Eli here,

 

When we were heading up to open for Trace Adkins at the Clay County Fair in Spencer Iowa last year, my uncle who has lived in the town for over 20 years called me to tell me I should tell the flood victims I was thinking of them from the stage. I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about, and came to find out that a place that a lot of close friends and family of mine call home got decimated by a “4,000 year flood” that essentially wiped out 70% of the town's homes on June 22, 2024.

 

It didn’t get the national recognition that it should’ve gotten considering the magnitude of the disaster.

 

I got swept up in the moment, and I told the crowd that we were going to come back and do a benefit concert.

 

Since September of 2024, I’ve essentially donated all of my time, energy, and resources to making this thing a reality, and also keeping my word.

 

We are building homes specifically for the flood victims of Clay County, Iowa, that lost their homes in the flood. We are doing so with the north northwest Iowa corridor of Habitat For Humanity.

 

I’ve structured this thing so that 100% of proceeds go directly into the building of the homes, nobody’s getting paid, not even me.

 

We did tons of interviews and testimonials with Mediacom, big shout out to Jason White for donating all that time and energy, and while we were out in the field at the FEMA housing I got to gather a testimonial from a sweet old man named Everett Handy. The video is on the Flood Relief website, you guys should watch it. He talked about what he experienced that day… “first it was in the streets, then to my tree in the yard, then the door, then the couch is floating..”

 

That is what spurred the idea for the song, that first verse is EXACTLY what he described in that interview. Just to chords and melody.

I’m honored that the song has proven to be something people are using to find hope and heal.

 

It’s also a strange sensation, and I’m not sure how to take it or conduct myself around it.

 

It’s been going viral on its own in Texas

 

The reason it feels so weird is because a song I wrote is essentially “gaining” from a deadly natural disaster.

 

People really seem to be using it to heal, though.

 

I’ve decided to view myself and the song as a vessel for others.

 

The song is no longer “ours”, we are just its stewards, and its purpose is to help and heal folks who need it most.

 

To bring hope in dark times such as these we are seeing in Texas.

 

So, all that said, Texas, as of now I dedicate this song to you, and dedicate it to any and all who can use what it brings.

 

It’s purpose is to be a beacon of hope.

 

“All Hands On Deck”