Country music singers Brad Paisley, Keith Urban and Lady Antebellum joined other entertainment stars on Sunday in performing and answering telephones to help raise more than US$1.5 million for flood relief for Tennessee.
At least 2,000 homes were destroyed or damaged in Nashville by the deadly flooding that struck Tennessee on May 1 and May 2. Damages have been estimated at US$1.5 billion and climbing.
“If there is a silver lining, it’s that the world is getting to see Nashville at its best through this tragedy,” Paisley said during the telethon on the GAC Network.
Paisley kicked off the telethon with an energized version of his song Welcome To The Future. When he finished, he looked into the audience where his wife, actress Kimberly Williams Paisley, was standing as the show’s co-host.
“My wife’s up there. I think it’s time to start things off with a donation. We’re going to donate US$100,000, get it going,” he said, before asking his wife with a sheepish grin, “Is that OK?”
Paisley also performed River and Rain and a full band version of American Saturday Night featuring Dierks Bentley on acoustic guitar.
Sheryl Crow took the stage to perform a new song, calling herself a newcomer in Nashville since moving here five years ago.
“I’ve lived a lot of different places, but I’ve never felt home until I lived here,” she said.
Kellie Pickler, wearing an I heart Nashville flood relief T-shirt, performed her new single, Making Me Fall In Love Again.
“I couldn’t be more proud to now be a citizen of Nashville. I love it here,” she said.
Lady Antebellum sang an acoustic version of their No. 1 hit Need You Now and later performed I Run To You.
“Being a Nashville native, born and raised here, it’s been so beautiful to see how the city has rallied together,” singer Hillary Scott said. “I know we will get back to the city that we once were. I know we will.”
Urban chose to do an acoustic version of The Beatles’ song Help, while his wife, Nicole Kidman, watched from the side of the stage. Before performing a second song, Better Life, Urban recounted his personal flooding experience.
“We certainly weren’t spared. Our place out in Franklin, we had quite a bit of damage out there. And other than a lot of my musical equipment — which floated down the river toward Smyrna, I think is where it was seen last — it’s just been a very moving experience for me,” he said.
Like Paisley, the head of Taylor Swift’s label, Big Machine Records chief executive Scott Borchetta, donated US$100,000.
All the performers also worked the phone banks. The phone lines were to stay open after the show, and the total money raised was to be announced yesterday.
Other performers included Martina McBride, Rodney Atkins, new artist Randy Montana, gospel singer CeCe Winans, blues singer Keb’ Mo’ and Christian artist Jaci Velasquez.
Singer Will Hoge closed the show with a soulful performance of the song Washed By The Water.
The concert and telethon aired live and commercial free from Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on GAC.
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