Arista’s Carrie Underwood made her second trip to Africa earlier this month visiting orphanages and health centers near Luanda, Angola where she participated in the area’s cause to help fight malaria. Her visit was part of American Idol’s “Idol Gives Back” charitable endeavors, and a special video package will air on American Idol Tuesday, May 12 to help show viewers how their donations have helped with various relief programs. While in Angola, Underwood visited an all-girl orphanage in Luanda where the girls performed songs and poetry for her after she delivered bed nets and backpacks with school supplies to the orphanage. Underwood also participated in a community bed net giveaway in Ngangula, and wrapped up her 3-day trip by visiting a health center in Luanda where pregnant women received malaria counseling and treatment.

American Idol and the Charity Projects Entertainment Fund (CPEF) partnered last year to raise awareness and funds for organizations that provide relief programs to help children and young people in extreme poverty in America and Africa. ExxonMobil sponsored Underwood’s most recent trip to Africa.

NBC TV’s Dateline NBC will air Dateline: On Tour With Taylor Swift on Sunday, May 31 at 6 PM/CT. The one-hour special will feature behind-the-scenes access to Swift’s first-ever headlining tour, the Fearless 2009 Tour. Shot on three continents over a period of three months, the hour looks at the creation and launch of the sold-out Fearless tour, including concert and backstage footage from the US, the UK and Australia, interviews with the singer and her band and crew, and exclusive looks at Swift’s tour bus, dressing room, crew meetings, dancer auditions, and concert performances. The show also features video diaries shot by Swift herself. NBC News’ Hoda Kotb also talks with Swift and her mom, Andrea Swift, about life in the spotlight. That same week, Swift will perform live on NBC’s Today Summer Concert Series, taking the stage in Rockefeller Plaza on Friday, May 29. Starting on Monday (5/18), video excerpts from Dateline: On Tour with Taylor Swift will be posted here.

With the CMT Awards scheduled for June 16 — just a couple of days after the close of the CMA Music Festival – CMT is offering some fan-centric opportunities for Festival attendees. The third annual CMA Fan Social Presented by CMT is a free concert and autograph session hosted by CMT’s Lance Smith. The Fan Social will take place on Saturday, June 13 at 3 PM at a secret location, and it’s already creating a buzz at CMT.com. CMT will sponsor the event for the first time this year, which will bring online friends together offline and will feature performances by Eli Young Band, Gloriana, Holly Williams, Emerson Drive, Joey + Rory and The Carter Twins. In what might be called a cyber-scavenger hunt, fans have been gathering video clues from artists online at CMT.com, on their wireless phones, Rhapsody.com and Verizon Wireless, as well as hints via CMA’s and CMT’s newsletters, MySpace, Facebook and Twitter accounts, beginning May 13. You can find out more here.

The eleventh annual Nashville Screenwriters Conference is coming to the Union Station Hotel May 29-31. On Saturday, May 30 at 12:00 PM, the Conference will present the Music in the Movies luncheon. Held at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Ford Theatre, the luncheon will feature advice from top music supervisors for songwriters, composers, artists and publishers hoping to tap into the world of song placement in television and film. The panel will be hosted by 821 Entertainment Group President, Anastasia Brown (Billy: The Early Years, August Rush and Taken) and will feature opportunities for individuals to submit music for placement in upcoming projects.

“Film and television are joining radio in successfully launching and building music careers,” says Brown. “Nashville has such an abundance of talent and this panel will further educate us all on how to get the music heard.”

Joining Brown will be Music Supervisors Julia Michels (Marley and Me, Sex and the City: The Movie and The Devil Wears Prada), Julianne Jordan (Hotel for Dogs, Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Fools Gold), Dana Sano (Two Lovers, Dan in Real Life and Shoot ‘Em Up) and Darren Higman (Shark Tale, Two Weeks Notice and State of the Union), as well as NBC Vice President of Music Creative Services, Alicen Catron Schneider (Heroes, Trauma and Caprica) and music journalist Phil Gallo.

The open-to-the-public conference, which Script magazine calls “one of the best screenwriters conferences in America,” will bring Hollywood’s top writers, producers, directors, managers, agents and other studio executives to Nashville to provide aspiring screenwriters and individuals interested in worlds of film and TV the opportunity to network, learn and explore the inner-workings of Hollywood.  All panels will be available a la carte for purchasing individual tickets. You can find more information and a complete schedule of panels here.