Music Builds: The CMT Disaster Relief Concert Premieres Live on Thursday, May 12 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT

NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- CMT and its pro-social initiative CMT One Country will air MUSIC BUILDS:  THE CMT DISASTER RELIEF CONCERT, a live, commercial-free, 90-minute concert special featuring a special call to action from President Obama, as well as performances by Hank Williams, Jr., Alabama, Alan Jackson, Gretchen Wilson, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Ronnie Dunn, Sara Evans, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Tim McGraw, Trace Adkins and more to raise awareness and funds for those affected by the recent devastating storms, flooding and tornadoes.  Co-hosted by ESPN's Erin Andrews, HLN's Robin Meade and comedian Ron White, the fundraising special will air live from Nashville on Thursday, May 12 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on CMT and will be simulcast on CMT.com.  All money raised will benefit the American Red Cross Disaster Relief efforts.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110505/CL96333LOGO )

MUSIC BUILDS:  THE CMT DISASTER RELIEF CONCERT will highlight a number of regions affected by recent storm, tornado and flooding damage including Tuscaloosa and Birmingham, Ala.; Natchez and Vicksburg, Miss.; Vidalia, La.; Memphis, Dyersburg and Tiptonville, Tenn.; and Raleigh, N.C. to name a few.  In addition to performances, the special will include additional calls to action from Big Kenny, Carrie Underwood, Courteney Cox, Ellen Degeneres, University of Alabama Coach Nick Saban, Nicole Kidman, Shania Twain, Taylor Swift, and others.  HLN will re-air the telecast Sunday, May 15 at 9:00 p.m., ET.  

MUSIC BUILDS:  THE CMT DISASTER RELIEF CONCERT is executive produced by John Hamlin for CMT and Tom Forrest for Taillight Television.  It is directed by Ivan Dudynsky.

**CMT One Country encourages you to support our neighbors affected by the recent devastating tornadoes and floods.  Visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

CMT ONE COUNTRY, CMT's pro-social initiative, was launched in the fall of 2005 to promote civic participation and inspire CMT viewers to take action and bring about important change in their communities. For more information visit CMTONECOUNTRY.com.

CMT, a unit of Viacom's MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and entertainment, reaching more than 92 million homes in the U.S. CMT and its website, CMT.com, offer an unparalleled mix of music, news, live concerts and series and is the top resource for country music on demand. The network's digital platforms include the 24-hour music channel, CMT Pure Country, CMT Mobile and CMT VOD.

MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company's portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 400 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., TeenNick, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, SPIKE, TV Land, Atom, GameTrailers and Xfire.

About the American Red Cross:  The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

Disaster facts from the American Red Cross:

• Hundreds of Red Cross workers are helping people along the Mississippi River in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi, providing food and shelter to those whose neighborhoods have flooded.  The Red Cross is preparing to extend flooding relief efforts even further south into Mississippi and Louisiana as the high waters flow downriver.
• The Red Cross continues to help the thousands of people across the South whose neighborhoods were ravaged by the recent tornadoes.  Mississippi River flooding forced more than 400 people to seek refuge in shelters in northwest Tennessee Monday night.  Another 660 people spent the night in Red Cross shelters across the South.
• The Red Cross estimates that it will spend as much as $31 million responding to the disasters which have occurred over the past several weeks, while initiating another large-scale relief operation to help people along the Mississippi River.
• Since March 31, the Red Cross has launched more than 20 separate relief operations over more than half of the United States, responding to wildfires, floods and tornadoes from North Dakota to the East Coast and all throughout the South.  They've opened over 170 shelters and provided more than 14,000 overnight stays to those in need.
• The Red Cross depends on financial donations to help in times of disaster.  Please consider making a donation today to help the thousands of people who have been affected by these disasters.  Visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
• Any donation, large or small, will help.  For example, $3 can provide a comfort kit for someone in a disaster, $6 can cover the cost of a blanket and $10 the cost of a hot meal.  For $150, someone's donation can cover the cost of providing food and shelter to a family of four for a day they spend in a shelter.

SOURCE CMT