ACM Stories, Songs & Stars: A Songwriter’s Event Benefitting ACM Lifting Lives®

On Friday night, the Academy of Country Music® presented ACM Stories, Songs & Stars: A Songwriter’s Event Benefitting ACM Lifting Lives® at The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino as part of the 6^th Annual ACM Party for a Cause®. Portions of event proceeds benefitted ACM Lifting Lives, the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music dedicated to improving lives through the power of music.

Lee Brice and Lauren Alaina

Hosted by Storme Warren, the event featured performances by country music’s most distinguished songwriters and celebrated artists including Lee Brice, Little Big Town, Lori McKenna, Midland, Jon Pardi, Thomas Rhett, Cole Swindell and 53^rd ACM Awards® Songwriter of the Year nominees Rhett Akins, Ashley Gorley, Hillary Lindsey, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne, plus surprise guests including Cam, Kip Moore, and Liz Rose.

Lori McKenna

 Rhett Akins was announced as the winner of this year’s ACM Songwriter of the Year award, which was presented to him by reigning Songwriter of the Year award winner Lori McKenna. Midland was also presented with trophies for their previously announced ACM Award win for New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year. Josh Osborne, Shane McAnally, and Rhett Akins were onstage for the surprise presentation.

Little Big Town

 An upscale evening modeled after an old-fashioned guitar pull, ACM Stories, Songs & Stars featured ACM Songwriter of the Year nominees – ranging from the most commercially successful to the most critically-acclaimed composers – alongside some of the biggest names in country music performing the songs they composed, telling the stories behind how those collaborations came together.

Kip Moore

ACM Recaps and Photos: Great Outdoor Archery Event with Team Luke and Team Justin

On Saturday, April 18th Luke Bryan and Justin Moore returned to host the 3rd Annual ACM & Cabela’s Great Outdoor Archery Event at the Rangers Youth Ballpark in Arlington, during the ACM Party for A Cause Festival.

Event hosts Luke Bryan and Justin Moore pose for photo at the ACM & Cabela's Great Outdoor Archery Event
Photos by Larry Busacca, Getty Images

Country music stars including Josh Abbott, Rhett Akins, Luke Bryan, Casey Donahew, Tyler Farr, Brantley Gilbert, Lucas Hoge, Dustin Lynch, Justin Moore, Eric Paslay, Chase Rice, Jamie Lynn Spears, and Austin Webb along with Dallas Cowboys offensive guard Zack Martin, “Duck Dynasty” stars Jep Robertson and Willie Robertson, plus Cabela’s pro staff archers Wade Middleton and Kristy Titus participated in this archery exhibition featuring 3D and traditional targets.

Team Luke poses with trophy

Team Luke and Team Justin competing head-to-head as Team Luke won by a score of 519 to 459.  Team Luke artists included Luke Bryan, Lucas Hoge, Austin Webb, Kristy Titus, Tyler Farr, Dustin Lynch, Rhett Akins, Willie Robertson and Jep Robertson.  Team Justin included Justin Moore, Brantley Gilbert, Chase Rice, Casey Donahew, Zach Martin, Josh Abbott, Jamie Lynn Spears and Eric Paslay.

Jamie Lynn Spears participates in the ACM & Cabela's Great Outdoor Archery Event

Rhett Akins beat Cabela’s Pro Staff Archer Kristy Titus by one point to win the Top Archer trophy.

 

Make-A-Wish North Texas partnered with Cabela’s to bring young adults Emily (Team Luke) and Bryson (Team Justin) to the event pairing them each with the teams to participate in the event.

Luke Bryan and Make-A-Wish participant Emily Kemper discuss strategy.

 

Hot Ticket: ACM Events - Dierks' Charity Motorcycle Ride & Darius' Celebrity Golf Classic

The excitement of the 50th Anniversary of ACM Awards weekend continues with these TWO star-studded charity events in town -- both on Saturday, April 18th.  With a charity motorcyle ride and a golf classic, there's something for everyone!

Dierks Bentley will host the ACM Charity Motorcycle Ride & Concert, Country Music’s Biggest Ride™, on Saturday, April 18 – the ride will begin at Strokers Dallas in and Longhorn Harley-Davidson in Grand Prairie and will conclude at Maverick Harley-Davidson in Carrollton with a post-ride concert. 

 

Concerts by Dierks Bentley, Clare Dunn, Will Hoge, Joey Hyde, James Otto, Dee Jay Silver, Montgomery Gentry, Thompson Squareand more to be announced. 

 

Fans can register to ride and purchase general admission ticketsNOW on ticketing.acmcountry.com for$75.

 

Proceeds from the event to benefit ACM Lifting Lives, the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music, local child abuse advocacy groups and military philanthropies.

 

Local Charities:

• Children’s Advocacy Center for Denton County
• Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children
• Bikers Against Child Abuse
• 444 Angel

Today, ACM Lifting Lives® announced that chart-topping country music star Darius Rucker will return to host the ACM Lifting Lives Celebrity Golf Classic presented by G. Debbas Chocolatier and GoPicnic for the fourth consecutive year on Saturday, April 18, 2015 at Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas. The ACM Lifting Lives Celebrity Golf Classic, the ninth held since 2004, brings together country music artists Kix Brooks, Charles Kelley, Chris Young, Branch & Dean, and more artists to be announced as well as other members of the music community in a scramble tournament to raise funds and awareness for ACM Lifting Lives’ Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief Fund.

 

This fund enables ACM Lifting Lives to respond quickly to unforeseen, immediate financial needs ofmusic related organizations and individuals.Funds are disbursed at the discretion of a select committee made up of ACM Lifting Lives Board Members. The fund’s resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and each case is treated with integrity and confidentiality.

This Is Country: A Backstage Pass to the ACM Awards Benefits ACM Lifting Lives

ACM CEO Bob Romeo (left) and ACM EVP/Managing Director Tiffany Moon (right) pose with ACM SVP and author Lisa Lee (center) at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. 
(Photo Credit: Terry Wyatt / Courtesy of Academy of Country Music)

The Academy of Country Music hosted a party recently in Nashville to celebrate the release of the first-ever ACM commemorative book, This Is Country: A Backstage Pass to the Academy of Country Music Awards. Music Industry VIPs gathered at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to preview the book, on sale as of today September 23rd at booksellers nationwide. 

 

All of the Academy’s proceeds from sales of the book will go to ACM Lifting Lives, the Academy’s charitable arm. Fans can find more information about the book and a list of retailers at http://www.acmcountry.com/thisiscountry.

 

Starting today fans can Instagram a photo of what “country” means to them with #THISISCOUNTRY and submit their entry online via www.acmcountry.com for a chance to win a copy of the book and an enlarged 22”x28” photo from the book. Seven runner-ups will be selected to win a 22”x28” ACM historical photo.

 

The 224-page retrospective includes a foreword by Reba and features contributions by country music’s biggest stars from the 1960s to the present day, including Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, Loretta Lynn, Alabama’s Randy Owen, Reba, Blake Shelton, George Strait, and Marty Stuart, and commentary from Kenny Chesney, Merle Haggard, Faith Hill, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and many more.