ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC ANNOUNCES $750k ENDOWMENT TO ACM LIFTING LIVES 

PHILANTHROPY THRIVING THANKS TO ARTISTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN GEORGE STRAIT: ACM ARTIST OF THE DECADE SPECIAL

The Academy of Country Music announced a $750,000 endowment to ACM Lifting Lives, made from monies raised from ticket sales from the "George Strait: ACM Artist of the Decade All Star Concert" taped in Las Vegas in April.  The gift is the second disbursement of a three-year funding commitment and fundraising campaign initiated last fall.  ACM Lifting Lives is the philanthropic arm of the Academy which works to improve lives through music.

ACM Artist of the Decade honoree George Strait alongside ACM Artist of the Decade for the '90s Garth Brooks and performers Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Jamie Foxx, Faith Hill, Jack Ingram, Alan Jackson, Jamey Johnson, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, John Rich, LeAnn Rimes, Blake Shelton, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and Lee Ann Womack all participated in the sold-out taping at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, with more than 10 million viewers tuning in to the special on CBS in May.

"The artists who gave of their time in April are the reason we can make this announcement today," said Bob Romeo, Executive Director of the Academy of Country Music.  "They put their time and energy into the Artist of the Decade taping, and they asked for nothing in return.  They showed up, they blew the doors off the house and the ratings through the roof, reaching millions of fans with the message of ACM Lifting Lives."

"The artists work every day to improve the lives of others with their craft," said Erin Spahn, Director of ACM Lifting Lives.  "With this endowment, their good work continues through the programs Lifting Lives supports. We are so thankful to them."

LET THE MUSIC PLAY

Entertainer of the Year Carrie Underwood joins ACM Lifting Lives

to bring musical instruments to her hometown

By Lisa Lee

A school assembly is usually not that much fun---unless, of course, it includes a surprise visit from superstar Carrie Underwood. The reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year pulled a fast one on music students at her Oklahoma alma mater, Checotah High School, on Aug. 28^th, and she didn't come empty handed.

Through her newly formed C.A.T.S. Foundation (which stands for Checotah Animal, Town & School Foundation), Underwood joined with ACM Lifting Lives to donate $117,000 worth of instruments to the school's music program. Underwood and Lifting Lives Director Erin Spahn pulled back the curtain to reveal a shiny new electric guitar and amp, electric piano, xylophone, saxophones, tubas, French horns and more. The instruments will be shared by music students throughout the Checotah school district.

"My mom was a teacher, my two sisters were teachers, and they always ended up spending their own money on school supplies for their classrooms," Underwood told ACM Tempo. "Instruments are probably the hardest 'school supply' that anyone could buy. No teacher can afford to go out and buy several thousand dollars worth of instruments, and it's so important for these kids to have. [Music] can shape their lives."

Checotah High School principal Brian Terry said the gift was sorely needed by the district, especially in these tough economic times.

"I think it's just huge to get Carrie back here so everyone can see that she's willing to use her means to give back to the town of Checotah and the kids," Terry said. "Last year our band asked for a lot of things and the funding wasn't there to get them. The stuff we had was probably 15 to 20 years old and needed to be replaced, so they made a wish list of these huge items. They've been like kids in a candy store today."

Standing in the wings with her mom just before the surprise assembly, Underwood admitted that, despite her superstar status, she was quite nervous to speak in front of the students and her former teachers, which included her elementary vocal coach and mentor Kathy Cooper.

"I'm so proud and so humble, and it's really hard for me to put into words," Cooper said after spending some time with Carrie backstage. "For her to do this when she didn't have to---it's just so awesome. I'm so excited."

Waiting for the event to begin, Underwood overheard fifth grade student Kennedee Rittenhouse singing "So Small" on the other side of the curtain in the auditorium. Though they had never met, Underwood asked Rittenhouse to come onstage during the presentation and sing the song with her, a performance that brought the house down. The young aspiring singer stood right beside Underwood and matched her note for note, prompting Underwood to joke, "You're making me look bad!"

