The first national telethon and concert event to raise money to aid victims of the recent flooding disaster in Middle Tennessee, sponsored by Great American Country Television, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau and Gaylord Entertainment, is set for this Sunday (5/16) at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Music City Keep on Playin’ – A Benefit for Flood Relief will air live and commercial-free on GAC, from 7:00-10:00 PM CT.

Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride, Dierks Bentley, Rodney Atkins, Kellie Pickler, Keb ‘Mo, CeCe Winans, Randy Montana, Jaci Valesquez and Will Hoge will perform. Celebrity hosts for the event include James Denton, Kimberly Williams Paisley, Food Network’s Pat & Gina Neely, Travel Channel’s Adam Richman and Samantha Brown and GAC’s Suzanne Alexander, Nan Kelley, Storme Warren and Bill Cody. NASCAR’s Tony Stewart and Clint Bowyer will also appear and will answer phones. All funds raised will go to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Celebrities will join other volunteers to man phone banks to collect call-in donations. The special will re-air at 10:00 PM and 1:00 AM and phone lines will remain open for donations. All money raised will go to those in need in Middle Tennessee. Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee will be the organization processing and distributing donations.

“Nashville has endured historic flooding, but we are resilient, recovery efforts have already begun and I am confident we will come out of this stronger than ever,” said Nashville Mayor Karl Dean. “Music is the heart and soul of this city and as such it will play a critical role in its recovery. This collaborative effort is just one example.”

“This is the first event to solicit funds on a national level,” said GAC President Ed Hardy. “While it’s important that our viewers know our city has come together and survived this unfortunate event, thousands of Nashville and middle Tennessee residents are in serious need and some of this city’s most talented residents are generously stepping in to help.”

In addition to artists, many production people are donating their time and talent to the event.  High Five Entertainment will produce the telethon and concert event.

“Many of us have friends and family members who are just now beginning to get back into their homes to survey the damage and start rebuilding their lives,” said Colin Reed, Chairman and CEO of Gaylord Entertainment. “At the same time, support has come pouring in from every corner of the community. And now, we are reaching out on a national level to ensure that the people of Nashville have every resource they need to restore our city.”

Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau President Butch Spyridon added, “We are proud to partner with GAC and Gaylord Entertainment to raise money for Nashville’s flood victims. This concert effort is a great example of how the partnership between Nashville’s hospitality and music industries benefits the entire city.”

Capitol Records Nashville artist Darius Rucker will host his 1st Annual Darius and Friends Concert at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon on Monday, June 7 to benefit the groundbreaking research and lifesaving care of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The concert will include performances by Rucker along with Radney Foster, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, and Jake Owen, with additional performers being announced at a later date; doors will open at 8:00 PM, with the concert to begin at 9:00 PM. Tickets to the event are on sale now by visiting www.ticketmaster.com.

Rucker is a loyal St. Jude supporter who has visited patients at the hospital and performed at multiple events in support of the hospital’s lifesaving mission. After touring the facility in 2009, the singer vowed to create a personalized event that would raise money and awareness for St. Jude.

“The friends joining me for this benefit concert all share the same dream I do for a cancer free world, but until that can happen, we need to raise awareness and funds for this incredible organization,” says Rucker. “It’s going to be a great night of music and stories.”

All proceeds from ticket sales will help St. Jude continue its mission of finding cures and saving children fighting deadly diseases.

For additional information, visit www.dariusrucker.com.

Toby Keith’s seventh annual Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic is set for May 21-22 in Norman, Oklahoma, and a number of additions have been made to the already full slate of events and auction items. Keith is set to emcee the May 21 dinner and auction and golf team spots for the next day’s tournament are already sold out, though tickets to the dinner are still available.

Additionally, outlaw country artist David Allan Coe and metal/pop band Rock Sugar will perform. An updated roster of auction items includes dinner for 20 with Keith, four tickets to a Chicago Bears/Minnesota Vikings games with meet-and-greets with Adrian Peterson and Tommie Harris, a seven-day SeaDream Yacht vacation, a day on the set of Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives with Guy Fieri and a two-day, three-night New Mexico hunting trip package.

Also up for auction will be memorabilia from Miley Cyrus, Brett Favre, Darius Rucker, Garth Brooks, Michael Phelps, Kerry Collins, Steve Young, Derek Jeter, Tom Clancy, Emmitt Smith, Greg Maddux, Maroon 5 and many more.

Proceeds from the event and auction will assist severely ill children and their families through the Toby Keith Foundation, which is funding the OK Kids Korral 16-room guest lodge housing pediatric cancer patients and their families on the grounds of Oklahoma University Medical Center. With completion expected in 2012, the 30,000 sq. ft. facility will be a haven of respite for families of young children struggling through cancer treatments.

Keith is currently on his eighth USO Tour visiting four countries over 14 days and performing 13 shows for troops in Korea, Germany and forward operating bases in the Persian Gulf region.