Country music star Dierks Bentley is doing his part to help people who have suddenly found themselves out of work due to businesses shutting down over the coronavirus.
The "Burning Man" singer said in a tweet Monday that he is closing his Whiskey Row bar and grill on Lower Broadway in Nashville, Tennessee, and is donating $90,000 to help his hourly employees.
"Just gave last call at @whiskeyrownashville as we close the doors for a while. My heart goes out to all the guys/girls down on Lower Broad. Feels like yesterday that it was me down there working for tips," he posted. "I am going to immediately give each of our 90 hourly employees $1,000 to help in the short run as our community and country try to get a handle on the situation."
Bentley opened the bar in January 2018. There are three other locations in Scottsdale, Gilbert, and Tempe, Arizona.
The decision to temporarily close the Nashville location came after the city's mayor, John Cooper, instructed bars throughout Davidson County to close until further notice.
"We at Whiskey Row are in full compliance with the request and are closed until further notice," the bar said in a post on its Facebook page. "We have worked hard to earn your trust and respect, and your support means the world to us. We look forward to seeing you when this crisis has passed, and we reopen to a much brighter future!"
Bentley encouraged other bar owners in the area to take care of their staff "the best they can."
"Lower Broadway is the heartbeat of Nashville. Let's make sure we help the folks that help make the music happen," he said in his tweet.
The Arizona locations said in messages on Facebook to ensure the safety of guests they are continuously cleaning surfaces, adding hand sanitizer stations in its bars, having employees wear gloves and are eliminating communal table seating.
There have been more than 4,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and at least 85 deaths in the United States as of Tuesday morning.
