now.

Finally, Phillips has worked with some of country music's biggest names co-writing number one hits for Luke Combs, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan and Brantley Gilbert and Jason Aldean. He recently released a single "Good Out Here."

Phillips began the concert after the suicide of his best friend, Brian Kindle, a Lee County resident, about two years ago. Kindle, a firefighter, was honored when the softball field in Broadway was named after him.

While the concert is raising funds for a different cause this year, Phillips said he considers it to a memorial to Kindle.

"He's got the best seat in the house."

Tickets are available at visitsanfordnc.com/signature-events.