CMT, Red Cross Partner With Nashville’s WSMV for Nashville Tornado Relief
CMT is partnering with the American Red Cross and Nashville NBC affiliate WSMV News 4 for a telethon to benefit Nashville tornado relief efforts.
The country music and lifestyle channel has announced that the telethon will air live from CMT's studio in downtown Nashville on Thursday (March 5). CMT’s Cody Alan will join several WSMV anchors and more talent that is yet to be announced to host the program, joined by volunteers from CMT and the music industry.
The telethon will air from 4-7PM CT on WSMV, and it will also be featured across all of CMT's social media platforms. According to a press release, "Country music artists, local television personalities and volunteers alike will be answering phones live during the telethon to take donations, share personal stories and encourage support of tornado relief efforts in Middle Tennessee following the devastation that swept through the area earlier this week."
The money raised will go to support those who were affected and displaced by the deadly tornado that tore a devastating swath through Nashville and central Tennessee in the early morning hours on Tuesday (March 3).
At least 24 people died across the state of Tennessee, and another estimated 77 remained missing in rural Putnam County as of Wednesday morning (March 4), with rescue efforts still underway.
Country stars were among those who were impacted by the Nashville tornado, which hit especially hard in the trendy East Nashville and Germantown areas of the city. Eric Paslay revealed that his house took a "direct hit," but his family is safe. Maren Morris, Abby Anderson, Cassadee Pope and others posted to social media to share how the storms impacted their neighborhoods. Dierks Bentley wound up flying right around the storm cell that created the tornado, and the airport where he landed was hit shortly thereafter and badly damaged. His drummer, Steve Misamore, lost his house in the storms, but did not suffer injury.
Carrie Underwood shared in a TV interview to promote her new fitness book on Tuesday that her husband and sons rode out the tornado in a safe room in their house while she was traveling to promote the project. Chris Young is donating $50,000 to the Music City Inc. Foundation to assist with Nashville tornado relief efforts.
In addition to the telethon Thursday, CMT and the Red Cross are accepting donations online, and the proceeds from a CMT Country Gives Back T-shirt will go to benefit the American Red Cross Southern Tornado and Flood Relief Program.
To find more resources for how you can help, please visit Taste of Country's list of resources for Nashville tornado relief.
Country Stars React to the Nashville Tornado