The Nashville State Community College 2009 Sweethearts for Scholarships Gala was held Friday night (2/13) honoring celebrity sweethearts Amy and James Otto. There is also an auction coinciding with the fundraiser for the school’s scholarship program going on at CMTAuctions.com. Starting at $50, and available until Feb. 20, the Love Lyrics auction includes lyrics autographed by Taylor Swift, Kellie Pickler, Darius Rucker, Charlie Daniels, Brooks & Dunn, Rodney Atkins, Bill Anderson, and numerous others.

(L-R): Amy and James Otto; Allison DeMarcus; Warner Bros. Nashville Exec. VP Bill Bennett; NSCC's Brent Young; and event chair/music industry publicist Ebie McFarland. Photo: Alan Mayor.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has launched a $1.1 million fundraising campaign to defray costs associated with its acquisition of instruments which once belonging to Maybelle Carter, Johnny Cash and Bill Monroe. The Precious Jewel Fund opened with leadership gifts including a $150,000 donation from Scott Siman of RPM Management and a $300,000 gift from the Academy of Country Music. Siman and Museum Board President Steve Turner will co-chair the campaign geared toward the music and business communities, while Ricky Skaggs will lead the national appeal to music fans.

The fund will go toward making the four instruments a permanent part of the Museum’s collection. The priceless artifacts have been the subject of a drawn-out legal debate because, unbeknownst to the Hall, they were originally purchased with a donation obtained by allegedly fraudulent means.

Under terms of an agreement finalized last week in court, the Museum is required to pay a $750,000 settlement for the instruments by Feb. 22. Arrangements for a loan to supplement pledges not received before the settlement due date are in place with the Music Row branch of SunTrust Bank.

Tax-deductible contributions may be made by mail (Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, 222 Fifth Avenue South, Mail Drop DP, Nashville, TN 37203), telephone (615-416-2050), and will soon be available online. Checks should be made out to the Country Music Foundation—Precious Jewel Fund.

Cold River recording artist and Houston native Katie Armiger recently visited the Texas Children’s Hospital to spread cheer to some of the patients. Armiger, pictured with nurses, sang Christmas songs and led the children in Christmas Carols. Texas Children’s Hospital is an internationally recognized full-care pediatric hospital ranked in the top ten among children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.