The ACM Concert – Salute to the Military Presented by NRA Country was a resounding success, as some of country music’s hottest stars came out to perform for a great cause. The free, open-to-the-public celebration for military families and country music fans was part of THE ACM EXPERIENCE that took place on Saturday, March 31st at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.

Military ID holders were invited to a reserved section for the concert, which included a very special onstage moment as three worthy military-inspired charitable organizations received donations from NRA Country Cares and ACM Lifting Lives®. Folds of Honor Foundation accepted $20,000, Wounded Warrior Project received $20,000, and Nellis Air Force Base Youth Programs was presented with $10,000.

The memorable evening featured performances by ACM Song of the Year winner Lee Brice, Larry Gatlin and The Gatlin Brothers, Bradley Gaskin, JT Hodges, Kip Moore, Craig Morgan, John Rich, ACM Vocal Duo of the Year winner Thompson Square. The show was hosted by Robin Meade, singer and anchor of HLN’s “Morning Express with Robin Meade.”

THE ACM EXPERIENCE was the first-ever, free, open-to-the public country music lifestyle event created for fans during The Week Vegas Goes Country®, the week prior to the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. The fan-focused three-day event included the ACM BBQ Throwdown, ACM EXPO, the Ram Ride and Drive and more, was held March 30-April 1, 2012 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The events culminated in the ACM Fan Jam, a ticketed event hosted by Zac Brown Band, on Sunday, April 1, 2012. The ACM Fan Jam was part of the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards on the CBS Television Network.

General Mills and Big Machine Label Group’s star-studded roster of Country music artists are teaming up with Feeding America to Outnumber Hunger in a national initiative that helps fight hunger in local communities. Outnumber Hunger will help Feeding America secure up to 15.6 million meals for local food banks to assist the one in six Americans who struggles with hunger.

According to the USDA, an estimated 49 million Americans struggle with hunger, making the issue a growing reality in every community. By simply entering codes at OutnumberHunger.com, Americans can make a difference in their local communities at a time when it matters most.

“Hunger is a year-round issue but it can be especially critical in the spring, so Feeding America food banks need help now,” said Vicki B. Escarra, President and CEO, Feeding America. “The combined reach that General Mills and Big Machine Label Group’s artists bring to the hunger crisis will help provide critical resources at this key time.”

This powerful group of partners is using its collective voice to rally Americans for the cause. Codes will appear on millions of specially-marked packages of General Mills products to give people the chance to help Feeding America secure five meals on behalf of their local food banks.

“As a leading food company, no cause is more important to us than the hunger issue,” said Cheryl Welch, Director, Outnumber Hunger at General Mills. “We’re thrilled to give people the chance to make a difference in their own communities through Outnumber Hunger.”

Specially-marked packages of General Mills products will feature an Outnumber Hunger code, as well as favorite Big Machine Label Group artists like Rascal Flatts. More than 10 General Mills brands, including Betty Crocker, Green Giant, Totino’s and Cheerios, will participate. Entering the code at OutnumberHunger.com helps Feeding America secure five meals on behalf of a local food bank. Participants enter their ZIP codes, and meals will stay in or near the area.

Big Machine Label Group artists also will offer select special codes on Facebook and Twitter that help Feeding America secure five meals for local food banks. Big Machine Label Group artists who are encouraging participation include Multi-Platinum-selling superstar artists Rascal Flatts, Reba, Martina McBride, and The Band Perry as well as established chart-topping acts Eli Young Band, Justin Moore, Brantley Gilbert and newcomers Sunny Sweeney, Edens Edge, Ella Mae Bowen and Thomas Rhett.

“It takes a Big Machine to Outnumber Hunger, and we have an opportunity to make a huge difference in local communities,” said Scott Borchetta, President and CEO, of Big Machine Label Group. “That’s why we’re thrilled to come together with our artists, General Mills and Feeding America to help the hunger issue in a significant way. Together we can Outnumber Hunger.”

