Nashville Helps Itself

Much information has arisen since Monday’s early reports of the devastating flooding in Nashville. The Country Station has heard from many friends and associates in the area. One associate’s home was a casualty of the flood, another reported basement flooding, and a couple were stuck at home because of flooded roads and communities, but most of their homes and offices seem fine, suffering little more damage than phone and power outages.

Meanwhile, Keith Urban has said that he's pretty sure he lost all of his road equipment, guitars and amps. According to Keith, the facility where he and a lot of other Nashville musicians store their instruments and gear was one of many locations in Music City to be full of water. Still, Keith stressed that his loss “pales in comparison” to what many families are currently dealing with. He called the tragedy “unfathomable” and recalled going through something similar in Australia in 1974. Keith added that he and wife, Nicole Kidman, are doing their part to help out financially, and he expects many benefit concerts to occur as part of relief efforts.

One of those concerts has already been organized. Vince Gill and several of his musical friends have stepped up to host a special fundraiser for flood victims. The “Working 4 You Flood Relief” telethon will be broadcast tonight on Nashville’s local TV stations. Naomi Judd, Phil Vassar, Lonestar and former American Idol finalist Bo Bice will participate. All proceeds will aid the Salvation Army, Red Cross and Second Harvest Food Bank in their flood relief efforts. Broader-ranging relief concerts should be held in the coming weeks. Because that’s what country music does – help itself.

That’s why, for the fans around the country who have been wondering, CMA Fest is still a go! Organizers say the event will go on as planned, despite the fact that many of its intended sites are underwater. CMA Board of Directors Chairman Steve Moore calls the festival “Nashville's signature music event,” and notes, “We cannot think of a better way to help our local economy at this time of great need than to continue the 39-year tradition of CMA Music Festival.” The event is scheduled to take place June 10-13th in various venues around Music City. If you plan to attend, expect changes or accommodations to the facilities. To say the least, attendees booked at the Opryland Hotel and Resort will be looking for alternate lodging. Yet with area hotels already at capacity for the Music Fest on a typical year, and now unseasonably full due to evacuations of residents displaced from their homes, it will be an exercise in coordination to get everybody re-booked.

Having heard information from the locals that is being overlooked by most national news sources, our thoughts and prayers are with those in Nashville.