Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum to Play GAC Flood Relief Telethon

GAC will host the first national telethon to raise money for victims of last weekend's devastating floods in the middle Tennessee area. 'Music City Keep on Playin' - A Benefit for Flood Relief' will feature performances by Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Rodney Atkins and a host of other stars to be announced soon. Celebrities and other volunteers will answer phones to collect call-in donations, with all of the money going to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee -- an organization that will distribute funds to those in need.

"Nashville has endured historic flooding, but we are resilient, recovery efforts have already begun and I am confident we will come out of this stronger than ever," reports Nashville Mayor Karl Dean. "Music is the heart and soul of this city and as such it will play a critical role in its recovery. This collaborative effort is just one example."

GAC's flood relief telethon will air live from Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium, next Sunday, May 16 at 8:00 PM ET. It will re-air at 10:00 PM, 12:00 AM and 2:00 AM, with phone lines remaining open.

The Nashville area suffered the worst flood in decades, when more than 15 inches of rain pounded the area over a 48 hour period. The damage, now declared a Federal disaster, is expected to exceed $1 billion. Thousands of people have lost their homes, most of them without flood insurance to help rebuild.

"Many of us have friends and family members who are just now beginning to get back into their homes to survey the damage and start rebuilding their lives," says Colin Reed, chairman and CEO of Gaylord Entertainment. "At the same time, support has come pouring in from every corner of the community. And now, we are reaching out on a national level to ensure that the people of Nashville have every resource they need to restore our city."