Martina McBride and Amtrak are partnering for “Eleven Across America Powered by Amtrak,” a four-day train ride to promote her Republic Nashville album Eleven due out October 11.

The tour will begin in Los Angeles in October and culminate in New York City, hitting eleven cities in all. On the itinerary in addition to LA and NYC are Flagstaff, Ariz.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Newton, Kan.; Kansas City, Mo.; Chicago; Cleveland; Pittsburgh; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia. Fans in Albuquerque, Chicago and NYC will be treated to intimate performances.

“This partnership is perfect for many reasons,” said David Lim, chief marketing officer, Amtrak. “We both value connections. Martina wants to connect even more closely with her fans—her music touches so many people, and is relatable to so many American’s lives—and Amtrak’s trains connect people across the country every day.”

Both Amtrak and CMA Female Vocalist of the Year nominee McBride are currently celebrating career milestones. Eleven is, of course, McBride’s 11th studio album and she was recently declared the most played female artist on country radio for the past 11 years by BDS and Mediabase. Concurrently, Amtrak is celebrating its 40th anniversary, which it will mark with numerous special promotions and events.

“This album is very special to me, and I wanted to be able to share it with my fans far and wide,” says Martina. “I also wanted to do something that has never been done before, and I thought what better way to do that than with a cross-country train ride with Amtrak where we make several stops along the way? Eleven stops, to be exact. I’m so excited for this journey across America.”

During the recent "Xtreme Muzik The Tour" stop at The Woods Amphitheater at Fontanel, co-headliners Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich surprised Air Force veteran Shaun Meadows with a new house. It will be built with proceeds from the show in conjunction with Operation Finally Home. Meadows lost both legs during combat and has since become the first active-duty double amputee in Air Force history to successfully perform a personnel drop (skydive).

• A benefit for Mark Wehner is tonight (9/14) at Douglas Corner at 6 pm. Set to perform are Buddy Miller, Jim Lauderdale, Pat McLaughlin, Sally Mudd, The 1861 Project and more. Wehner, a longtime Americana music supporter, has stage four cancer.

Performing at the fundraiser Tolliver (L) and Warrix (R). Credit: Debbie Wallace

• Chad Warrix and David Tolliver, formerly of Halfway to Hazard, teamed with Concerts 4 A Cause to host the Crockettsville, Ky.  Charity Concert and Trail Ride to benefit children of adoption and foster care. Helping raise over $80,000 were artists Randy Houser, Keith Anderson, Christian Kane, Danielle Peck, Gabe Garcia, Craig Wayne Boyd, Larry Cordle and Lisa Torres.

• Collin Raye has been named national spokesperson of the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network, a foundation created by her parents and siblings following her death by starvation in 2005.

• Peter Cetera will perform a concert Sept. 22 at The Factory at Franklin to benefit Christ Presbyterian Academy. Details at www.cpalions.org/petercetera.

• New compilation album My Country: Smash Hits 2 features tracks from Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert, Jamie O’Neal and many more to benefit the Fisher House Foundation. In addition, F3 Technologies and Stadium Entertainment are offering a contest for fans to enter a video of their soldier’s homecoming and become a part of the music video for O’Neal’s single “Soldier Comin’ Home,” which is on the album. The contest runs until Sept. 30 here.

• The 10th annual John Jarrard Foundation Concert runs Sept. 23-24 at Brenau University in Gainesville, Ga. featuring a songwriting seminar, and performers including Steve Dorff, Manuel Seal, Jan Smith, ZBB’s Jon Driskell Hopkins, Greg Barnhill, Will Robinson, Mark Beeson. Katie Deal, Stella Parton, Rachel Farley, and Blackberry Smoke. Late songwriter Jarrard is a Gainesville native with several country hits who was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. The concert benefits local charities. Details here.

• Global humanitarian organization World Vision has added several Country music artists to its growing list of supporters in the United States and around the world. Joining the World Vision efforts are Attwater, Carter’s Chord, Jason Crabb, Sarah Darling, Lainey Edwards, LoCash Cowboys and Gary Morris.

Ty Herndon and former NFL player Kevin Turner were celebrity spokespersons for the 10th annual CVS/pharmacy “Researching A Cure” ALS fundraising campaign. On Sept. 1 at Boston’s Fenway Park they presented a check to the ALS Therapy Alliance for $4.3 million. Pictured (L-R): Kevin Turner, Ty Herndon, and campaign co-chairs Barry Winovich and Treg Charlton. Photo: Sue Bruce Photography.

Tiffany Dunn

Tiffany A. Dunn, an associate in Loeb & Loeb’s Nashville office, has been promoted to Senior Counsel. She is a transactional lawyer working primarily in the music, television and motion picture industries and focusing on entertainment, corporate and intellectual property transactions, copyright and trademark protection as well as a talent practice. Her clients include recording artists, songwriters, producers, publishing companies, record labels, production companies, management companies and other parties in the music industry.

“Tiffany is an important part of the tight-knit and specialized team that makes up our Nashville office,” says John T. Frankenheimer, chair of the firm’s Music Industry Practice Group. “The practice there has continually evolved to serve our diverse array of clients and top flight talent in a range of transactional, corporate and intellectual property matters unique to the industry.”

Dunn is a regular speaker on music law related topics at industry conferences and events. She received her J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Tennessee College of Law, and her B.B.A. cum laude from Belmont University. She can be reached at tdunn@loeb.com.