Photo Credit: Russ Harrington

In honor of Cat Appreciation Month this February, the makers of Fresh Step litter have teamed up with cat-loving country star Kellie Pickler to ask cat lovers to flood Facebook with images of them wearing their favorite cat-centric clothing.

Don’t have any kitty couture? No problem. The Fresh Step brand has partnered with Pickler and fashion designer Geren Ford to design a must-have limited-edition cat sweater. The sweater will be available for purchase online at www.aspcaonlinestore.com, with 100 percent of proceeds benefiting the ASPCA® (The American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®). Cat lovers who aren’t in the market for a new sweater can get in on the fun, too. The Fresh Step Facebook page houses an online application that lets people digitally place the Pickler sweater onto a photo of themselves on Facebook. The Fresh Step litter team will donate $1 to the ASPCA for every photo posted, through March 15, 2012, up to $100,000.

“It’s time for cat lovers to truly display their cat pride,” said Pickler, whose new album 100 Proof launches this week. “I collaborated with fellow cat lover and designer Geren Ford to create a sweater that we hope any cat parent would wear to show their kitty pride and that all animal lovers can wear in support of the ASPCA.”

The oatmeal heather-colored tunic “Kitty Crooner” sweater with green sequin embellishments celebrates Pickler’s country roots and gives wearers a modern vintage look. The sweater will be available for purchase at www.aspcaonlinestore.com for $35 while supplies last.

Animal lovers will also have the opportunity to win Pickler’s very own “Kitty Crooner” sweater. After launching the sweater during a series of media interviews, Pickler will autograph the sweater, which will then be sold in an auction at www.charitybuzz.com/aspca through Feb. 14. Included in the auction package are two tickets to an upcoming Pickler concert, a meet-and-greet with Pickler at that concert, and an autographed copy of her new CD 100 Proof. All proceeds from the auction will benefit the ASPCA.

Rascal Flatts has been named the recipient of the CRS 2012 Artist Humanitarian Award, to be presented at Country Radio Seminar on Wednesday, February 22, 2012.

The multi-platinum selling trio of Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney are receiving the honor based on their charitable contributions and humanitarian endeavors throughout the band’s career. In 2010, the group donated $3 million to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt’s Pediatric Surgery Center. They currently serve as celebrity spokespersons for the national suicide prevention organization, The Jason Foundation, and have been members of the American Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet for the past seven years.

According to CRS Executive Director Bill Mayne, “The board is very pleased to honor Rascal Flatts with the CRS Artist Humanitarian Award. They join a long, distinguished list of celebrities who have received this prestigious award since it was instated in 1990.”

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Keith Urban has rescheduled his 2012 We’re All For The Hall Benefit Concert to be held Tuesday, April 10 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The event was originally scheduled for January, but was postponed due to Urban’s vocal chord surgery and rest at the end of 2011.

Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Reserved seating tickets start at $25 and go on sale January 27 at 10 AM through Ticketmaster outlets or at the Bridgestone Arena Box office.

In addition to performances by musical directors Urban and Vince Gill, the show will include performances by Alabama, Alison Krauss & Union Station, The Band Perry, Blue Sky Riders, Diamond Rio, Exile, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, The Oak Ridge Boys, Pistol Annies, Rascal Flatts and Thompson Square.

“My goal for the concert, is really the same as the Hall’s,” said Urban. “To help country fans connect the dots – to find out where their music came from, how it’s evolved (and is still evolving) and to discover the artists that have influenced their favorite artists. Country music is like a big beautiful strange family tree and nowhere is that more honored than at the Country Music Hall Of Fame and Museum.”

This year’s 2012 We’re All For the Hall event is the third in a series started by Museum Board President Vince Gill, which has raised roughly $1 million for the Hall according to Museum Director, Kyle Young.

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Trace Adkins will perform at BrightStone’s 10th Annual “Music That Touches the Heart” benefit on February 22, 2012. The dinner, concert, and silent auction will be held in Liberty Hall at the Factory at Franklin in Franklin, TN. Amy Grant will also be performing.

“Music That Touches the Heart” is a yearly benefit that features outstanding performers in an intimate setting. Funds raised through ticket sales support BrightStone’s adults who live each day with developmental disabilities.

“We are thrilled to welcome Trace Adkins back to our Songwriters Night, and we are excited that Amy Grant will be performing as well,” shared Dr. Craig Ferrell, Chairman of the Music That Touches the Heart Committee and member of the BrightStone Board of Directors. “Since this year’s event is our tenth, we really wanted to make it big. Having Amy and Trace there to perform will make it an exciting and special evening.”

