On July 4, 2025, the nation watched in horror as the Guadalupe River swelled to near-historic levels. The river sent a furious wall of water throughout Central Texas that had claimed 135 lives at last count. For Pat Green, that fear was more visceral. The Grammy-nominated country singer confirmed that his younger brother, John, his wife, and their two young sons died in the Kerr County floods. Still reeling from the loss, Green, 53, had to rely on the audience to finish a performance dedicated to his beloved sibling’s memory.
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Pat Green Dedicated This Performance to His Late Brother
In 2003, Pat Green scored a Top 10 country hit with “Wave On Wave,” the title track from his sophomore studio album. On July 18, that song took on another meaning during Green’s show at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Speaking to the crowd, the ACM Award nominee, 53, revealed that his livestreamed concert at Arlington’s Globe Life Field raised more than $1 million for Texas flood victims in just two hours.
As the crowd’s shouts grew louder, Green added, “I hope you know that those cheers are not for us. They’re for those people that donated their time and money. The Texas Rangers and everybody.”
Continuing, he said, “I’m gonna do this song for my brother John, my sister-in-law Julia, my two nephews, and for all the other people who… you know.”
Briefly stepping back from the microphone to regain his composure, Green launched into “Wave On Wave.” Toward the end of the performance, he paused for another message to the crowd.
“Be kind to one another, love one another, be gentle,” the country artist said. “Do things with purpose. Let the people around you know exactly what you think about them as often as you can.”
“Anyway,” he continued, “I sure hope y’all had fun with us. Let’s end this thing on a high note. Y’all want to sing?”
[RELATED: “He Was the Best”: Country Star Shares Fond Memory of the Brother He Lost in Texas Floods]
And with that, all the voices in the room joined together.
John Burgess, 39, was vacationing with wife Julia and their two sons, James, 5, and Jack, 1, at a Kerr County RV park during the historic flooding. Their daughter, Jenna, was staying at a nearby camp and found safe.
Featured image by Rick Kern/WireImage
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