Artists' Big Donations Keep Flooding Into Nashville
Here I thought I was doing a good thing by collecting diapers, Band-Aids, duct tape and toothbrushes to send to Nashville. But my donation pales in comparison to what the fine folks in Music City are up to to heal themselves. Taylor Swift donated $500,000 to the flood relief fund during the Vince Gill & Friends telethon last night (May 6). Reba McEntire gave $100,000 to the Nashville Area Red Cross. The Grammy Block Party next week (where Darius Rucker is performing) is set to raise funds for MusiCares Nashville flood relief, with 100 percent of the proceeds going immediately to help those in the music community. And the CMA is donating half of its proceeds from the 2010 CMA Music Festival to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee's flood relief efforts. Bless their hearts.
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TGI Freddy says:
It’s staggering to believe A girl with such little talent even has $500,000. She better hang on to it unless she was born rich
Katie M says:
It’s staggering that people are using this tragedy to bash on an artist who has the ability to bring attention to a situation that has received barely any media attention.
Good for all the people who donated, and Nashville is in my prayers.
listenup says:
PLEASE CMT! Get rid of this person posting on all the threads. You moderators delete things that don’t need deletion then leave this menace to do what he wants. DO SOMETHING PLEASE.
Everyone else, please ignore this ignoramus. The more you respond the better he likes it. If you don’t respond, he can’t get his jollies.
lifetime says:
This is awsome for someone so young to give like Taylor does to help people in need with her 500,000 dollar donation…way to go all the artists and others that are helping.
LOVE CM says:
I am not a big fan of Taylor Swift’s music or performances, but as a role model-I think she is a wonderful example.
Snookie Lanson says:
I watched the telethon last night. It’s a great thing what everyone has done. Pity only a few stars are singled out here instead of mentioning all who helped out..
Manhattan Project says:
Money is an easy donation for someone of her wealth. Since she is so young, she should be out there working in the streets doing some cleanup work, or is she afraid of getting those pretty little hands dirty?
Manhattan Project says:
Money is an easy donation for someone of her wealth. Since she is so young, she should be out there working in the streets doing some cleanup work, or is she afraid of getting those pretty little hands dirty?.
Sarah says:
That is awesome! I am so proud of everyone who has donated anything & everything they can to help those in need.
Andy says:
To everyone who thinks Taylor should be helping clean-up the streets, she’s in the middle of a Sold-out tour. She can’t always just drop everything and race back to Nashville or wherever to help out. She still has to do her job. Now even though it may seem like a job to you, it IS a job.
Possum says says:
If you cant figure it out Taylor is kicking ass. I have seen her in concert. She works hard and has brought in a new generation of country music fans.Way to go Taylor,May God Bless You!
TallJane says:
As I read the comments I am saddened to think that there are people out there who, in the midst a good, only find things to bash. What a sad statement. My question to those who are slamming Taylor Swift (whom by the way I have never heard one of her songs so I’m no die hard fan) “What are you doing in your own neighborhood to help someone in need???” Way to go Country Musicians for helping those in need in your own back yard! Your obedience to helping a neighbor in need is a great example to all of us.
Faye says:
I am not a fan of Taylor Swift but she does deserve respect and recognition for her willingness to give back to the community. I know these stars are all rich enough to do that but not everyone does. Nashville has a community of country stars that may be famous but at the same time they all care about their community and fans. That is why I LOVE country music and the artist that represent it!
D Trotter says:
Sure, Taylor made about 17 million last year, and it put on a lot of those top-earning celeb lists.
But by the time she paid for her tour expenses and whatever else, and then Uncle Sam came along and said most of that is mine, Swift is probably lucky to wind up with a THIRD of that 17 million to call her own. Plus, she’s already given very nice chunks of her earnings to her old schools and many other charities and causes.
Swift is NOT some 70-year-old billionaire industrial exec looking for ways to protect her estate; she’s a 20-year old entertainer that the bashers claim is just a flash-in-the-pan (we’ll see about that lol).
So giving a half $500,000 dollars IS generous, even for her, and that amount of money certainly represents a very real bit of assistance that doesn’t have to come from the GOVERNMENT (i.e., you and me).
Not only is a half-million a huge contribution, it serves as a nice example for her gazillion fans to contribute something, as well. Way to go, Taylor!
Susan says:
I agree that was a generous thing for Taylor to do.
Faye, I think your comment is unfair about all the stars being rich enough and not always giving. First of all, you have no idea what other stars are doing. Many, many contribute what they can but do it on the down low without publicizing it. Secondly, some stars have families to support and don’t have as much disposable income. Everyone’s circumstances are different. Thirdly, it’s just not right to judge others based on what one person has done. People give what they feel they can and what their conscience tells them to, not what your conscience tells them to. The giving is the point, not the amount.
