Celeb Softball Teams To Strike Out Cancer At CMA Music Fest Game

The Grand Ole Opry and iHeartRadio teams are readying their rosters as they prepare to strike out cancer at the City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game, June 13 at the new First Tennessee Park during CMA Music Festival.

More than 25 music and sports stars will step up to the plate for the 25th anniversary event, emceed by CMT After Midnite’s Cody Alan and The Crook and Chase Countdown’s Lorianne Crook.

TEAM OPRY: Aaron Watson, Bucky Covington, Charles Esten, Chuck Wicks, Deana Carter, Eric Gunderson (Love And Theft), JT Hodges, Jimi Westbrook (Little Big Town), Kimberly Schlapman (Little Big Town), Phil Vassar, SaraBeth, Stu Grimson and Vince Gill.

TEAM iHEART: Angie Johnson, Bret Michaels, Doug McCormick, Karen Fairchild (Little Big Town), Lauren Alaina, Lindsay Ell, Perrish Cox, Phillip Sweet (Little Big Town), Seth Jones, Stephen Barker Liles (Love And Theft) plus The Bobby Bones Show’s Bobby Bones, Eddie and Lunchbox.

Also joining the lineup is Music City-native Stephen Bess, who received lifesaving treatment for acute lymphocytic leukemia more than two years ago at City of Hope. He and his genetically matched stem cell donor, who reside nine time zones apart, will meet for the very first time at the game.

A pioneer in the treatment of bone and blood marrow diseases, City of Hope has performed more than 12,000 lifesaving bone marrow transplants. It also is a leading biomedical research institute for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses. The City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game, presented by Staples and sponsored by People Country, raises funds for that research.

Tickets for the game can be purchased through Ticketmaster. Get more information on the game and the line-up of celebrities here. A variety of unique merchandise and experiences, including meet-and-greets with the hottest artists, will be available for bid at charitybuzz.com.