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Nashville, TN (July 2, 2012) – The 18th Annual ICM Faith, Family & Country™ Awards, to be held Oct. 18 at Schermerhorn Symphony Center (One Symphony Place), is pleased to announce Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville as their charity of choice for this year’s week-long celebration. The ICM Faith, Family and Country™ 20 Year Homecoming Concert Celebration, Oct., 14 – 18 at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel (2025 Rosa L. Parks Boulevard), is open to the public and includes showcases, a songwriting contest, seminars, a talent competition and much more. There is a small nightly donation required with part of the proceeds benefiting Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville. 

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville’s mission is to “keep families close” by providing essential resources and a “home away from home” for families of critically ill children receiving inpatient or outpatient medical care at Nashville area hospitals.  For more information on the 18th Annual ICM Faith, Family & Country™ Awards, please visit www.ccma.cc/ and for more information on Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville, please visit www.rmhcnashville.com. 

“Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville (RMHC) is extremely honored to have been selected as the highlighted charity for the 2012 Inspirational Country Music Awards,” said Elizabeth Piercy, RMHC of Nashville’s executive director.  “The Inspirational Country Music Awards will help us to raise awareness of our organization and how we help families in need. We hope the community can come together to support both the awards and our programs.”

Programs run by Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville include the 32-bedroom Ronald McDonald House and the Ronald McDonald Family Room on the 5th floor of the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, which offers a place for parents and family members to relax, refresh and experience the comforts of home while staying close to their sick child.The House is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. The Family Room is open from 9am to 9pm each day and both are supported by 7 full-time and 6 part-time staff members and more than 200 active volunteers. For more information on how you can get involved, please visit their website at www.rmhcnashville.com or call (615) 343-4000.

The first awards ceremony back in 1993 (CCMA Awards at that time) began with a humble six awardsincluding the “Pioneer Award” (Oak Ridge Boys), “Male Vocalist of the Year” (Bruce Haynes), “Female Vocalist of the Year” (Teri Lyn), “Christian Country Song of the Year” (Rodeo Preacher – Bruce Haynes),“Group of the Year” (White River), and “Songwriter of the Year” (Paul Overstreet). Today the award show (currently the Annual ICM Faith, Family & Country™ Awards) has expanded to include over twenty awardsincluding “Entertainer of the Year,” “Vocal Duo of the Year,” “Vocal Group of the Year,” “Mainstream Country Artist of the Year,” “Mainstream Inspirational Song of the Year,” “Video of the Year,” and“Inspirational Bluegrass Artist of the Year.” In addition the ceremony now honors new artists, youth, radio stations and personalities, movies, television networks, musicians, and videos that have had a large impact on the Inspirational and Christian country music genre. Over the years past winners include Charlie Daniels,Ricky Skaggs, Ken Holloway, Marty Raybon, T. Graham Brown, Steve Wariner, Johnny Cash, The Fox Brothers, Soggy Bottom Boys, Randy Travis, Darryl Worley, Josh Turner, Tim McGraw, Craig Morgan,George Strait, Point of Grace, The Roys, Carrie Underwood, Justin Moore, and many more.