Artists’ Charities Win Big At The 2008 CMT Music Awards
The biggest winner of the 2008 CMT Music Awards is charity, with $70,000 in donations from CMT One Country, CMT’s pro-social initiative. $5,000 ($10,000 for Video of the Year) will go to the winner(s) in each category’s charity of choice. The AARP Foundation Grandparenting Program emerges as the night’s big winner, garnering a $15,000 donation from three-time winner Kellie Pickler. Taylor Swift helped secure a $10,000 donation for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital with her wins for Video of the Year and Female Video of the Year.
Video of the Year
$10,000 donation split between St. Jude Children's Research Hospital on behalf of Taylor Swift and MusiCares on behalf of video director, Trey Fanjoy
Male Video of the Year
$5,000 donation to The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) on behalf of Trace Adkins
Female Video of the Year
$5,000 donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital on behalf of Taylor Swift
Group Video of the Year
$5,000 donation to Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt on behalf of Rascal Flatts
Duo Video of the Year
$5,000 donation to the American Liver Foundation on behalf of Sugarland
USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of the Year
$5,000 donation to the AARP Foundation Grandparenting Program on behalf of Kellie Pickler
Collaborative Video of the Year
$5,000 donation split between The Philadelphia Soul Foundation on behalf of Bon Jovi and Nashville Humane Association on behalf of LeAnn Rimes
Performance of the Year
$5,000 donation to the AARP Foundation Grandparenting Program on behalf of Kellie Pickler
Supporting Character of the Year
$5,000 donation to the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation (PKD Foundation) on behalf of Rodney Carrington
Wide Open Country Video of the Year
$5,000 donation split between Thistle Farms on behalf of Alison Krauss and TurtleWill on behalf of Robert Plant
Tearjerker Video of the Year
$5,000 donation to the AARP Foundation Grandparenting Program of Kellie Pickler
Comedy Video of the Year
$5,000 donation to the Target House at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on behalf of Brad Paisley
Video Director of the Year
$5,000 donation to the American Cancer Society on behalf of Michael Salomon