George Strait Tribute Raises $750,000 For Charity

The Academy of Country Music is announcing a $750,000 endowment to ACM Lifting Lives, made from monies raised from ticket sales from the “George Strait: ACM Artist of the Decade All Star Concert” taped in Las Vegas in April.  The gift is the second disbursement of a three-year funding commitment and fundraising campaign initiated last fall.  ACM Lifting Lives is the philanthropic arm of the Academy which works to improve lives through music.

 

ACM Artist of the Decade honoree George Strait alongside ACM Artist of the Decade for the ‘90s Garth Brooks and performers Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Jamie Foxx, Faith Hill, Jack Ingram, Alan Jackson, Jamey Johnson, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, John Rich, LeAnn Rimes, Blake Shelton, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban and Lee Ann Womack all participated in the sold-out taping at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, with more than 10 million viewers tuning in to the special on CBS in May.

 

“The artists who gave of their time in April are the reason we can make this announcement today,” said Bob Romeo, Executive Director of the Academy of Country Music.  “They put their time and energy into the Artist of the Decade taping, and they asked for nothing in return.  They showed up, they blew the doors off the house and the ratings through the roof, reaching millions of fans with the message of ACM Lifting Lives. ”

 

“The artists work every day to improve the lives of others with their craft,” said Erin Spahn, Director of ACM Lifting Lives.  “With this endowment, their good work continues through the programs Lifting Lives supports. We are so thankful to them.”