The gift to Checotah music students is the first for the C.A.T.S. Foundation and is the kick off to the new ACM Lifting Lives Entertainer of the Year Matching Grant Program.

"When Carrie came to us with the idea, it just seemed like a natural fit," said Spahn. "The Lifting Lives board liked the concept so well that we've decided to build on it. Every year, we'll present a matching gift opportunity to the ACM Entertainer of the Year for any endeavor that uplifts through the power of music. Carrie started that ball rolling and we're really proud to be part of this with her."

"ACM Lifting Lives is about making the lives of kids and people better through music, and that's what I want to do, too," Underwood said. "It seemed like a natural partnership. Just to be able to partner together and show kids that they can do anything with these instruments is a great feeling for all of us."

ACM LIFTING LIVES NOW ACCEPTING GRANT APPLICATIONS; ANNOUNCES 2009 BENEFICIARIES

Organization More Than Triples Funding in 2009, Reaching Twelve Deserving Programs Nationally

ACM Lifting Lives, the Academy of Country Music's philanthropic arm, has announced its first-ever beneficiaries, along with a call for submissions for an additional fall grant cycle, which begins July 6th and runs through July 17th.

For grant application guidelines, CLICK HERE.

ACM Lifting Lives grants fund programs that promote education and healing through the power of music. The organization was rebranded in April 2009 and as part of the relaunch, upped timing for its annual grant cycles, resulting in two grant cycles in 2009 instead of just one. In addition, with just this first round of grants, Lifting Lives increased funding threefold to approximately $100,000 and expanded funding to reach 12 programs in total.

"Our presence previously was limited to the greater Nashville area, but this year we expanded to fund programs in the Bay Area, Los Angeles and Atlanta, with the goal of funding music education and music therapy programs nationally," said Erin Spahn, Director of ACM Lifting Lives.

Programs funded during the inaugural ACM Lifting Lives grant cycle include:

• Bridges Academy in Nashville, TN - received funding for music education programs
• Free Arts for Abused Children in Los Angeles, CA - received funding for three "free arts days" and two weekly volunteer programs
• Holston Home in Middle Tennessee - received funding to expand their music education program
• Lollipop Theatre Rhythm of Hope Program in Los Angeles, CA and Nashville, TN - secured facilitators and instruments for the Rhythm of Hope program, which involves artists visiting hospitals to teach ill children how to express their feelings through song
• Music National Service Initiative in Oakland, CA and the Bay Area - received funding for the summer training program akin to PeaceCorps but for music fellows
• Musicians on Call in Nashville, TN and also a national organization - received funding for music therapy through artist visits at Bordeaux Assisted Living Center
• Peace thru Musicin Ventura, CA - received funding for purchase and repair of instruments for children from financially challenged backgrounds
• Songs for Kids in Atlanta, GA and Los Angeles, CA - received funding for live music performances in hospitals, specifically the "Kids Rock!" program at Children's Hospital LA.

• The Art of Elysium in Los Angeles, CA - received funding for musical expressions program, providing music kits to hospitalized children
• Vanderbilt Music Therapy Program in Nashville, TN - received funding for a full time music therapist for summer trauma patients
• Vanderbilt Kennedy Center's Williams Syndrome Music Camp in Nashville, TN - received scholarships for children and funding for camp that has a dual purpose of studying Williams Syndrome and providing music therapy to kids in the form of performance and education
• W.O. Smith Nashville Community Music School in Nashville, TN - received funding for music education to underprivileged children, providing room and board expenses for students at Summer Music Camp

For grant applications and more information, contact erin@acmcountry.com.

TRACE ADKINS AND LIFTING LIVES RAISE MORE THAN $100,000 FOR WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT

Country star Trace Adkins and the West Point Glee Club teamed up on the 44^th Academy of Country Music Awards to unveil the Academy’s newly re-branded charitable fund, ACM Lifting Lives™. In a special performance, Adkins sang “Til the Last Shot’s Fired,” and iTunes downloads of the song, as well as direct donations, have raised more than $100,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project, an organization that provides extensive support to troops who have been wounded in combat.

