The 2010 Walden’s Puddle Puddle-Palooza benefit concert and festival has been scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 21, at Nashville’s Yogi Bear™ Jellystone Park, event organizers announced today.

Hosted this year by the Music Valley Merchants Association, the festival and concert raises funds for Walden’s Puddle Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center. Artists scheduled to perform include John Anderson, Lane Brody, Cerrito, Rodney Crowell and the Notorious Cherry Bombs, Jypsi, HLN news anchor Robin Meade, Victoria Shaw, Army Ranger and country artist Keni Thomas, Emily West and additional special guests to be announced soon.  GAC’s Nan Kelley will serve as MC of the event.

All proceeds benefit the non-profit facility, located approximately 20 minutes from downtown Nashville in Joelton, Tenn. The Walden’s Puddle organization receives a substantial portion of its annual financial support each year from the daylong event.

“The new board of Walden’s Puddle is grateful to the Music Valley Merchants Association and Jellystone Park™ for teaming up with us for our first ‘Puddle-Palooza!’ said Walden’s Puddle Board Chair and recording artist Brody. “It is a fresh start for all of us, and God willing, this event will bring more awareness to the important work Walden’s Puddle does every single day in giving injured and orphaned wildlife a second chance, as well as bring community support and patronage back to Music Valley, which was so impacted by the flood.”

Festival gates open at noon, with the live concert kicking off at 3 p.m.  Tickets are $20 (tax-deductible) and available online here. Hard tickets can be purchased at Jellystone Park (2572 Music Valley Drive, Nashville, TN, 37214 (615) 889-4225) or at the Willie Nelson and Friends General Store and Museum in Music Valley (2613 McGavock Pike, Nashville, TN, 37214 (615) 885-1515). Children under 12 and accompanied by an adult will be admitted free.

This year’s festival also serves to raise public awareness of the local Music Valley merchants, which are open for business following the historic flooding in Nashville on May 1-2, 2010. Music Valley offers visitors access to more than 15 hotels, eight restaurants, several campgrounds, nightlife and live entertainment options and numerous shopping and family-friendly destinations.

“The merchants of Music Valley at Opryland are very excited to sponsor the upcoming ‘Puddle-Palooza’ event at Jellystone Park,” says Music Valley Merchants Association President, Mark Hughes. “This will be a great afternoon of fun and music to benefit the animals and efforts of the Walden’s Puddle organization. Our Music Valley area took a substantial blow from the flooding this past May, but we are getting back on track and events such as this are exactly what we need to raise awareness and bring more visitors to our area.”

In addition to the concert, other family-friendly activities offered at Jellystone Park include swimming, hiking, mini-golf, hayrides, volleyball, appearances by Jellystone’s Yogi Bear and more. Food vendors provide options ranging from hot dogs and hamburgers to Mexican and barbecue.  Visit www.NashvilleJellystone.com for more information.

Warner Bros. Records has set a Sept. 14 release date for James Otto‘s sophomore album, Shake What God Gave Ya. Recorded in Nashville and co-produced with Paul Worley (Big & Rich, Lady Antebellum, The Dixie Chicks), the project further captures Otto’s country-meets-soul sound.

A sought-after writer for other artists, Otto penned 11 of the 12 tracks on the project, including Country Breakout Chart Top 15 hit “Groovy Little Summer Song” and his duet with Ronnie Milsap, “Good Things Gone Bad.”

“Musically I’d say I’m the love child between Ronnie Milsap and Barry White,” laughs Otto. “This sexy, sultry, soulful sound makes you wanna move and dance. And that is exactly what I want fans to do while listening to this album, Shake What God Gave Ya!”

Shake What God Gave Ya is the follow-up to his 2008 debut Sunset Man, which landed at No. 3 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart and delivered “Just Got Started Lovin’ You” which was the year’s most played single at country radio and Billboard’s No. 1 Hot Country Song.

Last year, Otto won ACM and CMA Awards for Song of the Year as a co-writer for “In Color,” a track that also earned him a Grammy nod for Best Country Song. He is on the road this summer headlining solo dates and opening for Toby Keith and Trace Adkins on the American Ride Tour.

Shake What God Gave Ya Track Listing:

1. Are Ya With Me
2. Groovy Little Summer Song
3. Lover Man
4. Soldiers & Jesus
5. Love Don’t Cost A Thing
6. Sun Comes Round Again
7. Shake What God Gave Ya
8. It’s A Good Time (For A Good Time)
9. Just Like Sunshine
10. Let’s Just Let Go
11. She Comes To Me
12. Good Things Gone Bad featuring Ronnie Milsap

A concerned member of the music business called the MusicRow offices to warn his neighbors about a recent incident. Earlier this month, employees were frightened by a lewd disturbance while leaving their offices on the 800 block of 18th Ave. S. These victims just want to remind the community to be on the lookout.

Pictured here is a map of crimes which occurred in the last week (7/21/10-7/27/10) in a one-mile radius of the MusicRow offices at 1231 17th Ave. S. For more information and to keep up-to-date go to crimemapping.com.