Keith Urban treats healthcare workers to a private, drive-in concert

Healthcare workers in Tennessee were treated to an unannounced, private show from country music star Keith Urban on Thursday night.

More than 200 doctors, nurses, emergency medical technicians and staff members from Vanderbilt Health got in their cars and packed the Stardust Drive-In Movie Theater about 40 miles east of Nashville.

“To all of you guys here tonight, for everything that you’ve done and continue to do, to all of your families, we say thank you — this concert is for all of you,” Urban told the crowd.

Almost 125 vehicles honked and flashed their lights throughout the performance, which lasted more than an hour.

With social distancing guidelines in place, some artists, businesses and ministers have pivoted to drive-thru and drive-in models. Electronic musician Marc Rebillet is currently plotting a concert tour that will take him through five US cities next month.

“I did this to say thanks to the healthcare workers who are putting their lives on the line for us every day,” said Urban. “And performing in this environment, with everyone in their cars at a safe distance from one another, seems like an amazing opportunity for everybody to just let go and have fun. And I’m a musician. I have to play!”

According to John Hopkins University, Tennessee has at least 16,699 coronavirus cases and 287 deaths.