FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
EMMYLOU HARRIS AND LADY ANTEBELLUM FIRST STARS ANNOUNCED TO APPEAR AT THE 7TH ANNUAL T.J. MARTELL HONORS GALA ON MARCH 30TH IN NASHVILLE
“NASHVILLE” ACTOR /SINGER CHIP ESTEN TO RETURN AS HOST
Event set to honor: Steve and Judy Turner,
Ken Levitan, Dr. Jeffrey Balser, Billy Ray & Bill Hearn and
Becca Stevens
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (January 28, 2015)-- The T.J. Martell Foundation, supporting Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS Research, proudly announces appearances by Chip Esten, Emmylou Harris, and Lady Antebellum at the 7th Annual T.J. Martell Honors Gala to be held Monday, March 30th at the Omni Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. Additional talent will be announced in the coming weeks. The gala is produced and directed by High Five Productions.
The recently announced 7th Annual Honors honorees are: Steve and Judy Turner to receive the Spirit of Nashville Award; Dr. Jeffrey Balser, the Medical Research Advancement Award; Bill and Billy Ray Hearn, the Frances Preston Lifetime Music Industry Achievement Award; Ken Levitan, the Tony Martell Outstanding Entertainment Achievement Award and Becca Stevens, the Lifetime Humanitarian Award. The gala has netted over 2 million dollars since 2009. Ticket, table and sponsorship information can be found at www.tjmartell.org or by contacting Tinti Moffat at the T.J. Martell Foundation at (615) 256-2002.
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Charles “Chip” Esten is most commonly known for his role as Deacon Clayborne on ABC’s hit show “Nashville. During his first season on the show, Esten was honored to perform in the Grand Ole Opry and the historic Ryman auditorium. He was also honored to officially "flip the switch" at the 2013 Graceland Christmas Lighting ceremony. Many of the songs he has performed as Deacon (Undermine, Sideshow, Playin' Tricks, and including "I Know How To Love You Now", an original that he co-wrote with his friend, Deana Carter) are available on the five very successful "Nashville" soundtracks that have been released to date.
Esten’s professional career began by his theatrical debut in London when he portrayed Buddy Holly, singing, acting and playing guitar in the hit West End musical “Buddy.” In that role he was honored to perform for H.R.M Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, and eventually President and Mrs. George H.W. Bush at The White House. He was also given the opportunity to perform with Jerry Allison and Joe B. Mauldin, Buddy’s original hitmaking bandmates, the Crickets.
Esten’s television credits range from hit shows like “Whose Line Is It Anyway,” “Big Love,” “The Office,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and playing Kelly Bundy’s fiance on the series finale of “Married with Children.” His film credits include “Swing Vote,” “Thirteen Days,” “61*” and “The Postman.” This will be Esten’s second consecutive year as emcee of the TJ Martell Foundation Honors Gala.
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Emmylou Harris is a 13-time Grammy winner and Billboard Century Award recipient whose career as a singer and songwriter spans 40 years. The Country Music Hall of Fame member has recorded more than 25 albums and lent her talents to countless fellow artists’ recordings. She is one of the most admired and influential women in music. She has recorded with such diverse artists as Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, Gram Parsons, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Elvis Costello and countless others.
She is a longtime social activist who has lent her voice to many causes from promoting feminism in music to supporting the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation. She is an avid supporter of animal rights and is actively involved in Bonaparte’s Retreat, the dog rescue organization that the Nashvillan founded.
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Seven-time Grammy-winning group Lady Antebellum recently released their fifth studio album, 747. The 11-song disc has already spawned the platinum-certified multi-week chart-topping smash hit “Bartender,” and its current single “Freestyle” is quickly climbing the charts. The new album follows over 11 million albums sold worldwide, nine trips to No. one on the country radio charts, six platinum singles and “Vocal Group of the Year” honors from both the CMA and ACMs three years in a row. The group delighted both fans and critics on the road with the Dallas Morning News declaring “Lady Antebellum shows off its warranted leap to superstardom,” and they’re gearing up for their headlining WHEELS UP 2015 Tour kicking off Feb. 28 with a European trek and beginning the North American leg on May 1 in Lubbock, Texas. For more information, please visit www.ladyantebellum.com.
The Gala begins at 5:30p.m. with a cocktail reception and premiere of silent auction. The festivities continue at 7:00p.m. with the awards presentation, outstanding musical performances and a live auction.
The co-chairs for the 2015 event are Ree Buchanan, George Anderson and Danielle Bouharoun.
Table sponsorships range from $11,500 to $100,000. Individual tickets are $1,000.00. Ads congratulating the honorees may also be purchased in the commemorative journal. For journal ads and sponsorship information, email Allyson Baggott at abaggott@tjmartell.org or visit www.tjmartell.org.
The T.J. Martell Foundation is the music industry’s largest foundation that funds innovative medical research focused on finding cures for leukemia, cancer and AIDS. Music industry executive Tony Martell and his colleagues in loving memory of his son T.J., who died of leukemia, founded the Foundation. 2015 marks the 40th Anniversary of the T.J. Martell Foundation that has provided more than $270 million dollars to top research hospitals in the United States. To learn more about the T.J. Martell Foundation, please go to tjmartell.org.