Country stars kick off flood relief telethon

[May 17, 2010]  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Some of country music's biggest stars are performing and answering phones for a national flood relief telethon airing on the GAC Network.

Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride, Dierks Bentley, Kellie Pickler, Rodney Atkins and others are part of the three-hour event Sunday. The show also includes Sheryl Crow, blues singer Keb 'Mo, gospel singer CeCe Winans and Christian singer Jaci Velasquez.

Actor and Nashville native James Denton of "Desperate Housewives" will be hosting the concert and telethon along with movie and TV star Kimberly Williams Paisley.

It's airing live and commercial-free from Nashville's Ryman Auditorium until 11 p.m. EDT.

All money will go to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Damages have been estimated at $1.5 billion and climbing.

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On the Net:

http://www.gactv.com/

[Associated Press; By CAITLIN R. KING]

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