Benefits News: Dolly Parton, John and Jacob, Montgomery Gentry, Songs For Sound, Remembering Lorna Flowers

Dolly’s Ryman Run

Dolly Parton’s two sold-out Ryman Auditorium shows last weekend helped raise money for two great causes, the Dustin Wells Foundation/W.O. Smith School of Music and the Opry Trust Fund. Parton was thrilled at the chance to lend a hand to her Opry friends as well as children at the Nashville music school. “I just love the Ryman, it’s such a sacred building. When I decided to do the benefit for Dr. Wells and the Dustin Wells Foundation, I was happy to learn it would be at the Ryman,” says Parton. “The money from this weekend will help get instruments into the hands of children wanting to learn music and will also help all my friends at the Opry, in the event they need a little extra help.”

Pictured L-R: CTK Management’s Danny Nozell, Opry Trust Fund President Steve Buchanan, Opry members Bill Anderson, Dolly Parton, Jeannie Seely, Opry Trust Fund board member Sally Williams, Webster Public Relations’ Kirt Webster

John and Jacob Help Make Room For Americans

John and Jacob is working with the Make Room organization to help draw awareness to the problem of skyrocketing rent prices and unaffordable housing in America through their nationwide campaign. The band performed a private concert for Marlene Sigar, a single mother living in Madison, TN whose housing costs make up more than 75 percent of her monthly income, and her family. The show was filmed to help raise awareness about the housing issues currently plaguing America since one in four of the 42 million U.S. renter households spend at least half their income on rent which forces them to choose between paying for rent or paying for groceries, medicine, childcare and other essentials. Carly Rae Jepsen kicked off the national campaign May 1 with a living room concert in L.A.

John & Jacob (L-R): Trevor Davis, John Davidson, Jacob Bryant, Jake Thrasher, Austin Smith

Montgomery Gentry’s Super 8 Military Show

Montgomery Gentry treated members of the military and their families in Oak Grove, KY to a special live performance earlier this week, thanks to the Super 8 hotel chain and Premiere Networks. Held at Valor Hall near Fort Campbell, the event was hosted by CMT After MidNite’s Cody Alan and marked the first stop of the newly-launched “Super 8 Military Appreciation Tour.” Sponsored by Super 8 and Premiere Networks, the tour provides members of the military and their families with unique access to private concerts by top name country stars. 

Pictured (L-R): Cody Alan of CMT After MidNite; Kari Moore, Director USO National and USO Campbell; Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry; Malissa Harris, USO Fort Campbell Operations Center Supervisor; Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry; Pamela Holz, USO National and Fort Campbell Center Operations and Program Manager; and Mike Mueller, Super 8 brand senior vice president

Songs For Sound’s “Hearoes” Tour

Songs For Sound, an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for the hearing impaired, is kicking off a 12-week “Hearoes” Tour on August 15-16 at Chicago’s Air & Water Show. Laura Bell Bundy will perform at air shows around the country on the tour, while Jessie James Decker will close out the tour at the Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show in Pensacola Nov. 7. The tour will feature a screening vehicle which will travel to 60 stops around the country to help raise awareness around hearing health and prevention among veterans and their families. Lexi Vernon, a bilateral cochlear implant recipient, is the inspiration behind Songs for Sound, which was founded by Rascal Flatts member Gary LeVox‘s brother and sister-in-law, Kevin and Jaime Vernon.

Lexi Vernon and Gary LeVox

Shane Michael Taylor MusiCares Benefit

Shane Michael Taylor will perform a benefit for MusiCares in memory of his friend Lorna Flowers, who co-wrote songs with Taylor and encouraged his dream of becoming a songwriter in spite of his communication struggles due to cerebral palsy. Taylor will perform songs from his new CD I Will Stand at the Listening Room event August 12, which will also feature performances by Mason Douglas, Eddie Heinzelman, Justin and Jamie Zimmer, Jack Sundrud, and Mark Lonsway.

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Lorie Hollabaugh

Hollabaugh, a staff writer at MusicRow magazine, has over 20 years of music business experience and has written for publications including American Profile, CMA Close Up, Nashville Arts And Entertainment, The Boot and Country Weekly. She has a Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication degree from Texas Christian University, (go Horned Frogs), and welcomes your feedback or story ideas at [email protected].

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