With elected officials in Washington continuing their childish game of Government Shutdown, musicians are starting to make more of a conscious effort to help the everyday Americans who are dealing with the financial burden of the ongoing political pissing contest. CHIC‘s Nile Rodgers is now one of those artists looking to give his fans a break from their professional hardships, as the acclaimed songwriter is offering 600 tickets free of charge to furloughed government workers and their families or friends for his upcoming performance at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland later this week on January 26th.
According to a statement shared on his website on Tuesday, Rodgers is hoping that his upcoming concert invite will provide some much needed “good times” for a few of the 800,000 federal government workers around the country, who’s wallets are feeling the devastating effects of the shutdown.
“Like many people, I’m frustrated by what’s happening and my heart goes out to these incredibly hard-working people who provide important service to our country, yet have had their lives, disrupted by circumstances, not of their doing,” Rodgers posted to his website. “As a two-time cancer survivor, I believe music has a tremendous power and this is a small gesture I can make to provide some joy and healing. In one of my biggest songs I wrote, “We Are Family, I’ve got all my sisters with me”, I consider all of these people to be my brothers and sisters and I hope this lets them know that we are 100% behind them.”
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Fans within the Oxon Hill, Maryland area who would like to take Rodgers up on his concert invite, should head over to his website and fill out the ticket request form. The first 300 applicants will receive a pair of tickets, but anyone interested in doing so should note that the name they’re registering with, should be the same one listed on their Government I.D., as it is required to pick up the tickets on-site at the event on Saturday.
Rodgers and CHIC are set to spend their winter and spring 2019 months performing across the country alongside fellow 70’s pop star Cher on the singer’s Here We Go Again Tour. Last spring Rodgers was announced as the new Chief Creative Advisor for London’s historic Abbey Road Studios.