Chely Wright’s Reading, Writing, & Rhythm Benefit Concert Turns Out The Stars for KSES. UPDATE: Chely Wright to Present Music Supplies & Resources to KSES August 19th, 1:30 P.M.
Chely Wright takes the stage at her 10th annual Reading, Writing, & Rhythm benefit concert. This year's proceeds will go directly to Kingston Springs Elementary School to help rebuild the music program.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010 UPDATE From KSES Music Teacher Miss Mary Combs:
On August 19, 2010, at 1:30 p.m. Chely Wright will present to Kingston Springs Elementary School music supplies and resources for their music program from the Reading, Writing, and Rhythm benefit concert held on June 8, 2010. The assembly will be held at Kingston Springs Elementary School located at 166 West Kingston Springs Road in Kingston Springs, Tennessee.
Kingston Spring Elementary School was totally ruined by the flood of May 2010. The music program was a strong and driving force that brought reward to every type of student – every type of personality – every type of adult who was fortunate to have a child at Kingston Springs Elementary. Over the years, the music department had built a respectable supply of musical instruments and equipment to provide a rich and thorough music education for children in Kindergarten through fourth grade, involving every student in an appropriate musical production. After the flood, there was nothing.
Reading, Writing, & Rhythm is a nonprofit organization started by music artist Chely Wright that is dedicated to improving the quality of music education in America’s public schools. Their aim is to put musical instruments directly into the hand of kids who need them.
Thanks to the generosity and caring spirits of all who donated their time and talents to Chely Wright’s Reading, Writing, and Rhythm benefit concert, Kingston Springs Elementary School will have a thriving music program once again!
WZTV Fox17 Nashville video coverage of Reading, Writing, & Rhythm.
The Boot’s Chely Wright’s Reading, Writing, & Rhythm Hits All The Right Notes by Stephen L. Betts.
Chely Wright’s 10th annual Reading, Writing, & Rhythm benefit concert turned out the stars in Nashville Tuesday night and drew an impressive crowd of country music fans to TPAC‘s 1,000-seat Polk Theatre, many of whom were in town for the CMA Music Festival.
This year marked a venue change for the event which is usually held at The Wildhorse Saloon on Second Avenune in downtown Nashville.
All of Reading, Writing, & Rhythm’s 2010 proceeds will be dedicated to rebuilding the music program at Kingston Springs Elementary School which lost everything in the May 2010 flood when powerful water over six feet high ripped through the building destroying everything in its wake.
Kingston Springs Elementary School lost everything in the 2010 flood. Only the structure itself was standing when the flood waters receded.
Prior to the show, audience members where shown Dale McCarver’s video “Once in 1,000 Years” documenting the devastation suffered by KSES in Kingston Springs, Tennessee.
In addition, Wright’s foundation partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee to collect non-perishable food items for their flood-stricken community.
The evening was hosted by Nashville’s Brad Schmitt who was joined on stage throughout by professional auctioneers who raised money for KSES by auctioning American Airlines Flyaway packages for Alan Jackson, Keith Urban, and Brad Paisley among others.
Proving their reputation for being among the most generous fans, country music lovers bid high on silent auction items prior to the concert and live auction items throughout the evening’s festivities.
Country music fans turned out in droves to bid on silent & live auction items as part of Chely Wright's 10th annual Reading, Writing, & Rhythm benefit concert.
Trisha Yearwood was perhaps one of the most anticipated acts of the evening. A late addition to the line up of country music stars, Trisha expounded on her longtime friendship with Wright, and her thankfulness to be part of such a worthy cause.
Trisha Yearwood was a late addition to the line up of country music stars for Chely Wright's 10th annual Reading, Writing, & Rhythm benefit concert.
Yearwood also announced she would be returning to the studio to record soon prompted, in part, by a fan who approached her and her husband (Garth Brooks) in a diner and remarked that she loved Garth’s music. When he introduced his wife, Trisha Yearwood, the woman commented “I love your cookbooks.”
SHeDaisy sister Kassidy sports an "I survived Tennessee Flood 2010" t-shirt while belting out a tune for Chely Wright's 10th annual Reading, Writing, & Rhythm benefit concert.
Fan favorite SHeDAISY sisters Kassidy, Kristyn, and Kelsi took the stage in matching “I Survived Tennessee Flood 2010” t-shirts. In addition to donating their talents on-stage, they also auctioned themselves off as part of a shopping spree at Flavour Boutique.
The sister trio SHeDAISY thrills the crowd at the 2010 Reading, Writing, & Rhythm benefit concert.
Flood survivors themselves, the sisters shared their observation that sometimes you have to be able to laugh even during the hardest of times. They then sang their Billboard Top Ten Country hit, “Don’t Worry ‘Bout a Thing.”
Americal Idol alumnus Bucky Covington serenades front row fans at Chely Wright's 10th annual Reading, Writing, & Rhythm benefit concert on Tuesday night.
American Idol alumnus Bucky Covington got up close and personal with fans during the benefit concert; holding and kissing the hand of a young woman on the front row while singing his fan-favorite, “I’ll Walk”. “I’ll Walk” is one of three hit singles from Covington’s self-titled debut album with Lyric Street Records (produced by Sawyer Brown‘s Mark Miller) which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart in 2007.
Sarah Buxton of country duo Buxton Hughes busts out a song which was covered by Keith Urban.
Sarah Buxton, of the country duo Buxton Hughes, thrilled concert goers by singing her co-written song “Stupid Boy”, also recorded by country superstar Keith Urban.
Jedd Hughes of the duo Buxton Hughes played both electric and acoustic guitar while singing with partner Sarah Buxton for the 2010 Reading, Writing, & Rhythm benefit concert.
Buxton, a native of Lawrence, Kansas and Jedd Hughes of Quorn, Australia also performed the duet “Big Blue Sky” which Hughes wrote.
Break-out country artist Justin Moore rocks out for Tuesday night's Reading, Writing, & Rhythm benefit concert.
Break-out country artist Justin Moore charmed the audience with his popular “Small Town USA“. Moore kicked it up on his camouflage electric guitar singing “I Could Kick Your Ass”. He paused during the song to say, “This is where I don’t know whether to thank you or ask your forgiveness, so I don’t do either.”
Other acts included: Co-writer of the 2007 ACM and CMA George Strait-rccorded song of the year “Give it Away”, Jamie Johnson, Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame member and Grammy award-winning Rodney Cromwell, and popular Canadian singer/songwriter Jann Arden.
Jann had the audience laughing between songs, but they fell completely silent when she sang Good Mother.
KSES principal Jill Bramble & music teacher Mary Combs were brought on stage to tell the story of what KSES lost in the flood and help with a raffle ticket drawing.
Kingston Springs Elementary School Principal Jill Bramble and music teacher Mary Combs were brought on stage to tell the story of what KSES lost in the flood and to help with a raffle ticket drawing. Ms. Bramble spoke of the devastation which has brought with it a flood of generosity and kindness from all over the country. Miss Mary blew kisses of thanks to the supportive audience.
Chely Wright hugs a KSES student who thanks Chely on behalf of the KSES community.
Chely Wright even took the time to invite a KSES student backstage. Together they hugged and took a moment to share their love for music.
The evening’s sponsors were American Airlines, Best Buy, BB&T, Nashville Outlaws, Mitchell Gold+Bob Williams, Flavour Men, and Flavour.
For information on how to donate money and supplies to Kingston Springs Elementary School, click here.
South Cheatham Flood Recovery Information 