Billboard Music Awards Red Carpet 2012 (PHOTOS)
Peter Jones Dead: Crowded House Drummer Dies of Brain Cancer at 45
17 of the Riskiest Moves in Music History: The Brave, Crazy and Inspirational
Loretta Lynn Three Years Older Than She Claims: Records Show She's 80, Not 77
Rihanna Twitter Pictures: See the Singer's Most Shocking Social Media Photo Shares
Casey Anthony Found In Hiding
Jay-Z Pauses Music Career, Janet Jackson Records New LP, Iggy Azalea Flaunts Booty & More
PHOTOS: Naomi Campbell's Long Hair Love Affair
Usher, Tameka Foster Trial: Crooner Claims Ex-Wife Attacked, Spat on Girlfriend
Murder Suspect's DNA Allegedly Found On Missing Gir's Bag: Cops
George Jones in Nashville Area Hospital Undergoing Tests
What Are Your Must-Visit Spooky U.S. Cemeteries?
Van Halen Cancel Summer Tour Dates
PHOTOS: Miley Goes Pantsless
David Lee Roth, Postponed Tour Dates: Van Halen 'Getting Along Famously,' Singer Insists in Video
PHOTO: Yet Another Plus-Size Model Strips Down
Police, Family Search For 22-Year-Old Louisiana College Student Who Disappeared While Bicycling
LOOK: Pictures From Sunday's Solar Eclipse
PHOTOS: 27 Swimsuit Style Icons From The '40s To Today
Texas High School Yearbooks Described Some Students As 'Mentally Retarded'
WATCH: 'Today' Host Leaves For ABC News
WATCH: Pastor Says Put Gays And Lesbians In Electrified Pen To Kill Them Off
PHOTOS: When Your Last Names Spell Disaster
'AGT': Howard Stern Accidentally Makes 7-Year-Old Rapper Cry
Columbus' Jewish Roots Examined
Bodies Of Missing Nebraska Woman And Son Found
Kristen Wiig's 15 Funniest 'SNL' Moments
The Ultimate Argument For Keeping Old Balloons
WATCH: The Main Reason Dogs Misbehave, From Victoria Stilwell
Mother Shot Children 18 Times, Examiner Says
Archi-future: 13 Green Buildings That Will Blow Your Mind (PHOTOS)
Pat Gallagher: 20 Hollywood Marriages That Have Lasted 25+ Years
'Do You Want To Pay Now?': How A Hospital Hounded A Sick Patient
When Brad Paisley spoke with CNN's Anderson Cooper last week from a flood-ravaged neighborhood in Nashville, he was standing amidst tons of tumbling piles of damaged furniture and belongings that residents had dragged from their flooded homes."I'm from West Virginia and grew up on the Ohio River, and that would periodically (flood) ... but I've never seen anything like this, not here," Brad said quietly, shaking his head. "From what I hear, this only happens every hundred years (or so). Just driving around tonight, I'm really blown away at just the devastation I'm seeing."
But horrific as the damage is, Brad is just as emotionally overwhelmed at the neighborly spirit he is witnessing, as the Nashville community has thrown themselves mind, body and spirit into full recovery mode ... to rise above and survive the most devastating flood Nashville has ever experienced.
"You cannot believe the way people are showing up. They're just coming out of nowhere to volunteer when they hear a neighborhood's been hit," Brad said, his voice swelling with pride. "And that's what this town is all about. Just great people. I've lived here since '93 ... and these are some of the most giving folks you will ever meet."
Also coming out of nowhere was a certain phone call Brad received earlier that day from a very important someone ... who wanted to extend his personal reassurance that there was hope and help available for victims of the flood.
"I actually got a call today from President Obama," Brad revealed. "We played at the White House last year when the Opry did a night for country music there. So President Obama wanted to see how the Opry was. He also said it's very important that people realize that FEMA is here. There's actually an 800 number you can call if you've been impacted, or if you need something. You can get in touch with them and they're ready to help.
"I think the government understands what the heritage is in this town. Nashville has to be the kind of place that we preserve."
When asked if he knew the president was calling, lest he were to miss such a call by being in the shower or something, Brad assured with a chuckle that he was indeed given the heads-up.
"It's one of those things where they're asking you, 'Well ... which one of these phones would you like the president to call you on now?' And I'm like, 'Well this one ... and then I'm going to put it in a case!'" he remembered with a laugh. "But I really was pretty shocked!"
More than anything, Brad says he just wants people to know what's going on in the aftermath of the flood, so others can help the community as they continue to work together and rise above the devastation.
"I've been working on my farm, fixing things that got flooded and doing what I can do there ... but I'd love to do more. So we're organizing these events and we have a telethon coming up a week from Sunday with several stars that's going to be broadcast on GAC," Brad reported. "I have no doubt this city will rise."
'Music City Keep On Playin', GAC's national telethon to aid flood victims, will air live on Sunday, May 16 at 10:00 PM ET from the Ryman Auditorium.
33 Comments