Tickets to “Music That Touches the Heart” include dinner, a concert featuring many songwriters in addition to Amy Grant and Trace Adkins, and access to a silent auction with over 100 items. Price per person is $125; tables of eight can be purchased for $1000. Patron Tables are available for $2500 and Sponsor Tables are available for $5000. To purchase tickets visit brightstone.org. Seats and tables can be purchased through February 13 or until space is filled.

BrightStone is a resource in the community providing job training and employment opportunities for adults who are developmentally disabled. To learn more about BrightStone, visit www.brightstone.org.

Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, and Zac Brown Band have joined the performance lineup for the nightly concerts at LP Field during 2012 CMA Music Festival. The event that USA Today calls “the crown jewel of Country Music festivals” will once again take over downtown Nashville for four days this summer, Thursday-Sunday, June 7-10, 2012. Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, and Carrie Underwood were previously announced as performing.

The artists participate for free, and on their behalf, CMA has donated half the net proceeds of the Festival to support music education through the Keep the Music Playing program. To date, more than $4.7 million has been donated to purchase musical instruments and supplies, providing thousands students in Metro Nashville Public Schools with the resources and opportunities they could not have afforded on their own, and giving many of them a strong reason to remain in school.

Kellie Pickler will host the 2nd Annual “Unleashed: Dinner with Your Dog” event benefitting the Nashville Humane Association. The event will be held on Saturday, January 21, 2012 in the grand ballroom of the Hutton Hotel in Nashville, TN.

The night includes cocktails, dinner with your dog, a live auction and a pet fashion show featuring Nashville designers who have created custom “canine couture” pieces for the runway. Walked by celebrity guests, adoptable pets of all shapes and sizes will strut their stuff down the runway. Celebrity dog walkers include Ty Herndon, Jimmy Wayne, Allison Demarcus, Julie Roberts, Sarah Darling, Karla Lawson, Shane Talent, Heather Byrd, Mike Smith, Margaret Ellis, Jeffrey Garner, Dean Miller, Russell Hitchcock and more.

For more information visit nashvillehumane.org. Click HERE to purchase tickets today!

Carrie Underwood made wishes come true this holiday season for the schools in her hometown of Checotah, Oklahoma with donations amounting to $350,000 through her C.A.T.S. Foundation – Checotah Animal, Town, and School Foundation. Each of the four schools – Marshall Elementary, Checotah Intermediate School, Checotah Middle School, and Checotah High School – learned just in time for Christmas that they would receive the necessary funds from C.A.T.S. to fulfill various school needs. The donations will go towards items such as new computer labs for each school, plus playground equipment, physical fitness equipment, as well as new band uniforms, furniture, storage, instruments for their music programs, among other items.

“Late last year each of the schools created a list of their needs and I am so thrilled that the C.A.T.S. Foundation was able to fund it all,” said Underwood. “It gives me great joy knowing we are helping my hometown schools to offer an even better education to the students. They deserve it.”

“We are so proud of Carrie and her accomplishments and we appreciate everything she has done for our students. Every student in our school will benefit from the C.A.T.S. Foundation’s generous donation,” shared Toni Brown, Assistant Superintendent of Checotah Public Schools.

In addition, this past October, Underwood’s C.A.T.S. Foundation partnered with national non-profit organization KaBOOM!, and with the help of over 200 local volunteers built a playground in one day at Marshall Elementary School designed by the school’s students.

About C.A.T.S. Foundation – Checotah Animal, Town, and School Foundation
Established in 2009 by country superstar Carrie Underwood, the C.A.T.S. Foundation was created to help with general causes, needs, and services in the area of Checotah, OK, to directly impact her hometown community. In August of 2009, C.A.T.S. Foundation partnered with ACM Lifting Lives to donate over $117,000 in new instruments for Checotah’s school music programs. In 2010, C.A.T.S. helped in the rebuilding of Checotah’s animal shelter, Happy Paws. For more information on C.A.T.S. Foundation, or to make a donation, please visit www.thecatsfoundation.com.

Lynyrd Skynyrd will headline the third annual Music City New Year’s Eve “Bash on Broadway” concert in downtown Nashville. The event includes feature performances from Edens Edge, THE FARM and Jeffrey Steele.

“People expect world-class live entertainment from Nashville, and they certainly won’t be disappointed with this show,” said Butch Spyridon, president of the CVB. “The diversity of musical acts will provide a perfect backdrop for locals and visitors to ring in the New Year in Music City.”

