A musical reunion of sorts is taking place at Fort Worth’s Ridglea Theater on January 31st starting at 5 p.m. and lasting until midnight. No, this isn’t a long-lost local band’s reunion, instead, this event, which is being labeled the “Button’s Family Affair Benefit Concert” was created to help a local chef.
The man being honored for this concert is former Buttons Restaurant chef Keith “Buttons” Hicks, who was diagnosed with end-stage Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Hicks himself rose to prominence behind the restaurant that bears his name which had three locations in Fort Worth, Addison, and DeSoto.
Per his diagnosis, Hicks is in need of a double lung transplant surgery, which, as many can imagine, is a costly procedure. Currently, Hicks is undergoing palliative care, a prescribed treatment that controls pain, nausea, shortness of breath, fatigue, and other symptoms of this illness. To aid with this recent news, the original owners and management team from the three Buttons Restaurant locales have united to host this upcoming soiree.
“We’ve hosted countless benefit events and celebrations at Buttons Restaurant, due to our love and compassion for the community,” says Carolyn Hughes, former co-owner of Buttons. “I am asking the community to support chef Keith by attending this benefit concert in his honor. For so many years, he brought so much ‘Love, Peace, and Gritz’ to each of our lives and now he needs us.”
This upcoming concert will feature confirmed performances from over 25 bands and artists that include Melanie Dutton, Ahmad Johnson, and the Rob Holbert Band, to name a few (see the full lineup below).
Outside of this musical outpouring of support, this “Buttons family reunion” includes many of the restaurant’s former owners, managers, chefs, bartenders, servers and hostesses. Many, if not all, of these reunited co-workers will also help contribute to the evening’s festivities. One such offering is being headed up by former Buttons chefs, Billy Kidd, and Ty Frazier. The duo will treat attendees to popular southern appetizers from the Buttons Restaurant’s original menu. On top of this, there will also be several food trucks in attendance, including Fat Face Full, Angi’s Louisiana Kitchen, and The Rim Restaurant Waterside.
As aforementioned, this concert will take place on January 31st, at the Ridglea Theater located at 6025 Camp Bowie Blvd beginning at 5 p.m. Tickets range from $25 for general admission to $400 for VIP tables. They can be purchased on Eventbrite by visiting Button's Family Affair Benefit Concert Tickets, Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 6:00 PM | Eventbrite.
For those who cannot attend the concert but still wish to contribute, donations can be made on the GoFundMe page set up for Chef Keith “Buttons” Hicks by clicking here.
“My friends, this stage of my Life has been a struggle,” Hicks writes on his GoFundMe page. “I am currently on oxygen and haven’t been able to work doing what I do best, which is cooking with love! I have been diagnosed with end stage COPD and placed on palliative care. At this time, I am in need of a lung transplant. Catz, thank You for the prayers, text[s], phone calls, and much appreciated donations. Much love!”
The full Button’s Family Affair Benefit Concert lineup consists of:
- Rob Holbert Band
- Natural Change
- Melanie Dutton
- Paul Cannon
- Kenya Crawford
- Bergette Rideau
- Lori Dawn
- Tone Sommers
- Monty McKlinton
- Quinton Moore
- Killa Bug
- Linny Nance
- Taylor Pace
- Stephanie Sallie
- Kurt and Ceici Jones
- Bobby Counts
- Honorary Howard Scott
- Fredrick Nicholson Band
- Jackie Don Loe
- Second Nature
- Sam Jones
- Roxie and Ashleigh Smith
- Lewis Stephens
- Velvet and Jerry Clark
- Ahmad Johnson
- John Adams