Additionally, the Outnumber Hunger partners have created an educational video with Rascal Flatts that highlights the issue of hunger and shows how anyone can get involved to help Feeding America. It will air during a Rascal Flatts theater event in New York City and in over 600 movie theaters across the country on the night of April 5. Tickets to the movie theater concert event can be purchased online at RascalFlatts.com/Changed

“Our fans have always been strong supporters of us and our families,” said Joe Don Rooney, Rascal Flatts. “By being involved in Outnumber Hunger, we hope to provide that same support for those who may struggle with hunger. We’re grateful to have the chance to spread awareness of this important cause.”

General Mills will donate $0.65 to Feeding America—enough to help secure 5 meals on behalf of local food banks—for every code entered. To make a difference in your local community with Outnumber Hunger, visit www.OutnumberHunger.com.

Belmont University alumnus Brad Paisley recently established an endowed scholarship at his alma mater. The Brad Paisley Endowed Scholarship will provide financial assistance for a deserving student with demonstrated need who is studying in the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business.
Paisley said, “I’ve often said that the best course of education for a young person wanting to pursue country music is to go to college at Belmont. I speak from experience. I wouldn’t be in any position to offer a scholarship if I had not gone to Belmont – this is the least I can do in appreciation.”

Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher added, “I’ve heard Brad say that he ‘got his big break’ when he set foot on the campus of Belmont University, a place where he met fellow students who became members of what became ‘Team Paisley.’ Well, we’ve come full circle to realize that Belmont University and future students got our big break when Brad arrived on campus. We’re deeply grateful for his continued friendship and his commitment to making Belmont better than it was when he first found us.”

In 2003, Paisley received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Belmont. A 1995 graduate with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, Paisley majored in music business at what was then the Mike Curb School of Music Business. During his Belmont career, Paisley himself benefitted from a scholarship supported by Vince Gill and has long been committed to “paying it forward” to another deserving student.

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Craig Morgan, Thompson Square, Lee Brice, Larry Gatlin and The Gatlin Brothers, JT Hodges and Kip Moore will perform at the ACM concert – Salute to the Military on March 31, as part of the ACM Experience weekend in Las Vegas. The event, which is presented by NRA Country is a free celebration for military families and country music fans and will be held at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. The evening will be hosted by Robin Meade. Military ID holders will be invited to a special reserved section for the concert, which will include special onstage moments such as the presentation of charitable donations to three worthy military-inspired charitable organizations: Folds of Honor Foundation, Nellis Air Force Base Youth Programs and Wounded Warrior Project.

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Ronnie Dunn and Kris Kristofferson at the T.J. Martell Honors Gala.
Photo Credit: Rick Diamond/Getty Images

On March 26, Charlie Daniels, Ronnie Dunn, Emmylou Harris, Bruce Hornsby,Martina McBride and Vince Gill provided the entertainment for the 2012 T.J. Martell Foundation’s Honors Gala in Nashville. The event which was hosted by Vince Gill raised over $400,000 to fund cancer research at 11 U.S. hospitals. The event also featured former Sony Nashville Chairman Joe Galante, being presented the Frances William Preston Lifetime Music Industry Award. Other honorees included Kris Kristofferson, Colin Reed, Tom Cigarran and C. Wright Pinson.

The T.J. Martell Foundation is the music industry’s largest foundation that funds medical research on cures for leukemia, cancer and AIDS. The foundation has provided over $250 million in research at top U.S. hospitals. For more information, visit www.honorsgala.org.

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Little Big Town will partner with ACM Lifting Lives® to perform “Here’s Hope,” an original song co-written by singer-songwriter and ACM New Artist of the Year nominee Hunter Hayes, to shed light on child hunger in the United States. This special musical moment, presented by ConAgra Foods’ Child Hunger Ends Here campaign, will be performed at the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, to be broadcast live on Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. ET on the CBS Television Network. Hayes will introduce the powerhouse quartet, who will be joined onstage by the Clark County Children’s Choir, to bring this powerful 2012 ACM Lifting Lives moment to viewers.

“When I first learned about ACM Lifting Lives a few years ago, I immediately asked to be a part of this amazing organization,” said Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town. “Lifting Lives seeks out needs and takes care of people. They work hard at giving both children and adults comfort, contentment and happiness. We are so honored and excited to be a part of the very special Lifting Lives moment to end childhood hunger on the ACM Awards. We can’t wait!”

After learning that more than one in five children in America do not know where their next meal is coming from, Hayes, along with industry-leading songwriters Luke Laird and Barry Dean, was inspired to pen “Here’s Hope.” By using the power of music to touch hearts, the song was written to inspire consumers to join the fight against child hunger.

