“Now is the worst time to have greed,” says country singer/songwriter and bona fide internet sensation Karen Waldrup, whose upcoming concert at Lafayette’s Music Room was canceled due to concern over the coronavirus.
The singer was quick to adapt, though, and pivoted to a series of live-streamed performances, which she dubbed the Cabin Fever Worldwide Video Series, to replace her tour. “I certainly believe that it’s a duty, especially of musicians, to take it seriously and stay in and protect the people who are vulnerable,” Waldrup says.
Karen Waldrup
The Louisiana-born songwriter made a commitment to herself to keep playing — even if she’s separated from the audience by miles and phone and computer screens. Waldrup says she will play the same night and time as the originally scheduled show, and she teases playing blues harmonica or covering an Albert King song to lean into the Memphis connection.
“I also think about the responsibility of musicians to just play music,” Waldrup continues. “Music is healing. It’s such a challenging time for everybody, and especially for us because our livelihoods depend on music.” Waldrup’s series will be available via her Facebook supporter page, which is accessible with a $4.99 fee. That way, she can play for her fans — and bring in some revenue to pay her band — without endangering anyone. Waldrup will begin the performance on her Facebook page for free (facebook.com/karenwaldrup), and will then move the concert over to her supporter page.
Karen Waldrup
The Nashville Music Industry Award-winning artist has this advice for other musicians and artists struggling to cope with the current state of affairs: “Don’t be afraid to prop your phone up, tune your guitar up, and play your music.”
Karen Waldrup’s live-streamed performance can be viewed from her Facebook supporter page on Tuesday, March 24th, at 8 p.m., $4.99.