Revelers attending Music City’s “Bash on Broadway” will count down to the New Year as a new 15-foot-tall red “music note®,” drops slowly from a 115-foot structure, taller than in previous events. The “music note®” drop, presented by Grand Avenue, will trigger a fireworks display and major confetti cannons as it reaches the midnight mark.

“We felt the new music note best represented the diversity of talents and genres that call Nashville home,” said Spyridon. “Music City has gained its reputation due to the artists, songwriters, musicians, producers, managers and promoters who call Nashville home. The music note is the best graphic to represent Nashville.”

The confetti cannons are also new this year and are done in partnership with the TJ Martell Foundation. The Foundation, which supports innovative and lifesaving research for cancer and AIDS, will be selling ‘wishes’ to revelers throughout the evening for donations as part of its national “My New Year’s Wish” campaign. Revelers can put their wishes for the New Year on a strip of paper, and literally see their wishes begin the New Year as they are released as part of the confetti cannon at midnight. The local Wish campaign is sponsored by Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery.

The show, which is free to the public, will take place on Broadway between 1st and 4th avenues beginning at 7:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. The show, will be broadcast live to a national audience on Sirius XM Radio, CNN and streamed on CNN.com. The show will be emceed by Storme Warren, host of GAC’s Headline Country and Sirius XM Radio personality.

For additional details on the event go to visitmusiccity.com/newyearseve.

It’s time again for our annual Christmas Kid Auctions! This is your chance to own items from some of your favorite country stars and also help children have a better Christmas! Any of the items that are autographed are 100% authentic. The items were either signed in person or obtained from the artist’s management, etc. Some of the items are personal items that I donate. I donate the item and the auction fees. The only money that does not go directly to the kids is the shipping & handling fees. For more information on Christmas Kids please visit: http://countrymusiccares.net/christmaskids

CMA Fest Grand Ole Opry Program
All Star Weekend Grand Ole Opry Program
Soul Surfer Post Card
Soul Surfer Hat
Luke Bryan *AUTOGRAPHED* Tailgates & Tanlines CD
Sara Evans *AUTOGRAPHED* Stronger CD
Craig Morgan Opry Induction Program
45th Annual CMA Awards Program Book
Jason Aldean *AUTOGRAPHED* 8×10
Ours Single Taylor Swift
Luke Bryan *AUTOGRAPHED* Doin’ My Thing CD
Laura Bell Bundy *AUTOGRAPHED* 8×10
Love & Theft *AUTOGRAPHED* World Wide Open CD
Taylor Swift Guitar Pick Set
Carrie Underwood Opry Trading Card
Lauren Alaina *AUTOGRAPHED* Wildflower CD

Auction Total: $121.43
(Updated on 12/19/11 @ 8:30 PM

Chevrolet has joined forces with the Country Music Association to shine a light on music education by partnering with Keep the Music Playing, CMA’s music education initiative. To kick off their partnership with Keep the Music Playing, Chevrolet and CMA are auctioning off a brand new 2012 Camaro convertible – just like the car that was on the Red Carpet at the 2011 CMA Awards. In addition, the lucky bidder will also receive the actual hood of the 2012 Camaro which features dozens of autographs from stars who attended “The 45th Annual CMA Awards” in Nashville (Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011). This exclusive 2012 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS and piece of Country Music history will be the pride of the highest bidder! Bids are accepted through May 1, 2012, with proceeds benefiting CMA’s “Keep the Music Playing” program, which puts musical instruments into the hands of students who need them.

Four-time CMA Awards hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood signed the hood, with Paisley starting the campaign live on “Good Morning American” (Nov. 8, 2011). Paisley playfully added the message, “Drive Fast” to his autograph line. Additional autographs from stars and celebrities including: Alabama, Lauren Alaina, Jason Aldean, Deborah Allen, Lynn Anderson, TV personality Erin Andrews, Katie Armiger, Rodney Atkins, media personality Glenn Beck, Natasha Bedingfield, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Laura Bell Bundy, Sam Bush, Craig Campbell, Deana Carter, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Easton Corbin, Billy Currington, actor Josh Dallas, Edens Edge, Eli Young Band, Sara Evans, Brantley Gilbert, actress Ginnifer Goodwin, Hunter Hayes, Faith Hill, the JaneDear girls, actress Nicole Kidman, Jana Kramer, Lady Antebellum, TV personality Sandra Lee, Little Big Town, actor Kellan Lutz, Loretta Lynn, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, Justin Moore, David Nail, Matt Nathanson, John Oates, James Otto, Jake Owen, Kimberly Williams Paisley, Kellie Pickler, Grace Potter, Rascal Flatts, LeAnn Rimes, Darius Rucker, Brian Setzer, Steel Magnolia, actor Eric Stonestreet, Sugarland, The Band Perry, Thompson Square, Keith Urban, Taylor Swift, Clay Walker, Chris Young, and Zac Brown Band.

