This week on Community Corner, Brother Love sits down with Chris Thacker of StageWater. StageWater is a music-inspired canned water brand with a mission to support the live music community. The brand offers both still and sparkling water. It also gives 15% of its gross profits to nonprofit organizations that support musicians, crew members, venues, and touring professionals.
Chris created StageWater with Jay Ballinger and Zach Belcher. The idea started after COVID, during a long bus ride while working with Dierks Bentley. The three began talking about how little support exists for people in the music industry. When live music stopped, many people lost work overnight. Crew members, musicians, and venues were left with very few options. The pandemic showed how fragile the industry can be.
That conversation led to one big question. How could they create something that helps build a safety net for the people behind live music? They realized that water was something everyone needs every day. From there, StageWater became a way to give back through a simple everyday product.
StageWater partners with organizations that serve the music community in different ways. These include MusiCares, Backline, Music Health Alliance, The Roadie Clinic, and NIVA. These groups help with mental health, health insurance, recovery resources, touring support, and independent venue needs. Chris also talks about the people who inspired the brand. He and his partners have seen friends in the industry face serious hardship. Some were musicians. Others worked behind the scenes. StageWater was created to support those people before they have to ask for help.
The episode also shares the story behind the name. While working on Dierks Bentley’s “Beers On Me” music video, the team kept hearing phrases like stage water, stage towels, and stage drinks. They also noticed that water bottles on stage often had their labels removed. That sparked the idea for a simple black can that could blend in on stage.
Chris gives listeners a look at how StageWater grew from a tour bus conversation into a brand with a purpose. For more information or to order online, visit stagewater.com.
Also, if you missed it live, you can listen to the full episode below. Catch Community Corner live as it airs, tune in every Saturday at 7 am on Lightning 100.