Taylor set the bar for sure but you cannot expect everyone to contribute to that extent.
J.J. says:
Well said Susan. Oddly enough I agree with all of it. I am for anyone who can draw attention to this situation, thereby helping to raise awareness. It was too bad that so many other things were going on in the country that took the attention away from the flood here in Nashville. But Taylor and many others did their best to put the focus here. Kudos to all for that. And Alison - don’t downplay what you were doing. Everyone helped and did what they could. A half a million is incredible, but so is $10.00 donated by someone who can barely make ends meet. Those kind of people, to me, are the true heros in all this.
Robin says:
I’m no fan of Swift’s music. But, bashing her for being generous to people in so much need is sad.
yoli says:
very nice and unselfish thing to, though I am not a taylor fan I do respect her for giving back to her community.
rosyz says:
What a good thing to do. She is very generous. I am impressed. She is a good role model to her fans.
Brenda says:
I think it is wonderful that the artist are giving and I pray they all give, after all Nashville had a big hand in making them. I am sure all will give money or of themselves. Thanks to all who gave, it is a blessing!!!!
LORI says:
T THINK IT’S GREAT WHAT EVERYONE IS DOING TO HELP OUT IN NASHVILLE. BUT TAYLOR SWIFT, I’M SORRY BUT SHE ALWAYS HAS TO BE THE BIG SHOW. AND IT’S EVEN IN MY NEWSPAPER. WHERE SHE USED TO LIVE. AND SHE NEVER GREW UP ON A FARM. I WISH SHE’D TELL THE TRUTH. SHE GREW UP IN A NICE HOME, IN WYOMISSING HILLS. HER PARENT’S OWNED A FARM, AND RENTED IT OUT. TO A TREE FARMER, AND PEOPLE WHO RAISE HORSES.SHE CAN WRITE MUSIC, AND THAT’S WHERE SHE SHOULD BE. BEHIND THE CAMERA. AND I PITTY HER BROTHER, WHAT ABOUT HIM? THEY GAVE EVERYTHING TO HER, AND UP ROOTED HIM, AD MOVED HIM. SHOW’S HOW HER PARENT’S TREAT THEIR 2 CHILDREN THE SAME. NOT. SHE’LL FADE REAL SOON, AND NOT SOON ENOUGH FOR ME.
John says:
This was all a publicity stunt dreamed up by Swift and her people
Now we learn she is a Republican and doing an event for the NRSC
John says:
She and her people had a meeting probably and said how great it’d be to call in and brag about how much money she gave
In reality she didn’t donate anything to the actual telethon,just various charities
Too bad other stars didn’t call in with bigger donations .
john says:
John…so you think Swift and her people did a rain dance so it would rain in Nashville for a publicity stunt? What have you been smoking? Good for Taylor and all the other people that did whatever they can do to help. 1$ or 500.000 its all good.
TG says:
She makes $500,000 just for showing up at one show.
Robin says:
TG - She made $17 million last year. That means she only did 34 shows? After taxes ane expenses and only playing the 34 shows that TG thinks she played, then $500,000 is even a more generouse gift. Wow, just think how much she’d have made is she had a full year of sold out shows. Oh, she did.
While I’d still like to comment about my dislike of Taylor’s music, I’m about half a mind to go buy both albums. D Trotter is right. 95% of the posters don’t really care about her music one way or the other, they just like to hate on her.
It makes me sick that in a time of great need in Nashville, the motherland of the country music everyone here says they love, you can’t just say “thanks” Taylor, Reba, Tim & Faith, Vince, and everyone else that is giving back to the town they love. And, “I wish I could do more”, but again “thanks” for doing what “YOU” can do.
D Trotter says:
Thank you, Robin. Once again you demonstrate the difference between mindless haters and persons who — no matter how strong or how different our tastes may be — recognize that in times of crisis we are all Americans, all humans.
countryiscool says:
Taylor is not my fave artist, but I commend her giving, no matter WHAT amount, kudos to ALL artists giving of their time & $$. Prayers for all in their recovery.
Roxanne says:
Kenny Chesney gave the same amount as Taylor but where is that mentioned!! Yes its a great thing she did, but she is not alone. Had it not been for Kenny contacting CNN, none of us would have realized how bad it is down there.
J.J. says:
You’re absolutely right Roxanne. It doesn’t minimize what Taylor did but there are many others who have stepped up and I suspect a few that, monetarily, did what Taylor did and without the fanfare. I still say that the “little guy” is the real hero in all this. It’s easy to give a lot when you’ve got it, but means so much more when it’s a sacrifice amount from someone that can’t afford it. As a matter of fact, the money isn’t always the big deal here. Volunteering your time (if it’s possible) is where you’ll find the true hearts in all this.