“What I didn’t realize – and what most people may not know – is that child hunger is not a faraway problem; it’s a problem right here in our own backyards,” said Hayes. “The good news though is that this is a problem we can all help solve together. My hope is that through music, we can inspire people to get involved and finally put an end to child hunger in our country.”

ACM Lifting Lives, which works to improve lives through music, is spotlighting Hayes’ personal passion for ending child hunger and his work with the ConAgra Foods Child Hunger Ends Here campaign, which will donate up to five million meals this school year[1] to Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization. To participate, consumers can purchase specially-marked packages of select ConAgra Foods brands, including Banquet, Chef Boyardee, Healthy Choice, Hunt’s, Marie Callender’s, Manwich, Orville Redenbacher’s, Peter Pan and Snack Pack, and then visit www.ChildHungerEndsHere.com to enter the eight-digit code found on participating product packages. For each code entered through August 2012, the equivalent of one meal* will be donated to Feeding America. In return for entering a code from specially-marked packages, consumers can download their favorite version of “Here’s Hope” from Jewel, Owl City and Jay Sean.

“Lifting Lives is dedicated to improving lives through the power of music. By partnering with ConAgra Foods, Little Big Town, Hunter Hayes and consumers, we want to use a song in the telecast to raise awareness about how we can all help eradicate child hunger in the United States,” said Lisa Huddleson, Executive Director, ACM Lifting Lives.

“ConAgra Foods is proud to partner with the Academy of Country Music, Hunter Hayes and Feeding America to help solve the issue of child hunger,” said Chris Sinta, ConAgra Foods, Director of Consumer Promotions and Sponsorships. “We believe this partnership, and the performance of ‘Here’s Hope’ by Little Big Town, will drive home the fact that more than one in five children don’t know where their next meal is coming from, raise awareness of our commitment to ending child hunger and reinforce how everyone can help.”

For more information on how to join the fight against child hunger and how to participate in the ConAgra Foods Child Hunger Ends Here program click HERE.

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Jeana Potthoff and Richard Roman are the giving songwriters who wrote the song “Hiding from the Rain.” Jeana’s grandparents had Alzheimer’s and Richard’s father had dementia, so they both know first-hand the affect it has on those suffering and their families. They hope the song will touch people’s hearts and move them to support organizations working on a cure and providing services to the caregivers.

For more information click HERE.

First Lady Michelle Obama will make her first-ever appearance at Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards to present Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Taylor Swift with this year’s The Big Help Award in recognition of her extensive philanthropic endeavors, including her work with tornado and flood survivors in the United States. This year’s Kids’ Choice Awards, will be telecast live on Nickelodeon Saturday, March 31, at 8:00 pm ET. The Big Help Award recognizes individuals who take actions to better the world and whose significant impact on their community has inspired kids to do the same.

“Taylor’s dedication to helping others has encouraged her fan base to do the same, and this is the very core of what The Big Help is, inspiring others through action,” said Marva Smalls, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs and Chief of Staff, Nickelodeon Group. “We are honored that First Lady Michelle Obama, a past recipient of The Big Help Award will be presenting this formidable and inspiring artist with this much deserved honor.”

Among her many charitable works, Swift is dedicated to raising funds and awareness to benefit those affected by natural disasters. Most recently, Swift took the unprecedented step of opening the last dress rehearsal of her Speak Now Tour to fans as a fundraiser for victims of the deadly tornadoes that tore through the Southeastern region of the U.S. The event raised more than $750,000, with 100% of ticket sales going directly to help tornado victims via the “Speak Now … Help Now” Fund established through the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Swift’s ongoing charitable work includes partnerships with Make-A-Wish Foundation, St. Jude Medical Center, Habitat for Humanity, TJ Martell Foundation, The Red Cross and its international and regional affiliates, The Salvation Army, Nick’s Kids, and the Victory Junction Gang Camp, as well as libraries, schools and educational initiatives around the country.