Bid HERE for your chance to own this one-of-a-kind piece of Country Music memorabilia. The signed hood is yours and you get to pick the color of your choice for the Chevrolet Camaro 2SS convertible.

It’s time again for our annual Christmas Kid Auctions! This is your chance to own items from some of your favorite country stars and also help children have a better Christmas! Any of the items that are autographed are 100% authentic. The items were either signed in person or obtained from the artist’s management, etc. Some of the items are personal items that I donate. I donate the item and the auction fees. The only money that does not go directly to the kids is the shipping & handling fees. For more information on Christmas Kids please visit: http://countrymusiccares.net/christmaskids

Taylor Swift Beautiful Eyes EP/DVD
Soul Surfer Post Card
Chris Young *AUTOGRAPHED* Neon CD
Because of You (Reba & Kelly Clarkson) radio promo CD
Luke Bryan *AUTOGRAPHED* I’ll Stay Me CD
45th Annual CMA Awards Program Book
Lauren Alaina *AUTOGRAPHED* 8×10
Kellie Pickler *AUTOGRAPHED* 8×10
David Nail *AUTOGRAPHED* 8×10
Luke Bryan *AUTOGRAPHED* Program ACM New Artist Showcase
All Star Weekend Grand Ole Opry Program
CMA Fest Grand Ole Opry Program
The Band Perry *AUTOGRAPHED* 8×10
2010 Benefit Concert *AUTOGRAPHED* 8×10 Poster
Carrie Underwood *AUTOGRAPHED* Play On
Taylor Swift *AUTOGRAPHED* Fearless Platinum

Auction Total: $304.86

More than 150 military spouses, sailors and USO volunteers will join forces to assemble thousands of Operation USO Care Packages on Friday, December 16th at Naval Station Norfolk. The event will be the 15th Jack Daniel’s USO Toast to the Troops stuffing party, and will be followed by a free concert by Army veteran and country music star Craig Morgan.

Since 2005, the Jack Daniel Distillery has been collecting personal messages of support in the form of “toasts” to include in USO care packages, and has hosted 14 other “stuffing parties,” headlined by Craig Morgan, at military installations across the country. More than 150,000 care packages have been sent to our troops through the Toast to the Troops program. The 15th Toast to the Troops stuffing party will continue the tradition of having a “thank you” barbecue for the stuffing party volunteers followed by a free base-wide concert headlined by Morgan.

“All of us at Jack Daniel’s honor and support our nation’s servicemen and women, and we are very excited to bring our Toast to the Troops program to the largest naval base in the world,” said Jennifer Powell, Senior Brand Manager for Jack Daniel’s. “We recognize and sincerely appreciate the sacrifices made by the spouses and families of our military heroes. The Toast program is just one way for us to show support to our military community.”

Ten-year Army veteran Craig Morgan has been a part of all 14 previous Jack Daniel’s/USO “Toast to the Troops” events dating back to 2005. He is a recipient of the USO Merit Award and has made nine overseas trips to entertain our U.S. troops. “I’m honored to have been part of the Toast to the Troops program since it began six years ago and it’s always inspiring for me to perform for our troops and their families,” said Morgan. “I know how much it means to receive a care package out in the field and to know that you are supported. Our troops, their spouses and families sacrifice so much, and I’m glad to get the chance to let them know how much we appreciate their efforts.”

The stuffing party will begin at 1:00 p.m. on December 16th adjacent to Devary Theater; the concert will get underway at 7:00 p.m. in the theater and is open to anyone with base access. Due to heightened security, individuals can no longer send letters and packages addressed to “Any Service Member.” The Operation USO Care Package program is the best way to send a message of encouragement directly to troops and provide a touch of home. The USO has distributed more than two million care packages since the program’s inception in 2003. More information on the Operation USO Care Package program and other USO programs can be found at www.uso.org.

For the second consecutive year, RCA Nashville recording artist Chris Young is sponsoring a special holiday tree in the Gaylord Opryland® Resorts fifth annual Hall of Trees to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, one of the world’s premier centers for the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other deadly childhood diseases.

Each tree in the Hall of Trees includes major gifts donated by sponsors and is tied to a charity. Tree decorations, along with all the gifts, will be auctioned off to benefit the sponsor’s designated charity. Chris, a Country Cares for St. Jude Kids supporter, has chosen St. Jude to benefit from the proceeds of his NEON tree, which is currently on display at Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Resort.

