Benefit News (10/26/12)

Singer-songwriter Mindy Smith has joined forces with Women Rock For The Cure to release a special “Pink” edition of Mindy Smith, in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and her upcoming performance on “Opry Goes Pink.” A portion of the sales proceeds will benefit the charity.

A live rendition of “One Moment More,” will be available exclusively here through Oct. 31. The track will be available as a single song download and as a bonus track within the special “Pink” version of Mindy Smith. Written for her mother Sharron, whom she lost in 1991 to breast cancer, the song was the title track to her debut album.

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Bucky Covington is teaming up with local and national fire officials and residential fire safety product manufacturer, Kidde, to promote safety awareness. Covington, Kidde President Jim Ward, and fire officials, will launch the campaign, “Be a Hero, Save a Hero” on Thurs. Nov. 1 at 10:30 am at the Nashville Fire Dept., Station #9, located at 601 2nd Ave S.

Built upon the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s (NFFF) original program, this campaign urges Americans to pledge to take some simple home fire safety steps. Kidde will also donate 500 of its new Worry-Free smoke alarms to the Nashville Fire Department. For each person who takes the pledge and shares their support through social media, Kidde will donate $1 to NFFF and Help the Good Guys, organizations dedicated to helping the families of injured and fallen firefighters. Kidde expects to donate up to $10,000 to each organization.

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Collin Raye has started a new foundation that will kick off following the CMA Awards next week. Country artists Jamie O’Neal and John Berry among others are scheduled to perform with Raye after the CMA Awards at aVenue in downtown Nashville on Nov. 1. The event will include a premium bar and gourmet food and serve as the official launch for The Haley Bell Blessed Chair Foundation.

The Haley Bell Blessed Chair Foundation is in memory of Raye’s granddaughter and helps families purchase expensive motorized wheelchairs for their children who have special needs. The newly formed foundation is named from lyrics in the song “She’s with Me,” a song Raye wrote about Haley when she was alive. Collin sings about her “Blessed Chair” which carried Haley everywhere with the family and greatly improved the quality of her life.

Visit here for more information.

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Alabama‘s Randy Owen joined other top songwriters earlier this month at Lucy’s Country Café in Blue Bar to benefit the Charley Foundation, the Nashville-based non-profit organization that provides support to charitable agencies addressing the critical needs of children. The event took place during songwriter Bobby Pinson‘s weekly “Sing for Your Supper” acoustic show.

Performers included Owen who played a round with Bridgette Tatum, Marc Beeson, Lisa Carver, Sarah Davidson, David Lee, LoCash Cowboys, Danny Myrick, Bobby Pinson, Jon Stone, Adley Stump, Chad Warrix, Trent Willmon and others.

(L-R): Chad Warrix, Bobby Pinson, Carolyn Miller (MPR Entertainment head and Charley Foundation founder), Bridgette Tatum, Randy Owen, Kelly Owen and John Oates. Photo: Karen Will Rogers