Nickelodeon’s The Big Help is a prosocial initiative that empowers kids to take positive actions on issues that are important to them. The goal of the campaign is to launch a kid-led movement, focusing on key issues like health and wellness, education, community service, and the environment. This is the fourth consecutive year The Big Help Award has been awarded to a celebrity who embodies the spirit of the Nickelodeon Big Help initiative. Previous winners include last year’s recipient Justin Timberlake; this year’s presenter of the award, First Lady Michelle Obama in 2010; and Leonardo DiCaprio in 2009.

Kids can pledge to make a difference in their community by going to www.nick.com/thebighelp. The Big Help site will show them how to take positive actions that will directly affect their communities.

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Lady Antebellum announced last week that tornado ravaged Henryville High School in Indiana would be the recipients of a private concert from their OWN THE NIGHT Prom Contest. The group is inviting the school’s Juniors and Seniors to the KFC YUM! Center on May 16 for a private prom event followed by a post-party concert that will be open to the public. All proceeds raised from the concert portion of Rebuilding Henryville will remain local through the New Hope/Indiana Bankers Association for the benefit of the Disaster Relief Fund.

“The whole community, especially the students, is excited about Lady Antebellum coming and performing for Henryville,” said Superintendent of the West Clark Community Schools Monty Schneider. “They missed so much with the school being destroyed that things like this help them feel whole again. They will be talking about the tornadoes for the rest of their lives, but this event will give them something positive to reflect on about that time. It’s going to be a special moment for the entire community.”

“Helping rebuild this community is our biggest priority right now,” said Lady A’s Hillary Scott. “We were so moved by the stories from Henryville High School, but also from the students at their rival schools who raised their hands and said they wanted to help. There has been so much national media attention and so many sponsors and volunteers are stepping forward to help. It’s going to be an amazing day!

Lipton has also come on board to help with the event in the spirit of their “Drink Positive” and “Live Positive” message, a campaign that Lady A already supports.

Fans unable to attend Rebuilding Henryville can make a donation HERE.

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The Academy of Country Music announced today that chart-topping country music star Darius Rucker will host the ACM Lifting Lives® Celebrity Golf Classic on Saturday, March 31, 2012. The Golf Classic—the sixth held since 2004—brings together country music artists, record label executives and other members of the music community in a star-studded scramble tournament to raise funds and awareness for ACM Lifting Lives’ Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief Fund, which provides immediate relief to those in need in the music industry.

Rucker, an avid golfer, has been very involved with ACM Lifting Lives. In 2011, on the 46th Annual Awards telecast, he performed the original song “Music From the Heart” with campers from the ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp, to bring awareness to a national audience about those with developmental disabilities. Rucker also penned the song “Together, Anything is Possible” to raise money for the PGA’s charitable initiatives.

“After a three year break, I’m delighted the tournament will take place again and that Darius will host,” said Gayle Holcomb, who donated seed money to the Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief Fund in 2006, in honor of her mother. “The industry has been served by the Fund in so many ways we don’t publicize, helping music industry professionals when they need it most, meeting private financial urgent needs.”

“ACM Lifting Lives is honored to have Darius host the 2012 ACM Lifting Lives Celebrity Golf Classic,” said Lisa Huddleson, Executive Director for ACM Lifting Lives. “His continued generosity and support of our organization has been instrumental in our growing success and his golf game is sure to challenge his fellow country artists.”

For more information about ACM Lifting Lives click HERE.

Miranda Lambert will donate 100 percent of proceeds for her March 24 “On Fire” tour stop in Louisville, KY to the American Red Cross. The proceeds from remaining tickets will be donated to the American Red Cross’ Kentucky and Southern Indiana Disaster Relief Fund for victims of the March 2, 2012 tornadoes.

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Epiphone guitar signed by Sugarland.

Several country artists have donated items that are up for auction at CharityBuzz.com. The online auction, called “Artists Helping Artists,” benefits Sweet Relief Musician Fund, which provides financial assistance to career musicians who are struggling financially while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems. Some of the items being auctioned off include a signed guitar by Sugarland, two concert tickets and meet & greet passes with Scotty McCreery, Miranda Lambert, The Band Perry and Chris Young, “Mississippi Girl” signed sheet music by Faith Hill and signed sheet music by Tim McGraw for “If You’re Reading This.”

Bidding is open through March 15 and March 22 at http://www.charitybuzz.com/ArtistsHelpingArtists.