Robert Earl Keen has announced his summer tour dates, including a free show on July 4th, in addition to sharing other news of his efforts to connect with important events and activities for social causes, and his acceptance of Texas A & M’s Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Keen will host his sixth annual concert in Kerrville, Texas on the 4th of July, where he has lived for nearly 30 years. The free, family-friendly event is one among several other upcoming shows on Keen’s concert calendar, including dates in Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Idaho; as well as on the East Coast.
In February, Keen presented his annual benefit concert with the Hill Country Youth Orchestra in Kerrville, which provides free music lessons to all interested children in the area. This year’s event featured Ricky Skaggs and brought in an estimated $80,000, with the concert and auctions. Over the last 11 years, the grand total they have raised is now close to $750,000. This is the only free youth orchestra in the country, and has been in existence for 31 years through the generous contributions by individuals, foundations and grants and Keen’s concerts. All proceeds raised go to scholarship and endowment funds.
Keen also remains active as an advocate for musicians’ rights. In April, he was among the delegation who spoke with legislators about the Music Modernization Act during the Recording Academy’s Grammys on the Hill Awards and Advocacy Day. Happily, the bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives one week after the visit.
Later this year, Keen will formally accept the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Texas A&M University, the highest honor bestowed upon a former student. Awarded since 1962, only 276 alumni have been recognized with the award. Keen graduated from the university in 1978. Keen and Lyle Lovett, who have been friends since they met at Texas A&M, performed for five former U.S. presidents at the university in October for a benefit concert that raised $2.6 million for Hurricane Harvey relief.
Check for tour dates near you:
ROBERT EARL KEEN TOUR DATES
June 8: Fort Worth, Texas (Billy Bob’s)
June 15: Tulsa, Oklahoma (Cain’s Ballroom)
June 16: Lacygne, Kansas (Tumbleweed Music Festival)
June 17: Indianapolis, Indiana (HI-FI)
June 19: Alexandria, Virginia (The Birchmere Music Hall)
June 20: Portsmouth, New Hampshire (Prescott Park)
June 21: South Burlington, Vermont (Higher Ground Ballroom)
June 23: Norfolk, Connecticut (Infinity Hall)
June 24: Westerly, Rhode Island (Knickerbocker Café,)
June 25: Richmond, Virginia (The National)
June 26: Rocky Mount, Virginia (Harvester Performance Center)
June 28: Hattiesburg, MS (Hattiesburg Saenger Theater)
June 29: Baton Rouge LA (Varsity Theatre)
June 30: Stafford, Texas (Redneck Country Club)
July 4: Kerrville, Texas (Kerrville’s 4th on the River)
July 15: Greenfield, Massachusetts (Green River Festival)
July 25: Jackson, Wyoming (Teton County Fair Grounds)
July 27: Denver, Colorado (Levitt Pavilion)
August 10: Bozeman, Montana (MSU – Oval Field)
August 11: Challis, Idaho (Braun Brothers Reunion)
August 12: South Salt Lake City, Utah (The CommonWealth Room)
August 25: Galveston Island, Texas (The Grand 1894 Opera House)
September 7: Brevard, North Carolina (Mountain Song Festival)
September 8: Athens, Georgia (The Georgia Theatre)
November 10: Highlands, NC (Highlands Food & Wine Festival)
December 7-8: Las Vegas* (T-Mobile Arena)
* with Lyle Lovett supporting George Strait
ROBERT EARL KEEN TOUR DATES
June 8: Fort Worth, Texas (Billy Bob’s)
June 15: Tulsa, Oklahoma (Cain’s Ballroom)
June 16: Lacygne, Kansas (Tumbleweed Music Festival)
June 17: Indianapolis, Indiana (HI-FI)
June 19: Alexandria, Virginia (The Birchmere Music Hall)
June 20: Portsmouth, New Hampshire (Prescott Park)
June 21: South Burlington, Vermont (Higher Ground Ballroom)
June 23: Norfolk, Connecticut (Infinity Hall)
June 24: Westerly, Rhode Island (Knickerbocker Café,)
June 25: Richmond, Virginia (The National)
June 26: Rocky Mount, Virginia (Harvester Performance Center)
June 28: Hattiesburg, MS (Hattiesburg Saenger Theater)
June 29: Baton Rouge LA (Varsity Theatre)
June 30: Stafford, Texas (Redneck Country Club)
July 4: Kerrville, Texas (Kerrville’s 4th on the River)
July 15: Greenfield, Massachusetts (Green River Festival)
July 25: Jackson, Wyoming (Teton County Fair Grounds)
July 27: Denver, Colorado (Levitt Pavilion)
August 10: Bozeman, Montana (MSU – Oval Field)
August 11: Challis, Idaho (Braun Brothers Reunion)
August 12: South Salt Lake City, Utah (The CommonWealth Room)
August 25: Galveston Island, Texas (The Grand 1894 Opera House)
September 7: Brevard, North Carolina (Mountain Song Festival)
September 8: Athens, Georgia (The Georgia Theatre)
November 10: Highlands, NC (Highlands Food & Wine Festival)
December 7-8: Las Vegas* (T-Mobile Arena)
* with Lyle Lovett supporting George Strait