DALLAS — A comedian who’s toured with the likes of country music stars like George Strait and all four of the Blue Collar Comedy stars made Gilley’s Dallas erupt with laughter on the eve of the International Roofing Expo (IRE).

William Lee Martin, also known as “Cowboy Bill,” entertained attendees with his unique blue-collar comedy during “An Evening in the Lone Star State,” a fundraising event jointly hosted by the National Roofing Contractors Association’s (NRCA) ROOFPAC and National Women in Roofing (NWIR) on Feb. 3.

The event, which included the chance to bid on an amazing selection of items during a live auction, benefited ROOFPAC, a political action committee in Washington, D.C. dedicated to supporting the growth and interests of the roofing industry.

Local auctioneer Mike Jones also facilitated a live auction to raise funds for ROOFPAC, which supports the NRCA’s work in Washington, D.C. Items auctioned to benefit ROOFPAC included vacation trips, a fine wine package, and hand-crafted copper replicas of the American flag and Texas star. 

The event also included an open bar and hor d’oeuvres for the more than 300 attendees to enjoy.

Martin’s impressive career features touring with comedic legends like Bill Engvall and Jeff Foxworthy, country stars like George Jones and Brad Paisley and performing on Country Music Television. His sharp storytelling approach draws on his experiences as a father in middle-America, leaving the audience recounting favorite routines as opposed to a favorite joke.

Roofing contractors, especially those in the hail belt, can relate to a story from Martin’s life. Martin said around a decade ago, in one of his toughest times, he encountered a hailstorm like no other that damaged his truck. He said he had been praying for a miracle, and instead ended up with hail. However, the damaged truck and its repairs provided him with the means to get back on his feet and continue working.

Platinum sponsors for the ROOFPAC event included ABC Supply, Firestone, GAF, Johns Manville and Sherwin-Williams. Gold sponsors included Atlas Roofing, Beacon, FiberTite, Owens Corning, Siplast, and SOPREMA. Silver sponsors were ATAS International, Carlisle SynTec Systems, IKO, KPost Roofing & Waterproofing, OMG Roofing Products, Polyglass, SRS Distribution and Tremco. Bronze sponsors were C-Cap, CertainTeed, Cotney Construction Law, Dataforma and General Coatings.