Music: Country: Festival in Nashville, Tennessee, helps fund victims of recent floods that hit hard Nashville and region

Here's the deal for the Country Music Association's festival, Nashville, Tennessee (June 9-13):

Chevy: The Official Ride of Country Music will help kick off the 2010 CMA Music Festival on June 9 with “The Sixth Annual CMA Music Festival Kick-Off Parade” at 11:30 a.m. Central through the streets of downtown Nashville.

Brenda Lee will serve as Grand Marshal and other artists participating in the parade include Lynn Anderson, Katie Armiger, Rodney Atkins, The Band Perry, Bo Bice, Ash Bowers, Carter Twins, Jeff Cook, Diana DeGarmo, Fast Ryde, Colt Ford, Brantley Gilbert, Gloriana, Josh Gracin, The Grascals, The Harters, Buddy Jewell, KingBilly, Jesse Lee, LoCash Cowboys, Lonestar, Jerrod Niemann, James Otto, Danielle Peck, Point of Grace, Marty Raybon, Pam Tillis, Trent Tomlinson, and Chuck Wicks. Members of the National Guard will drive artists along the parade route in Chevy vehicles, including the all new 2011 Silverado HD and the Military Specialty Camaro.

“Chevrolet has had a longstanding, natural relationship with country music, commonly and proudly rooted in American tradition,” said Phil Caruso, Chevrolet Sales Promotion Manager. “We’re excited about this year’s festival and happy to provide fans access to their favorite artists and opportunities to experience Chevrolet’s newest products and technologies.”


After the parade, “The Fifth Annual CMA Music Festival Block Party” will take place on the Chevy Music Stage on the Bridgestone Arena Plaza. The event is free and open to the public and performances are scheduled by David Nail, Chuck Wicks, Jerrod Niemann, Joe Nichols, and Randy Houser.

“CMA is proud to have such a great partner in Chevy,” said Sheri Warnke, CMA Vice President of Strategic Partnerships. “These two great events will certainly help rev up the excitement for this year’s Festival.”

Four more days of live entertainment on the Chevy Music Stage follow The Block Party and are also free and open to the public. Among those scheduled to perform are Bomshel, Mark Wills, Emily West, Ash Bowers, Whitney Duncan, and Jason Michael Carroll.

Country Music, by Christian Countrygal

Country Music fans will have the opportunity to test drive brand new Chevys during CMA Music Festival. Chevy will donate $10 for every test drive to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee to aid relief efforts for victims of the recent floods.

Chevy is also giving away a ticket upgrade to the Nightly Concerts at LP Field, will host activities, appearances and meet and greets on the Chevy Stage in the Sports Zone and will also have a booth in the Greased Lightning Fan Fair Hall.

The press release reveals the roster, adorned by many leading l+ts of American country music today, that offers opportunities as well to donate to the flood victims of the city and the region. Many fans of the genre were devastated by the hurricane-driven floods and tornados.

Many folks in the region are country music fans, many of country music's leading singers and groups are self-identified Christians. The music itself often contains explicitly Christian themes. And it is often sung by women who have grown up with the genre, telling the stories of their loves and lost loves and husband-forsaking turnoffs, restorations of marriages in some cases, a genre marked by its severe personal honesty and sentimentality driven by the desire to grant and ask forgiveness.

Not all country is "down home," some is definitely rather urban. I'm definitely a fan of Carrie Underwood, who's developed from her countryside roots to embrace her contemporary life which is mostly lived on the road and in the city. I sometimes refer to her as "glam country" because of her stylish outfits, reminiscent of Reba McEntire, another country music great. The male singers aren't too bad either!