Richie McDonald To Host The Celebration Benefit Set For April In Music City

Nashville, TN. (Top40 Charts/ Mantria Foundation) - Mark April 7 - 8 on your calendars for The Celebration, Nashville's star-studded two day golf and music event benefiting Feed The Children and The Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation. Celebrities from the music industry and sports world will be in attendance including host Richie McDonald, Jim McMahon, Billie Joe Tolliver, Wesley Walls, Steve Azar, Steve Cropper, John Daly and many more.

Festivities will kick off on Monday, April 7, with a Feed The Children downtown Nashville food distribution expected to feed 2000 people. A VIP Golf Pairings Party will follow in the evening at the Sheraton Music City, hosted by Richie McDonald, former lead singer of Lonestar. While McDonald was a member of the award-winning band, Lonestar scored 27 singles on Billboard Magazine's country charts. In 2002, McDonald was named BMI's Songwriter of the Year for "I'm Already There." McDonald is also known for penning such hits as "Front Porch Looking In" and "Let Them Be Little".

"I'm honored to be hosting The Celebration this year! It's a great opportunity for the leaders of our community to come together for several great causes," said McDonald. "The first is to pay homage to this wonderful and vibrant city where we work and play. The second is to raise awareness and money for two wonderful organizations, Feed The Children and the Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation. The one thing that I have learned about this community over the years, is when it comes to helping those who are in need, Nashvillians have always opened up their hands and hearts."

The Celebration's golf tournament takes place on Tuesday, April 8, at The Hermitage, a Golf Digest four-star rated course, the highest rating awarded in Tennessee. Four person teams will be paired with a celebrity for this once-in-a-lifetime scramble-formatted event. Later Tuesday evening, an all-star jam session is planned at The Cadillac Ranch on Nashville's famous Broadway strip. The concert is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. and will feature several of Music City's favorite artists and very special guests. A donation at the door for Feed The Children and The Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation is required for admittance to an unforgettable party and jam session.

The Mantria Foundation is the presenting sponsor of The Celebration, a Baker Gillis Film and TV/High Life Events production.