Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are set to host the ACM Lifting Lives “One Night, Two Cities, All Music” fundraising gala on April 17, 2015, two days before the 50th Academy of Country Music Awards. The event, which will consist of two simultaneous shows, will take place at the Omni Dallas Hotel and the Fort Worth Zoo.

Lady Antebellum will headline the show at the Omni Dallas Hotel, with a special performance from Hunter Hayes. Meanwhile, Keith Urban will headline the Fort Worth Zoo concert, with a special performance from Little Big Town. Journalist and Entertainment Tonight co-host Nancy O’Dell will join Brooks and Yearwood to co-host the Fort Worth gala.

Brooks and Yearwood will alternate between both locations throughout the evening to entertain attendees in Dallas and Fort Worth. The inaugural gala will kick off with a cocktail reception, followed by a dinner, live auction and a line-up of performances by country music’s most celebrated artists.

ACM Lifting Lives will donate funds raised from the gala to several Texas-based organizations including Garth Brooks’ charity, Teammates for Kids and the Child Life Zones in Children’s Health of Dallas and Cook Children’s of Fort Worth.

Van Toffler, president of MTV Networks Music & Logo Group–including CMT and VH1–will not renew his contract, according to multiple reports. Toffler will step down in April from his post, held since 2008.

According to Ad Age, Toffler plans to open a production company called Under The Radar. He is however expected to continue executive producing a number of MTV Network events, including the 2015 CMT Music Awards and MTV’s Video Music Awards.

Toffler has been with MTV for 28 years. His credits include Beavis & Butthead, The Real World, Jackass, Unplugged, Napoleon Dynamite and Jersey Shore.

Last month, Viacom president/CEO Philippe Dauman announced a company-wide shuffle to “focus on more and better original programming that monetizes on all screens.” Departure announcements have also been made from Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

Toffler’s successor has not yet been named, however Viacom COO Tom Dooley expounded on Dauman’s remarks, confirming further restructuring details are expected during the second quarter earnings call, April 29.

Bebe & Cece Winans, Mark Lowry, Roland Lundy, and Twila Paris have been named as the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame’s latest inductees. They will be inducted during the GMA Honors, which is set for Tuesday, May 5 at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena, beginning at 6 p.m. Performers and presenters will be announced soon.

Additionally, the Gospel Music Association will honor Bishop Paul S. Morton, founding bishop of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International, as well as The Bridge (founded by Candy Christmas), Passion (founded by Louie and Shelley Giglio) and Porter’s Call (founded by Al Andrews).

John Huie, CAA and Co-Chair of GMA Honors states, “Last year’s inaugural event was an amazing evening of firsts for our industry. We have been encouraged by the many comments surrounding the ceremony and are thrilled to honor this year’s recipients.”

“The GMA Foundation is charged with observing our gospel music history and its trailblazers,” says Jackie Patillo, President of the GMA Foundation. “With the ongoing support from our music community, we can fulfill the mission to foster an appreciation for our heritage and its impact for generations to come. We, as always, thank all of those involved in helping make these special celebrations possible.”

About the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductees:

BeBe & CeCe Winans have been recording music together for more than 25 years. The brother/sister duo, part of the gospel singing Winans family and one of the most successful gospel artists of all time, have had 12 charting R&B singles, and numerous No. 1 singles on Christian, AC and CHR radio. Their accolades include numerous gold and platinum releases, plus Dove, Grammy, Stellar, Soul Train and NAACP Image Awards.

Mark Lowry is a singer, storyteller, humorist, author and songwriter. He has spent 20-plus years as the baritone singer for the Grammy- and Dove award-winning Gaither Vocal Band and serves as the comedic sidekick on tour. He also tours as a solo act with many DVD projects to his credit and has had over 400 artists record his lyric to “Mary Did You Know?”

Roland Lundy served an 11-year run as President and CEO of Word Entertainment. He was responsible for the Thomas Nelson and Word consolidation that grew Word revenues to over $100 million in 1993. He later managed the sale of Word to Gaylord Entertainment. His leadership navigated the entertainment company’s very diverse roster and attracted top artistic and creative talent. He currently serves on the board of the Gospel Music Trust Fund and is Chairman of the Board for American Red Cross, Nashville Chapter.

Twila Paris has released 22 albums, earned 33 No. 1 singles and has been named the GMA Dove Awards “Female Vocalist of the Year” three times, as well as earning several awards in the song and album of the year categories. The accomplished singer/songwriter has also written books and recorded children’s music.

Alison Krauss To Join 7th Annual T.J. Martell Honors Gala

Alison Krauss is the latest artist to be added to the lineup for the upcoming 7th annual T.J. Martell Honors Gala, slated for March 30 in Nashville. Krauss joins previously announced artists Vince Gill, Lady Antebellum, Emmylou Harris, Matthew West, and Chip Esten.

Steve and Judy Turner, Ken Levitan, Dr. Jeffrey Balser, Billy Ray & Bill Hearn, and Becca Stevens will all be honored during the event. The gala has netted more than $2 million since 2009. For more information, visit tjmartell.org.

 

Craig Morgan Announces 2nd Annual Billy’s Place 5K

Craig Morgan will welcome fans, friends and neighbors as he hosts the second annual Billy’s Place 5k on Sunday, April 12 at 1 p.m. from Montgomery Bell State Park in Dickson, Tenn.

Runners and walkers can sign up at eventbrite.com and all TriStar Bank locations in Dickson. Registration is $30 in advance and $35 for walk up registrations day of race, while tickets for children 7 and under are free and they are welcome to participate in the 60-yard dash. Spirit tickets will be available for supporters who prefer to participate from the sidelines.

Everyone registered by March 29 will receive an official race t-shirt and the top 5 female and male finishers will receive a commemorative trophy. The race will benefit the Dickson County Craig Morgan Foundation.

 

Jamey Johnson, Carlene Carter To Perform at Nikki Mitchell Foundation Fundraiser

The Nikki Mitchell Foundation will host a fundraiser to honor Country Music Hall of Fame members Ray Price, Hank Cochran, The Carter Family, The Louvin Brothers, Waylon Jennings, Felice Bryant, and Webb Pierce.

The event will be held April 1, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Following a reception and auction in the CMHoF Rotunda honoring these celebrated artists, an acoustic concert will be held in the CMHoF’s Ford Theater, featuring Carlene Carter, Jamey Johnson, Jessi Colter, Shooter Jennings and other guests. Johnson, Colter, and Hank Cochran’s widow Suzi Cochran serve on the board of the Nikki Mitchell Foundation.

“As we were thinking about venues to host our event, there was really only one choice for us,” said Rachel Winston, Vice President of The Nikki Mitchell Foundation. “The events spaces at the museum are some of the most special in Nashville! It is only fitting that a benefit to honor these country music legends be held there.”

For more information, visit eventgrid.com.

 

Blackhawk Makes $20,000 Donation to Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center

Country group Blackhawk recently raised funding for Nashville’s Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center on behalf of the Van Stephenson Memorial Cancer Research Fund. Blackhawk’s two surviving founding members, Henry Paul and Dave Robbins, presented their annual donation to the hospital in honor of Stephenson, who died from melanoma cancer in 2001. The latest donation of $20,000 brings their total raised for Vanderbilt-Ingram’s research lab to $100,000 since 2006.