cmp
OCTOBER 2017 Volume 48 Number 10 Issue 572
Editor Duncan Warwick
News
Walt Trott in Nashville Duncan Warwick in London
Stars out for Hurricane relief
Contributors David Allan, Janet Aspley, Donnie Ayers, Craig Baguley, Larry Delaney, Don Cusic, Julie Flaskett, Kelly Gregory, Michael Hingston, Spencer Leigh, John Lomax III,, Douglas McPherson, Stephen O’ Hanlon, Roland Purdy, Adrian Peel, Paul Riley, Wayne Smart, Chris Smith, Alison Stokes, Tom Travis, Walt Trott, Jack Watkins
Special projects coordinator Kelly Gregory
Photographers Helen Parish, Patricia Presley, Ian Tilbury, Barry Dixon, Billie McAleer
Printed by Henry Stone Printers www. henrystoneprinters. co. uk
Distributor Seymour International Press Distributors Ltd. 2 East Poultry Avenue London EC1A 9PT Telephone + 44 020 7429 4000 Fax + 44 020 7429 4001
Country Music People is published the last Thursday of each month by KICKIN’ CUTS LIMITED 24 Darley Close, Wittering, Peterborough PE8 6EQ, UK Telephone + 44 01780- 783689
countrymusicpeople @ gmail. com www. cmpcountry. com
© 2017 Kickin’ Cuts Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means without the prior written permission of the Publisher. The Publisher accepts no responsibility for statement of fact or opinion expressed by contributors. The views of the contributors are not necessarily those of Country Music People or its editor.
Main pic: Luke Bryan mans the phones. right: Chris Young and Tim McGraw at the HandInHand event.
Reportedly billionaire President Trump and First Lady Melania are donating a million dollars, targeted for Hurricane Harvey relief, but NFL Houston Texan football star J. J. Watt, 28, started small, creating a fund drive for victims of the disaster, setting a goal of $ 200,000. To the rugged defensive end’ s amazement, that goal was surpassed almost immediately and has since logged some $ 20 million in pledges.
Music members have also taken up the cause, with Willie Nelson joining music buddy Paul Simon, who with wife Edie Brickell, a Texan, matched the Trumps with their million dollar donation initially, but additionally plan charity concerts with Nelson, kicking off a benefit Sept. 22 in Austin. Incidentally, the Simons designated their personal donation for towns outside Houston, hard hit, too, by the storm.
Cinema names also pledged million-dollar donations toward the Texas tragedy, notably Sandra Bullock, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tyler Perry. Back in 2005, Simon started the Children’ s Health Fund, following Hurricane Katrina’ s devastation. New country star Chris Young chose to pledge $ 100,000 for the Harvey relief effort, noting in his Twitter post,“ I have friends and family there, and I’ m fairly positive my house down there may have to be torn down, as it was in one of the hardest hit areas by wind and flooding. But that’ s the least of my concern. I’ m worried about the people, like I said, my friends, family, neighbors, and I want to help.”
Additionally, Young set up a GoFundMe account with a goal of $ 500,000, ear-marked for the Red Cross. Then there was a four-city national telecast Sept. 12- Hand In Hand: A Benefit For Hurricane Harvey Relief- a major simultaneous fund raiser from Los Angeles, New York, San Antonio and Nashville. Performers participating in Music City take the stage at the Grand Ole Opry House. Name country players set for the one-hour special include Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, George Strait, Lyle Lovett, Chris Stapleton, Robert Earl Keen, along with Hollywood elites like George Clooney, Reese Witherspoon, Matthew McConaughey, Barbra Streisand, Drake, Jamie Foxx, Beyonce, Justin Bieber and Oprah Winfrey. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott estimated cost of rebuilding the damaged state likely reaching $ 180 billion.
Kip Moore and skateboard champ Tony Hawk joined talents to headline Harley- Davidson’ s premier Music City Skate Jam, Sept. 10, in Nashville’ s Walk of Fame Park downtown. Proceeds will benefit victims of Hurricane Harvey, along with Kip’ s Kids Fund and Tony Hawk’ s Foundation for needy young skaters. Moore shared this observation with the daily newspaper:“ I’ ve seen the impact my skate parks have had on the inner cities. I’ ve seen the direct impact they’ ve had on these kids. They are telling me it’ s the first thing they’ ve ever loved, and their parents are telling me it’ s keeping them out of gangs.” Highlights of the Skate Jam were Hawk’ s skating exhibition, followed by Moore’ s concert.
4 cmp- OCTOBER 2017