CRS Artist and Radio Humanitarian Award Winners

Written by Gina Meinders Urban Country News

L to R: RF’s Jay DeMarcus, RF manager Clarence Spalding, CRS Executive Director Bill Mayne, RF’s Gary LeVox, Radio Ink Magazine’s Lois Chooljian, CRS President Mike Culotta, RF’s Joe Don Rooney. (Photo Credit: Bev Moser)
The CRS Radio and Artist Humanitarian Awards were handed out today on the opening day of CRS 2012, held Feb. 22-24 in downtown Nashville at the Nashville Convention Center. The award was created in 1990 to honor those Country music artists who have exhibited exceptional humanitarian efforts during their career. Past recipients of the annual award have included Trace Adkins, Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn, Garth Brooks, Charlie Daniels and Kenny Rogers, among others.
The 2012 Radio Humanitarian winners are KMOK/Lewiston, Idaho (Small Market), WIVK/Knoxville, Tenn. (Medium Market) and WLHK/Indianapolis, Ind. (Large Market). As previously announced, the Artist Humanitarian Award winner is Rascal Flatts. CRS President Mike Culotta and Radio Ink’s Lois Chooljian presented the awards at 10:30 a.m., immediately following the CRS Keynote Address.
Rascal Flatts received the 2012 Artist Humanitarian award for their charitable contributions and humanitarian endeavors throughout their career. In 2010, the group donated $3 million to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt’s Pediatric Surgery Center. They currently serve as celebrity spokespersons for the national suicide prevention organization, The Jason Foundation, and have been members of the American Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet for the past seven years.

Discovering the Civil War / Emancipation Proclamation Exhibition Sponsors' Sneak Preview.
All images are courtesy of Bev Moser. Copyright 2013 Tennessee State Museum

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(L to R) National Archives Board Members Honey Alexander and Bitsy Folger with Museum Commission Chairman Victor Ashe	(L to R) Exhibition ribbon cutting: Museum Executive Director Lois Riggins-Ezzell, TN First Lady Crissy Haslam, Honey Alexander, Museum Commission Chair Victor Ashe and TN Governor Bill Haslam shown on front row. Rep. Johnny Shaw, Senator Bo Watson and National Archives Foundation Director Jim Gardiner.	Gloria Houghland and David Ewing view the original Emancipation Proclamation from the National Archives in Washington
Museum Commission Chair Victor Ashe, Governor Bill Haslam and State Museum Foundation Chair Bobby Thomas	(L to R) Museum Foundation Board Members Dianne Neal, Bobby Thomas, Milah Lynn and Clare Armistead cut the commemorative Emancipation Proclamation cake while National Archives Foundation Director Jim Gardiner looks on.	(L to R) First Lady Crissy Haslam with exhibition sponsors Jim & Natalie Haslam of Pilot Travel Centers and Governor Bill Haslam
Pam Koban (left) with Suzanne Petrey	Bruce Bustard, Curator at the National Archives (back row, left) with his colleagues Stefanie Mathew, Director of Development at the National Archives Foundation (front row, right) and Karen Hibbett, National Archives Registrar and Dan Pomeroy, the museum's Director of Collections	Nashville photographer Kris Kristoffersen with his civil war battle re-enactment images
Museum Director Lois Riggins-Ezzell with members of the 13th Regiment U.S. Colored Troops Civil War re-enactors	(L to R) Becky Shearon, Judge Bernice Donald, David Mills, Rep. Ron Travis	(L to R) Museum Commission Chair Victor Ashe, Governor Bill Haslam, Senator Bo Watson, TN House Speaker Beth Harwell
(L to R) Rep. Larry Miller with Evening Sponsor Representative Kenny Blackburn or AT&T Tennessee and Anne Holt	Debbie & Fred Cassetty	(L to R) Memree Phillips, Rich Roberts, Trudy & Will Byrd
Betty Mansfield dressed as Mary Todd Lincoln and John Mansfield in costume as President Abraham Lincoln	Operatic soprano Kallen Esperian of Memphis performs Mickey Newbury's famed medley, "An American Trilogy"