Sanford native and Nashville songwriter Taylor Phillips will bring his annual “Taylor Phillips HITS Lee County” benefit concert back to the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center on December 18, along with a host of chart topping country artists.
Phillips has written close to 100 recorded songs, including number one hits and top 20 country billboard recordings. The 2022 concert includes fan favorites Frank Ray, Andrew Jannakos, and Sam Grow, who appeared in 2021. Artists who will be performing in Sanford for the first time include Drew Green and Chase Matthew.
Ray is described as “easygoing contemporary Country with pop-soul hooks and a dash of Southwestern spice” (Rolling Stone) Frank’s music is a blend-drawing influences from ’90s Texas Country, Latin, R&B and Pop. As an entertainer, Frank delivers engaging, high-energy performances that have a little something for everyone. It’s with this cross-cultural appeal and his panorama of influences that the Los Angeles Times proclaims Ray “is looking to stretch Country music’s cultural boundaries.” In the three short years since embarking on his musical journey full-time, he has racked up two number one singles and three top ten singles on Texas Country Radio.
Since Jannakos first teased his breakout single, “Gone Too Soon,” in a viral clip now viewed over ten million times, that community is only getting stronger.
“It’s been so amazing seeing it all happen,” Jannakos said. “Especially when I first posted, being an independent artist at the time. One moment no one knows who you are, and then something goes viral. Then the numbers keep going up, and you realize it’s something more.”
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. Grow’s 2020 single “Song About You” burned red hot, pulling in more than 50 million streams and getting named one of Spotify’s “Best Country Songs” in the process. He has been featured on Billboard’s coveted “7 Country Acts To Watch” list.
Since releasing his debut album, “Born For This,” earlier this year, Matthew has been busy selling out venues across the nation. His single, “She Loves Jesus,” is out now, and fans can expect more new music from this Nashville riser in the coming months.
Phillips has collaborated with some of Music City’s biggest names, cowriting number one hits “Hurricane” by Luke Combs and “Good As You” and “Homesick” by Kane Brown. His recent radio charters include “Up” by Luke Bryan, “Rolex On A Redneck” by Brantley Gilbert and Jason Aldean, and “Country Looks Good On You” by Frank Ray. In 2020, Phillips joined the Tape Room Music family in partnership with Warner Chappell Music Nashville, where he continues to hone his craft. He continues to release projects of his own, including his recent single “Good Out Here” featuring UPCHURCH.
The benefit concert projects serve to raise awareness for suicide prevention and raise funds for local charities. Proceeds from this year’s concert will benefit the Lee County Firefighters’ Burned Children Fund. General admission tickets are available for $45 here.