Country duo Montgomery Gentry, with friends Chris Young, Jon Stone, Tim Nichols, Wade Hayes, Trent Willmon and Jim Quick with Coastline, raised $80,000 for the first annual Country on the Beach festival, benefiting the T.J. Martell Foundation.
The event was held Dec. 3-6 at the Beach Palace Resort in Cancun, Mexico.
“Eddie [Montgomery] and I were thrilled when the T.J. Martell Foundation asked us to host their first Country on the Beach event. Besides having a great time with all of the other artists, fans and industry friends that attended, we are very proud to help raise money for such a worthy cause. Cancer research is very near and dear to my heart and we are both honored to have helped,” said Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry.
Proceeds from Country on the Beach went to the T.J. Martell Foundation’s mission of funding ground-breaking research for leukemia, cancer and AIDS at six top research hospitals in the United States. In Nashville, the Foundation supports cancer research at the Frances Williams Preston Laboratories at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.
A highlight of the event included the live auction, which offered on-stage performances with Montgomery Gentry ($3,750) and singer/songwriter Tim Nichols, co-writer of "Live Like Your Were Dying," ($3,000). Private serenades by Trent Willmon and Wade Hayes were also offered in the auction.
GAC’s Headline Country host Storme Warren was the host and auctioneer of the event, who added to the auction excitement by offering hand-written lyrics to Charlie Daniels' “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” that were re-written by various artists from the CMA Awards red carpet in November ($7,000). Chris Young also offered the hand written lyrics to his latest No. 1 song, “Getting You Home,” which brought $5,500.
“The Foundation is so fortunate to have such giving artists, musicians, sponsors and fans who give their time and money to help find a control/cure for cancer,” said Tony Conway, President of the T.J. Martell Foundation Board of Directors.
