Music Education in Nashville's Public Schools to Benefit From 2006 CMA Music Festival

Music Education in Nashville's Public Schools to Benefit From 2006 CMA Music Festival

CMA's "Keep the Music Playing" New Charity Program To Donate Funds To The Nashville Alliance For Public Education

NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2006 CMA Music Festival will "Keep the Music Playing" in Metro Nashville's public schools with a new charity initiative that will support music education through a partnership with the Nashville Alliance for Public Education, the Country Music Association announced at a press conference today.

The Nashville Alliance for Public Education will be the sole recipient of funds donated on behalf of the artists and celebrities who participate in CMA Music Festival in 2006. All of the funds - anticipated to be $300,000 this year - will be used to support music education for Nashville's 73,000 public school students.

"Nashville is Music City; CMA Music Festival is the city's signature musical event; and music education in the public schools is where it all begins," said CMA Chief Operating Officer Tammy Genovese. "It is up to all of us -- the city, the business community and music industry -- to 'keep the music playing' for the kids. And CMA and our artist community are committed to the effort."

The theme of the charitable donation program is: "Music City + CMA Music Festival = Music Education: Keep the Music Playing."

CMA unveiled the campaign at the Nashville School of the Arts (NSA), which in 2005 received nearly $20,000 from CMA Music Festival's charity donation to the Nashville Alliance for Public Education to purchase musical instruments and build a guitar lab at the school. James DeSilva, a tenth-grade music student from NSA, performed at the announcement.

"Performers like James illustrate what this program is all about - getting instruments and music into the hands of the kids who will benefit most," Genovese said.

"The Nashville Alliance is excited to partner with CMA Music Festival in support of music in public schools. There is no more important endeavor than that of education," said Kay Simmons, Executive Director of the Nashville Alliance. "We are proud that the CMA has made this commitment which will ensure that all students in Nashville are afforded the multiple benefits of music education."

In 2001, CMA launched "Cause for Celebration!" as a way to say thanks to the hundreds of artists and celebrities who give their time to make appearances and perform at CMA Music Festival for free.

As part of the "Cause for Celebration!" program, half the net proceeds from the Festival were donated to charities selected by the artists. To date, CMA has donated more than $800,000, divided among more than 100 individual charities.

In 2005, of the 247 artists who designated a charity, the Nashville Alliance for Public Education was the No. 1 choice. With the support of the CMA Artist Relations Committee and Board of Directors, the program will now continue as "Keep the Music Playing" with a single focus on music education in Metro Nashville.

"After examining the potential impact and seeking feedback from other festivals, including the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the artist representatives on the CMA Board of Directors and our Board members decided that we could accomplish more if we focused our Festival resources on one charity," Genovese said. "It was important to all of us that the charity had a strong connection to Nashville and our artists. The Alliance was a perfect fit. They have a mission our members and the artist community believe in - getting instruments and music into the hands of students throughout Nashville."

The Nashville Alliance for Public Education was established in 2002 by a group of corporate and civic leaders with the goal of improving public education for Nashville's school children. Working in tandem with the Metro Nashville Public School Board and the Director of Schools, the nonprofit group identifies areas of need and channels private community resources toward those programs and schools, which serve Metro Nashville's 73,000 public school students.

One hundred percent of all money donated by CMA Music Festival will be used for music education and go directly to the schools and school programs identified by the Nashville Alliance. A representative of CMA's Board of Directors - Steve Buchanan, Senior Vice President Media and Entertainment Gaylord Entertainment and chair of the CMA Marketing and Communications Committee - will oversee distribution of the CMA Music Festival charitable funds and report to CMA's Board.

Music education is a funding priority for the Nashville Alliance. Over the last two years, the Alliance has placed $1 million worth of musical instruments in public schools. However the need exists for an additional $3 million worth of instruments.

"All gifts to the Nashville Alliance are tracked by [an Alliance] Board Committee to ensure maximum accountability," Simmons said. "Therefore, we will be able to report back to the artists and the community the use of CMA Music Festival's charitable gift and the impact it makes in increasing music education opportunities for the youth in our community."

An example of the CMA Music Festival charitable program already at work was on display at the announcement.

Nashville artist and member of the MuzikMafia Rachel Kice created artwork at last year's Festival that will be used in an art program that will benefit the Nashville Alliance. It is just one example of the support the program has received, but there are many opportunities for growth and community involvement including working with the Nashville business community and music industry stakeholders.

"In addition to providing funding for music education, CMA is in a position as the trade association for the industry to be able to reach out to other businesses and organizations in our community that have an interest in supporting children and music education," Genovese said.

CMA Music Festival is an unparalleled music experience that is not to be missed. And with more people attending than ever in the history of the event - 145,000 in 2005 - CMA anticipates being able to contribute $300,000 to the Nashville Alliance for Public Education to be used for school music programs in 2006.

CMA Board Member and Executive Producer of CMA Music Festival Tony Conway, President and Co-Owner of Buddy Lee Attractions, sees the charity program as an incentive for Nashvillians and the Nashville business community, which rely on the music industry and tourism as an important source of revenue and corporate awareness for the city, to get involved in the event.

"CMA Music Festival is a quality, family entertainment experience that supports children and public schools," Conway said. "This event represents the best of our lifestyle in Nashville with events and activities that will appeal to everyone. The business community and residents of Nashville can 'do good' and 'feel good' at the same time by attending and supporting the Festival. You can have a great time and make a difference for kids in public school."