“During my visit to St. Jude I met some incredible little kids who were fighting for their lives,” said Young. “I hope my fans will enjoy the NEON tree and help me raise funds for St. Jude to support its lifesaving mission.”

The NEON tree also comes with the following gifts:

- Chris Young autographed guitar

- $100 worth of iTunes gift cards

- Chris Young snow globe

- Autographed 4 pack of Chris Young CDs

- Country Strong hatch print poster autographed by Gwyneth Paltrow

- Autographed 8×10 of Miranda Lambert

- 10 inch digital picture frame

- Hand smocked baby dress & little black dress tree ornament hand made by Chris’ 83 year old grandmother

- Autographed handwritten lyrics of Chris’ current single “You”

- Neon tree ornaments

- Custom made Neon logo Chris Young sign

- Miscellaneous Sony music artist autographed CDs and 8x10s

Bids for Chris’ NEON tree may be placed here or in person at the Hall of Trees in Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Hotel through January 3.

It’s time for our 3rd annual 10 Until 10 follower drive! Two years ago Team Whit Duncan came up with a creative idea to help raise money and the support we received in the following days was overwhelming! Please join us again this year to help our Christmas Kids. If you’d like to commit to donate $0.10 per new follower please send us an @ reply on Twitter or a DM with your current follower count. If you aren’t a frequent Twitter user and would prefer to donate $0.10 per each new Facebook “like” that would be wonderful as well. Thanks in advance for your support*
**If you click this this link you can make sure you’re following all of the below users in seconds!** http://twitter.com/CntryMusicCares/ten-until-ten/members

Fan Twitters:
Carrie Underwood Fans: http://twitter.com/CUnews4Fans
Casey James Fans: http://twitter.com/#!/CaseyJames_FANS
Dustin Lynch Fans: http://twitter.com/DustinLynchFans
Luke Bryan Fans: http://twitter.com//LukeBryan_smile
Team Whit Duncan: http://twitter.com/TeamWhitDuncan

Other Participants:
Front Row News: http://twitter.com/FrontRowNews
Krystal: http://twitter.com/X3KrystalX3
Jodi Wincheski: http://twitter.com/jodiwincheski
Nixa Country Radio: http://twitter.com/NIXACOUNTRY
Shared Music Review: http://twitter.com/AuthenticSMR
Urban Country News: http://twitter.com/UrbanCountryNws

Facebook Fans – Donating $0.10 Per New Fan
http://www.facebook.com/CaseyEJamesFanClub
http://www.facebook.com/SharedMusicReview

After 12/10 the fan Twitters will personally make a donation to Christmas Kids! Signing up If you would like a tax receipt one can be provided. You can make your checks payable to “Christmas Kids” & mail them to the following address:

Christmas Kids
c/o Jennifer Graham
P.O. Box 140733
Nashville, TN 37214-0733

If you do not need a tax receipt you can make a donation via Paypal to: countrymusiccares@hotmail.com
*Please note that signed up for 10 Until 10 means that you are committing to make a donation (minimum of $10) regardless of how many followers you gain. We had an issue with individuals not making their donations last year. Please only serious participants! This is meant to be a fun way to raise awareness, not to harass people!

Oklahoma native Vince Gill has donated $12,000 to The Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. The funds will help complete the construction of a state-of-the-art children’s music exhibit.

Work is nearly complete on the new children’s music exhibit, but more donations are needed for the project. The hall of fame has been raising funds for the exhibit for the past year. The music exhibit is being housed in an old railroad caboose that was donated by Muskogee War Memorial Park, and transported to the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame site.

“We can’t thank Mr. Gill enough for his generosity and we are honored that he would also step forward to issue a challenge to his fellow inductees to make a contribution, as well,” said Penny Kampf, Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame executive director, in the announcement.

“Hundreds of donors have helped to make this project a reality. Now, we need an additional financial boost so that the museum can open by the end of the year.”

The project is intended to benefit children, young and old, and features Jeremiah The Bullfrog (from the Three Dog Night smash “Joy to the World,” penned by Duncan native Hoyt Axton) as the official ‘host’ for participants. The exhibits include a station where children can build a band, listen to the differences in various musical instruments and experience Oklahoma’s rich musical heritage.

“We believe children need to understand that music comes from real people and real musical instruments — not just from electronics. The OMHOF aims to educate children about the rich history of Oklahoma music — what it means, how it moves people, and its broad cultural significance,” said Kampf in the announcement.

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