Nashville Best Sellers Toast Martell Foundation

Posted in News on March 25, 2001

Nashville music’s best sellers joined renowned chef Charlie Trotter of Chicago and wine connoisseurs from the best cellars in Nashville for the second annual Nashville Best Cellars Dinner at Loews Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel on March 12. The star-studded event was presented by the T.J. Martell Foundation (TJMF) and raised more than $126,000 for innovative research into leukemia, cancer and AIDS by the Martell-affiliated Frances Williams Preston Laboratories at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville.

(Front) RCA Label Group's Joe Galante, Kenny Chesney, Martina McBride; TJMF's Tod Minnich; BMI's Frances W. Preston; (back) TJMF Nashville's Crystal Caviness, TJMF's Tony Martell; EMI Christian Music Group's Bill Hearn

The dinner party paired a recording artist with a wine connoisseur to co-host each table A gourmet and exotic feast was prepared and presented by guest chef Charlie Trotter with the assistance of Nashville area chefs, including Loews Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel’s executive chef Elaine Taubin, Kevin Alexandroni of Le Cou Rouge, Jason McConnell of F. Scott’s, Debora Pasquette of Zola Restaurant, Cathy Lewis of Nick of Thyme, Dean Pugel of Richland Country Club and Emile Labrousse of Magnolia’s.

(EMI Christian Music Group's Bill Hearn, Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans, and RCA Label Group's Joe Galante

Recording artists in attendance included Martina McBride, Aaron Tippin, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Chely Wright, Mindy McCready, Joe Diffie, Sara Evans, Hal Ketchum, Gary Chapman, Charlie Daniels, Faith Hill and Michael W. Smith.

EMI Christian Music Group's Bill Hearn; BMI's Frances W. Preston; VICC's Dr. Harold Moses and wife Linda, and Moress Nanas Entertainment's Stan Moress

Exclusive wines were provided by Billy Ray Hearn, Ron Sohr, Tom Black, Greg Daily, Bill Nunnelly, Buddy Killen, Brett Allen, David Morgan, David Vandewater, Tim Schoettle, Keith Pitts, Randy Rayburn, Paul McCombs and Marc Oswald. BMI President & CEO Frances W. Preston, President of the TJMF National Board of Directors, attended; other guests included RCA Label Group's Joe Galante, who is Chairman of the Nashville Division of the TJMF Board; TJMF COO Tod Minnich; Crystal Caviness, Executive Director, TJMF Nashville Division; Tony Martell, TJMF Founder and Chairman of the Board; EMI Christian Music Group's Bill Hearn, President of Nashville TJMF Board; Moress Nanas Entertainment's Stan Moress, TJMF Board member; and Dr. Harold Moses, Director of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.

Billy Singleton; Mindy McCready; Lyric Street's Randy Goodman and wife Jennifer; Aaron & Thea Tippin; American Airlines’ Mike Dye and wife Carol

To date, the T.J. Martell Foundation has raised $155 million and funds eleven research facilities throughout the United States. Last year’s inaugural Nashville Best Cellars Dinner raised more than $65,000 for the Frances Williams Preston Laboratories at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, a division of the T. J. Martell Foundation for Cancer, Leukemia and AIDS Research.

Tony Martell and Faith Hill

(standing, l to r) Steve Harlan, Linda Harlan, Susan Cohn, Chef Josh Weekley, Anne and David Morgan; (seated, l to r) Stan Moress, Frances W. Preston, Kix and Barbara Brooks

photos by Alan Mayor

SOURCENews TAGS Country Dance Brooks & Dunn Charlie Daniels Sara Evans Faith Hill Hal Ketchum Martina McBride Aaron Tippin Thea Tippin Chely Wright