CMA Music Festival celebrates its 35th year in 2006 on Thursday through Sunday, June 8-11, in Downtown Nashville. Dubbed the "crown jewel of Country Music Festivals" by USA Today, the event features four jam-packed days of music with more than 400 artists and celebrities, 70 hours of concerts, 30 hours of autograph signings, family activities, celebrity sports competitions and much more.

Four-day ticket packages correspond to a different level of reserved seating at The Coliseum. Four-day ticket packages include the Nightly Concerts at The Coliseum; Daily Concerts at the Greased Lightning(R) Daytime Stages; daily admittance to the Wrangler(R) Fan Fair(R) (Exhibit Hall) featuring the Acoustic Corner; Family Zone; Crisco(R) Country Favorites Corner; Fun Zone; Sports Zone; CMA Music Festival After Hours; free in-town shuttles; the CMA Music Festival Program Book; CMA Music Festival pin; special discounts to area attractions, restaurants, shops and more.

Prices for four-day ticket packages start at $125 for adults and $86 for children ages 4-14 (children 3 years and younger admitted free). Price does not include applicable handling fees. Ticket prices and artists appearing are subject to change without notice. All sales are final and non-refundable.

For up-to-the-minute information about tickets, travel information, schedules, artist appearances and more, visit www.CMAfest.com and sign up for e-news.

To order CMA Music Festival tickets, call 1-800-CMA-FEST (262-3378); visit www.CMAfest.com to download an order form to fax or mail; visit www.ticketmaster.com to buy online or charge-by-phone at (615) 255-9600.

Once again in 2006, CMA Music Festival will be filmed for a two-hour, ABC Television Network special that will air later this year. The special is produced by Robert Deaton and directed by Gary Halvorson. The 2006 CMA Music Festival is organized and produced by the Country Music Association. Premiere Radio Networks is the official radio broadcaster. Promotional partners include Crisco, Greased Lightning and Wrangler. Fan Fair is a registered trademark of CMA.

Quotes from many of the participants of today's press conference follow:

Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell spoke of the CMA Music Festival's importance to the city of Nashville and its public school students:

"CMA Music Festival is Nashville's signature event. Make no mistake about that. It is the kind of event that any city would love to have, and we have it here. We have it here because the people, the performers, the artists, the people who make up CMA, believe that this Festival should be just that. It brings in something in the order $16 million tourist dollars, but it's way past that in its effect on this brand and this city and our own self perception. This is the kind of collaboration that says really great things about everybody in the music business and about the city. This announcement of your directing these resources into the city of Nashville, into our kids and into music education is just about the best kind of announcement any city anywhere could have made, and on behalf of all the citizens and especially all the kids of Nashville, I want to say thank you very, very much to CMA."

CMA Board member and Chairman of the CMA Artist Relations Committee Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn spoke on the importance of the artists' contributions to CMA Music Festival and the Nashville Alliance for Public Education:

"CMA Music Festival is alive on the contribution of artists. Last year, 240 different acts and musicians played for free to make this happen. It's probably the biggest music festival in the world already, and it's based on the donation of artists' time, which is extremely unique. What I want to be able to do as an artist, and with this donation, is to reach out to the kids who haven't found that talent yet or don't have those opportunities."

CMA Board member Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry and his partner Eddie Montgomery reminisced about their own musical upbringing:

Gentry: "Fortunately for me, we had band classes and I grew up playing saxophone through junior high and high school. But there were a lot of kids I grew up with that didn't have the opportunities to play instruments, so I'm proud as a CMA Board member to get on board and do such a great thing for music education in the schools."

Montgomery: "Growing up in a honky tonk family and having guitars and drums around all the time, I noticed all the kids would come to our house to play the instruments. And seeing a school like this, I just want to see it get bigger and bigger, because I'll tell you, you give somebody a dream and they can live every day and there's no telling where they'll end up."

Nashville Alliance for Public Education Board member and Curb Records Chairman Mike Curb praised CMA's ongoing effort to bring Nashville's music industry and business community together to benefit music education:

"We've all heard for years, the music industry and the business community are not together. Well, anyone who feels that way needs to be here today, because CMA has really stepped up. They're not only helping the 73,000 students in the system, CMA is also bringing together Nashville's business community with our great music community. I cannot tell you how exciting it is to see these students who have never held an instrument in their hands, and the opportunity it gives them. On behalf of the Nashville Alliance of Public Education, we are really proud of this day."

Marty Dickens, President of BellSouth, spoke of the CMA Music Festival's importance to Nashville and encouraged all of Nashville's citizens and business leaders to pull together and come out in support of the Festival and music education:

"We are Music City, and music is what we're all about. And the heart, the headliner is Country Music. It is so important to our tourism and convention business. It doesn't matter where you go in the world, they know about Music City. The CMA Music Festival is our signature event. I'm involved in the Blue Ribbon Committee, which is a coalition of the music business folks and the business folks, and I want all the business leaders in this community to hear this. We've got to get behind this thing. What better way for we, as businesses in this city, to get behind our music heritage, support this event, bring increased numbers of people to our city and help support music education for our children. There's no greater thing that we could be involved in. So I want to encourage all of Nashville businesses to get on the bandwagon, buy tickets and support the CMA Music Festival. Let's make it the greatest event that Nashville has ever seen."

Source: Country Music Association

CONTACT: Wendy Pearl or Scott Stem of CMA, +1-615-244-2840

Web site: http://www.cmafest.com/
http://www.cmaworld.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: For information, logos and downloadable photos, visit our media-only website, www.CMApress.com. You may also register on this site for media credentials to cover activities during the 2006 CMA Music Festival until the May 12 deadline.

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