Robin says:
Roxanne - Kenny was mentioned on this blog spot for doing just what you said. No one said she was alone or the second coming of Jesus. But, this is a great example to her 50 gillion young fans on how to live your life in the spotlight (or at all).
Whether you give much when you have much or you give as much as you can when you have little, makes NO difference. It’s all what’s in your heart and ONLY God can judge that. So, again, THANK YOU! to everyone who has given a little or alot. These people in Nashville are our brothers and sisters and they could use the help - period!
J.J. says:
Just out of curiosity because I must have missed it; where is the piece on Kenny donating a half a million? I like to read all the blogs and comments and I just can’t seem to find that one. Thanks.
Robin says:
http://blog.cmt.com/2010-05-06/kenny-chesney-calls-cnn-about-flood-damage/
Did you want her to blog endlessly about Kenney now? I mean she did blog about how he’s the guy that brought this up as a national debate. This article alone doesn’t just talk about Taylor even if it does have her picture on it. I mean she has made many blogs regarding several artists on this “flood” topic. Normally Allison’s single tracked mind gets annoying, but this time it comes in handy.
Always Right says:
I saw in an interview with mtv.com that Taylor said her next album’s going to be all songs about “love and boys.”
It’s good to see her keeping things fresh.
Roxanne says:
J.J. Read Hazel’s Hot Dish and she is the one that mentions it. That is the only place where I have read it.
D Trotter says:
There is a good deal on the internet about everything Kenny has done to bring attention to the damage caused by the flood, but nothing about a half-million donation. When you Google “Kenny Chesney/$500,000″, what comes up are stories about Taylor’s donation and Kenny’s plans to raise $500,000 for National Parks.
J.J. says:
Thanks Roxanne. You’re right. Hazel does mention it.
S says:
I’m not a fan of her music but good for her.
timcun says:
Hazel Smith wrote the following about Kenny Chesney. “I am told he wrote his first check for $500,000 and then he went on CNN to ask the world for support.”
I also found the following article. “Kenny is one of thousands in Nashville sifting through waterlogged memories after floodwaters consumed his home this week. His publicist, Holly Gleason, says it’s likely his house will be condemned after water rose past the first floor. Chesney’s gym is ruined. He also lost all of his sports memorabilia, including items from when he was in high school as well as professional sports items and pictures with friends who are athletes. Kenny was in another state working on a project when the flooding happened over the weekend. Cleanup is under way and people are working to assess the damage.”
If it’s true that he donated $500,000 after losing his house then I think his picutre should have been on this blog instead of Taylor’s. Or at least both of their pictures.
D Trotter says:
you’re right, Timcun, he should be. But all Hazel Court says is “I am told” he donated that much. By whom?
There is not a single story about it anywhere. You’d think both Kenny and the flood relief organizations would want others to be encouraged by his example to make donations of their own, so why would anyone keep it secret?
Kenny DOES have a lot of stories and videos demonstrating the damage done by the flood to his house, and those pics really helped to publicize the disaster. But I’m guessing Hazel made a reporting error about the money.
rosyz says:
Why is everybody arguing about Kenny`s contribution? Good for him. Another generous artist. Some people give donations without so much fuss and advertisement. Let`s just be all happy that generosity is everywhere in this time of need.
S says:
Yes, there has been a lot of generosity by a lot of artists. But who does CMT chose to write about? Their golden child, Taylor Swift!
D Trotter says:
Yes, S, BECAUSE she made an amazing contribution! It was a HALF-MILLION DOLLARS! Very, very generous, and deserving of recognition.
You guys just think everyone is running around tossing out half million dollar donations, right? It’s humorous the lengths to which some haters will go to try to dismiss all the remarkable things Taylor does.
As for Kenny, he’s done a lot to call attention to the situation, but I’m simply saying Hazel got the story messed up and reported something that was “told” to her but didn’t actually happen.
There is not one single word about Kenny giving that kind of donation anywhere in any news story EXCEPT Hazel’s, and that size donation would never be kept quiet.
It is completely naive to believe that Hazel would be the ONLY one to know about it? She got it wrong. Kenny didn’t give any check for a half-million.
S says:
Yes Taylor gave $500,000, but Hazel Smith confirmed that Kenny Chesney, whose house was badly flooded (and will probably be condemned), also gave $500,000. Plus it was Kenny who told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that Nashville needed help putting light on the situation. In my opinion it should have been Kenny’s picture on the blog, not Taylor smiling and holding a flower!
S says:
And if you don’t believe me about Kenny’s donation, check out Hazel’s Hot Dish that she posted today..
S says:
Also, Kenny and Hazel are pretty good friends so I wouldn’t be surprised if she got that information straight from him….