When the mother of Grammy-winning singer and musician Kathy Mattea, as pictured above, succumbed more and more to the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease a few years ago, “music became our last connection,” according to Mattea.It is only fitting then that the country music star sang  from the deepest recesses of her heart on October 9 when she and other country artists performed to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease at the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s inaugural “For the Love of George” event at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. Katie Armiger, Lani Nash, Mindy Smith and Emily West also preformed. West and Tom Randles, an anchor at WSMV-TV, served as emcees for the event, which also included a wine tasting, cocktail reception, silent auction and candle lighting ceremony to remember individuals affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Mattea  performed her heartrending hit “Where’ve You Been”—a song that, she said, makes her “think about certain moments with her own mother and other people who have had similar experiences.” Her mother, Ruth Ann (Legg) Mattea, died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease in 2005“I am thrilled to be invited to bring music to this gathering and support those trying to make a better life for individuals and families dealing with Alzheimer’s disease,” Mattea noted.

EmilyWest,as pictured above, has also embraced the cause with a passion. Her grandmother had dementia and passed away in the summer of 2008.“I wish I knew back then more about the disease to be more patient and loving to her. It was hard to watch her face transform into an overly exhausted expression from all the anger and confusion going on,” said West, who, coincidentally, appeared that same night on a re-run of “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader” on CMT, in which she won $25,000 for AFA, her charity of choice.

The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is a national nonprofit organization headquartered in New York and made up of 1,200 member organizations that provide hands-on programs to meet the educational, emotional, practical and social needs of families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses. AFA’s services include a toll-free hot line, counseling, educational materials, a free caregiver magazine, and professional training. For information, call (toll-free) 866-AFA-8484 or visit www.alzfdn.org.