Artist Pics: St. Jude, Bobby Bones, Make-A-Wish, Dee Jay Silver, Vince Gill

Nearly 800 country music industry leaders and more than a dozen country music artists gathered in Memphis Jan. 15-18 to kick off the 26th annual Country Cares for St. Jude Kids® program to support the lifesaving work of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®.

Artist attendees included: Chase Bryant, Logan Mize, Cam Ochs, Josh Dorr, Kelsea Ballerini, John King, Jackie Lee, Craig Campbell, Randy Owen, Gloriana, Josh Abbott Band, Sam Hunt, Canaan Smith, Mickey Guyton, Steve Lee Olsen, Rachele Lynae, A Thousand Horses, The Band Perry, Seth Alley, Waterloo Revival, Native Run, Mo Pitney, Ruthie Collins, Dylan Scott, Craig Wayne Boyd, and Olivia Lane.

The Band Perry

Randy Owen

Canaan Smith met with radio programmers from WGH at the St. Jude Radio seminar. The group coined a new drink, called “The Canaan,” similar to a mojito.

Pictured (L-R): At the St. Jude Radio Seminar. Keith Kaufmann, Dave Paulus/GM-WGH,Mike Rogers/ Curb-National, Canaan Smith, Craig Campbell/ Campbell Entertainment, John Shomby/OM-WGH, and Jack Christopher/Mercury

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This past weekend, Premiere Networks host Bobby Bones treated active duty military members and veterans to a screening of the Oscar-nominated film American Sniper in Nashville, Tenn., to thank them for their service. As a special surprise, Warner Music Nashville’s Jana Kramer and Black River Entertainment’s Kelsea Ballerini attended the event, and Ballerini bought popcorn for the more than 40 military members and their guests in attendance.

Bobby Bones with Military members and their guests

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Make-A-Wish® Middle Tennessee raised more than $250, 000 at its third annual “Stars For Wishes” event at Gaylord Opryland Hotel last Saturday, Jan. 17. Hosted by TV personality Melissa Rycroft, the evening was filled with heartfelt performances by Gary Allan, “Stars For Wishes” founder Jonathan Cain (Journey), Scotty McCreery and Street Corner Symphony.

Pictured (L-R): Thomas (a Make-A-Wish child); Joey Hemphill, Chairman & Treasurer, Hemphill Brothers Coach Company and Make-A-Wish Board Member; Rob Beckham, Co-Head, WME Nashville and Make-A-Wish Board member; Scotty McCreery; Jessica (a Make-A-Wish child); Gary Allan; Jonathan Cain; and Beth Torres, President & CEO, Make-A-Wish Middle Tennessee.

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Dee Jay Silver married his love Jenna Michelle Straub near the ocean on Jan. 8 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

Among the couple’s 60 guests were dear friends Jason Aldean and fiancée Brittany Kerr, who stood beside the couple as members of the bridal party, as well as Ron and Amy Shirley of truTV’s reality series Lizard Lick Towing.

Dee Jay Silver and wife Jenna Michelle Straub. Photo: Katya Nova

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Multi GRAMMY® Award Winner Vince Gill took the stage with the CEOs of Frontier Communications, DISH Network Corp. and CoBank at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn. to announce he’s joining the America’s Best Communities (ABC) partnership to revitalize small towns and cities across America.

Pictured (L-R): Vince Gill, Joe Clayton (DISH), Maggie Wilderotter (Frontier) and Robert Engel (CoBank)