"I've done stuff for the U.S.O. and the military and things here and there, but I've never really been hooked up with Wounded Warrior Project before," Adkins said. "I've known about them and know that it's a very noble cause, but this was my first opportunity to work with them. That all came about through Lifting Lives, through the ACM.  That was their brainchild.  So I'm just happy to be here."

"We experienced immediate download sales of Trace's live performance from the show, and within a few days, we saw appreciable increases in downloads from the album version of this song," Dungan told ACM Tempo. "This was clearly the result of his performance on the show.  It just felt like the right thing to do. The two words 'Lifting Lives' pretty much say it all, don't they?  There are so many wonderful things that can be done with this charitable fund.  We are honored to have participated in its kickoff."

Other generous companies donated hotel rooms and airline tickets for the West Point Glee Club, helping make this special moment possible.

"A beautiful thing about this project is that it was only completed with cooperation.  None of us could have done this alone," said the ACM's Erin Spahn, director of Lifting Lives. "Trace, the West Point Glee Club, CAA, dick clark productions, CBS, American Airlines, Planet Hollywood, MGM, iTunes, Capitol Records, the songwriters and publishing companies - - these entities gave up their proceeds, time and royalties absolutely without hesitation.  To every man and woman who has ever been brave enough to serve our country, I wish you could see what I saw when putting this massive project together: there is a great deal of love for you.  Otherwise, not one of us could have pulled this off."

Andrew Kinard, a former U.S. Marine lieutenant who lost both legs in Iraq, represented the Wounded Warrior Project by introducing Adkins' performance on the live broadcast. He received a standing ovation from the crowd, and later found himself the toast of the All-Star Jam.

"When I rolled on stage to introduce Trace and the West Point glee club, I was overwhelmed by the crowd's reaction," Kinard told ACM Tempo. "As I thought about the crowd's reaction, I realized that they weren't cheering me per se, but that the applause was directed towards all men and women who have worn our nation's uniform. It was truly a sublime moment for me and a great privilege to be able to represent the Armed Forces - and the wounded warrior community in particular."

Spahn says having an artist like Adkins and an organization like Wounded Warrior Project were paramount in kicking off Lifting Lives the right way.

"None of us doubted that Trace was the perfect choice for this moment and this cause, but our confidence in him has only been bolstered since the performance," Spahn said. "Trace has begun personal friendships with wounded American troops.  That's exactly why we loved the name Lifting Lives for our charity--we want to remember that it always goes back to lifting individuals out of hardship."

"It was the right song, the right voice, and the right backdrop for this tribute to those who have sacrificed for our great nation," Kinard said. "I am proud to call Trace a friend, and I know that we will continue to be."

Dungan says the performance gave fans yet another way to view Adkins.

"I know how Trace feels about the men and women who serve daily in our military, and he was touched beyond description to be asked to perform this song on the ACM Award Show," Dungan said. "A month later, people are still talking about it.  After the Celebrity Apprentice, I think America started to see Trace as not just a successful artist, but as a good man. Again, with this performance, America got another glimpse at the humanity of this giant man."

A long-time supporter of the U.S. military, Adkins traveled to Iraq and Afghanistan last year where he and his band performed for more than 10,000 United States military personnel in partnership with the USO. “Til the Last Shot’s Fired,” from Adkins’ current album X, delves into the topics of military history and personal sacrifice and features the West Point Glee Club on the song.

The Academy of Country Music would like to thank the following people and organizations for making this special moment possible: Trace Adkins, American Airlines, CAA, EMI Capitol, Rob Crosby, Mike Curb, Mike Curb Music, iTunes, Planet Hollywood, Doug Johnson, Paul Overstreet, Scarlett Moon Music, Sweet Radical Music and The West Point Glee Club.

To find out more or to donate directly to the Wounded Warrior Project, CLICK HERE.