Beginning Thursday (6/10), more than 700 journalists in town to cover the 2010 CMA Music Festival will hear first-hand about how CMA’s “Keep the Music Playing” donations benefit the music programs in Metro Nashville Public Schools. More than 50 volunteers – the majority of them music teachers – will be driving five official “Press Express” vans daily from 7:00 AM-1:00 AM. The vans shuttle media throughout various event sites, including the Nashville Convention Center and LP Field.

Proceeds from the CMA Music Festival have benefited charities since 2001. In 2006, a decision was made to direct all funds to one central cause – music education in Metro Nashville Public Schools – through a partnership with the Nashville Alliance for Public Education. As in the past, 50 percent of the net proceeds from the 2010 CMA Music Festival will go to Metro Nashville Public Schools for music education. CMA announced last month that the other 50 percent will be donated to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee for flood relief.

“We work very closely with the CMA to improve the music programs in Metro’s schools,” says Pam Garrett, Executive Director of the Nashville Alliance. “The ‘Press Express’ program is an opportunity for our teachers to act as ambassadors for ‘Keep the Music Playing’ and talk about music education and the model the Alliance established to place instruments in the hands of children who need them most.”

To date, CMA has donated over $3.3 million to purchase more than 3,000 musical instruments, equipment and supplies in 67 schools. Thousands of students have been provided with the resources and opportunities they could not have afforded on their own.

Dr. Jesse Register, Director of Metro Nashville Public Schools, is appreciative of the initiative. “We are so grateful for the generosity of CMA over the past several years. We know that 98% of our performing arts students graduate and that has a huge impact on the overall success of our school district. We thank CMA and also the Nashville Alliance for Public Education for their partnership that has brought music education in Metro Public Schools to a whole new level. Our teachers and directors are volunteering in a big way this week to show their gratitude. ‘Keep the Music Playing’ is a magnificent program.”

Beth Voltz, a Strings Teacher at I.T. Cresswell Arts Magnet Middle School, says educators want to recognize CMA’s impact on their music programs. Voltz, who has taught in Metro since 1993, is excited about the opportunity to give back by volunteering as a “Press Express” driver. She will shuttle the media on Thursday from 7:30 AM-4:00 PM. While driving, she plans to share personal stories about how CMA’s donations have impacted her students.

“In the past, we didn’t have enough instruments for our students, and the ones we had were horrible,” says Voltz. “Music programs struggle when students can’t afford to buy their own instruments. Now, we have students who are excelling because they have shiny new instruments that are not broken. I see their joy and that of their families! I can’t tell you how many parents have thanked me for giving their children the opportunity to play an instrument. This is all thanks to CMA and Nashville Alliance.”

“Every hour that a person volunteers for the Festival represents savings that go directly to our schools and neighbors that need it most,” said CMA Chairman of the Board Steve Moore. “We think the media will enjoy the stories the music teachers share about their music program successes. Hopefully, the journalists will take what they learn home and help generate interest in starting similar programs in their local communities and school systems.”

Something is afoot over at Nashville’s Third Man Records. Label owner and White Stripes/Raconteurs/the Dead Weather member Jack White has posted a cryptic YouTube video announcing an appearance featuring talk show refugee Conan O’Brien at the label’s offices tomorrow (6/10).

This afternoon O’Brien tweeted: “Jack White & I are doing something cool tomorrow. Hint: it involves a LOT of Tears for Fears songs.”

According to website TeamCoco.com, “Conan and Jack White are doing something awesome tomorrow that you’re not gonna wanna miss.” The 21-and-over event (whatever it turns out to be) starts at 8:00 PM. Admission is first come first served.

This isn’t the first time the two stars have worked with each other. Last June, White’s band the Dead Weather made their national debut on Conan’s Tonight Show on NBC.

O’Brien will be performing at the Bonnaroo Music Festival on June 11 and 12, as will the Dead Weather.

Saguaro Road Records is pleased to announce the release of Outlaw, Mark Chesnutt’s new collection of all-American, whiskey-soaked standards. From the label that has brought country music enthusiasts recordings from Patty Loveless, Tanya Tucker and Lonestar, Outlaw follows in the same vein, delivered by one of country music’s finest music stylists.

Set to be released on June 22, Outlaw features the songs of some of Chesnutt’s personal heroes and lifelong friends such as Billy Joe Shaver, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings (for whom his eldest son is named). Chesnutt recorded the album with producer Pete Anderson (Dwight Yoakam/Michelle Shocked/Tanya Tucker).

“I cut my teeth on this kind of music and it’s an opportunity for me to pay tribute to some of my biggest heroes in country music,” Chesnutt says.

“Mark Chesnutt put on a vocal display like I’ve never before seen in the studio,” Anderson said. “He stood in front of the mic and sang the whole record, from beginning to end, flawlessly [and in less than three hours]. We are all amazed at the results. There may be singers out there as good as Mark, but there are none better and, at this point in my career, I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with this caliber of talent.”

Chesnutt has four Platinum albums, five Gold albums, 14 No. 1 singles and 23 Top 10 singles to his name. Outlaw is his fourteenth studio recording and his first project out of L.A.

For more information visit www.markchesnutt.com.

Shin Fukae (l.) shows off two of the largemouth bass he and 3 Doors Down lead singer Brad Arnold (r.) caught to land them in 1st place in the 3rd Annual Porter Wagoner Memorial Artists & Anglers Fishing Tournament.

Yesterday morning (6/8), 35 boats loaded with artists and professional anglers launched from Nashville’s Elm Hill Recreation Area for a beautiful day of competitive fishing in the 3rd Annual Porter Wagoner Memorial Artists & Anglers Memorial Fishing Tournament. Fans gathered at the Music Valley Event Center, as Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits’ George Braswell brought each team on stage and weighmaster Willie Cook took the official measurements. At the end of the day, rock star Brad Arnold, of 3 Doors Down, and FLW Angler of the Year Shin Fukae were crowned the winners with a total weight of 21.13 lbs. of bass. Fukae also won the Big Bass Award for his whopping 5.64 pounder.

John Park was a last-minute fill-in for his brother Clint – half of the father-son duo The Parks – who took second with Team Vanderbilt’s Monroe Carell, Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt angler Jeff Baker with 10.83 lbs. Emerson Drive’s Brad Mates and pro angler and Phoenix Boats founder Gary Clouse took third with 9.16. All fish were safely released back into the water.

Porter Wagoner, who in addition to being one of the most popular stars ever to grace the stage of the Grand Old Opry, was an avid bass fisherman. In his spare time, he could often be found fishing on local lakes. A photo of Wagoner holding the largest bass he ever caught along with his fishing buddy and Bass Pro Shops founder John L. Morris still hangs in his Opry dressing room. A poster-size version of the same photo hangs inside the entrance to Bass Pro Shops at Opry Mills in Nashville. Wagoner died of lung cancer at age 80 in October of 2007.