ACM Lifting Lives Raises $750k

The Academy of Country Music has announced a $750,000 endowment to its philanthropic arm ACM Lifting Lives, thanks to ticket sales from the “George Strait: ACM Artist of the Decade All Star Concert.” The gift is the second disbursement of a three-year funding commitment and fundraising campaign begun by the ACM last fall. ACM Lifting Lives works to improve lives through music.

Taped before a sold out Las Vegas crowd in April, “George Strait: ACM Artist of the Decade All Star Concert” featured Strait along with ACM Artist of the Decade for the ‘90s Garth Brooks and other performers including Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Jamie Foxx, Faith Hill, Jack Ingram, Alan Jackson, Jamey Johnson, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, John Rich, LeAnn Rimes, Blake Shelton, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and Lee Ann Womack. More than 10 million viewers tuned in for the CBS television special in May.

“The artists who gave of their time in April are the reason we can make this announcement today,” said Bob Romeo, Executive Director of the Academy of Country Music. “They put their time and energy into the Artist of the Decade taping, and they asked for nothing in return. They showed up, they blew the doors off the house and the ratings through the roof, reaching millions of fans with the message of ACM Lifting Lives.”

“The artists work every day to improve the lives of others with their craft,” said Erin Spahn, Director of ACM Lifting Lives. “With this endowment, their good work continues through the programs Lifting Lives supports. We are so thankful to them.”

“George Strait: ACM Artist of the Decade All Star Concert” participants (L-R Front Row): Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Jack Ingram, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, John Rich, (L-R Middle Row) Dierks Bentley, Jamey Johnson, Alan Jackson, Lee Ann Womack, George Strait, Jamie Fox, LeAnn Rimes, Kix Brooks, (L-R Back Row) Eddie Montgomery, Troy Gentry, Jennifer Nettles, Kristian Bush, Ronnie Dunn, Toby Keith. ©2009 Peter Yang/for People Magazine