Glee Gives Back! Promises To Grant $1 Million To Arts Program Across The Country!

Such a good idea. Very generous.

For years, several organizations have sprung up to save arts programs across the country from being cut due to lack of funding, One of those amazing groups is the National Association for Music Education, who announced an amazing contest today that would put funding back into 73 schools in the country.

NAfME has joined forces with FOX and their hit show GLEE, who have pledged a $1 million dollars from the sales of the upcoming season 2 DVD/Blu-Ray release of the show, to award that money to deserving students nation wide. Starting today, high school glee clubs, drama programs and other are invited to submit videos about why their school deserves a grant at www.GleeGiveANote.com. In December 2011, after two rounds of voting, FOX will name 73 schools that will receive grants ranging from $10,000 to $50,000.

Inspired! Sells the DVDs and does something beneficial in turn! We'd love to see some the videos you guys come up with too. Be sure to send them our way after you've submitted them!

Good luck to all!!!

Tags: amazing, auction, charity, dvd, fox, glee, glee give a note, high school, sales

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Country star Billy Grammer dies age 85

NASHVILLE (Reuters) - Grand Ole Opry star Billy Grammer, best known for his 1959 hit "Gotta Travel On", has died at the age of 85.

The singer and guitar player, who developed the Grammer guitar in the 1960s, died on Wednesday in his Benton, Illinois home town, according to an obituary notice in the local newspaper.

Grammer had not performed for the past 20 years because of failing health, but he traveled to Nashville in 2009 to celebrate his 50th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

The singer was one of 13 children whose father worked in the coal mines of southern Illinois. His father played the fiddle, which Grammer mastered along with the guitar and mandolin.

Grammer first set out performing with his family at local gatherings near Benton. After a stint in the Army he moved to the Washington, D.C. area and later played guitar on television's "The Jimmy Dean Show".

The singer's biggest record, "Gotta Travel On," climbed to No. 4 on the pop singles chart in 1959. Other hits included 1963's "I Wanna Go Home" and his 1969 cover of "Jesus Is a Soul Man."

Grammer had a busy career as a session guitarist, playing on albums by Patti Page, Louis Armstrong, Charley Pride and Eddy Arnold, among others. In 1990, he was inducted into the Illinois Country Music Hall of Fame.

He also developed the Grammer guitar. One of the models that belonged to country legend Johnny Cash recently sold at auction for $130,000.

Grammer is survived by his wife of 66 years, Ruth, three children, four brothers and four sisters; eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

(Editing by Jill Serjeant)

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