📍 Part 1: A Special Concert Born from Tragedy
In the wake of devastating floods that swept through Texas Hill Country this July, two iconic voices are stepping up to do what they do best: heal through music. On August 28th, legendary Texas songwriter Robert Earl Keen will return to the stage at Whitewater Amphitheater in New Braunfels — not for a tour, but for a cause. And this time, it’s deeply personal.
Keen, a longtime resident of Kerrville — one of the hardest-hit towns — was visibly shaken by the news that 27 of the flood victims were campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, a place where his own daughters spent their childhood summers. In response, he announced a special benefit concert, pledging 100% of his tour merchandise sales to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country.
Joining Keen is Miranda Lambert, Texas-born and country royalty in her own right, who is also planning her own concert fundraiser. On August 28, though, all eyes and ears will turn to Whitewater Amphitheater as the two artists share a stage in what promises to be a night of memories, music, and meaning.
While the full setlist is still under wraps, insiders say that Keen may open the concert with one of his most beloved songs: “Feelin’ Good Again.”
🎧 Part 2: About the Song – Feelin’ Good Again
Released in 1998 on the album Walking Distance, “Feelin’ Good Again” captures the quiet magic of familiar places, old friends, and unexpected joy. Set in a small-town Texas bar, the narrator runs into familiar faces, rekindles old connections, and experiences a rare moment of peace — something often elusive in Keen’s otherwise world-weary songwriting.
The charm of the song lies in its simplicity. With a warm, storytelling tone and just the right amount of bittersweet nostalgia, “Feelin’ Good Again” became a fan favorite, especially among Texas audiences who saw their own lives reflected in the lyrics.
Over the years, it has become an anthem of emotional recovery — a reminder that, no matter how long the road or how deep the loss, there are still moments where the world feels right again.
To open a flood benefit concert with “Feelin’ Good Again” would be a poetic gesture. After all the devastation, what better message to offer than this:
“And I wanted you to see / I was feeling good again.”