Rodney Atkins, Josh Thompson + Thompson Square Schedule Tornado Relief Concert

Rodney Atkins is set to headline a special benefit concert next month in Nashville during the 2011 CMA Music Festival. On Tuesday, June 7, Atkins, along with Josh Thompson and husband/wife duo Thompson Square, will all perform on Lower Broadway  downtown as part of the 'Music City Gives Back' event, benefiting the American Red Cross Relief Fund for those who were affected by the recent tornadoes in the south.

The concert is open to the public, and will be held between 2nd and 4th Avenue beginning at 7:00PM. Fans who come to the event will have the opportunity to make donations at that time or by logging onto the official Red Cross website.

Performing live is something Atkins gets great joy from over the years, as well as expanding the onstage dynamics along the way. "We've been playing with adding things to the show like the production and lighting," Atkins tells Taste of Country. "[We've been] adding the video component to really give people a show that they will remember."

The Music City Gives Back concert is sure to draw out hundreds of fans, as it's being held in the midst of CMA Music Festival, which takes place the second week of June in the heart of Music City.

"It is important for us to give to all of those in need," Adkins says of the benefit concert. "As an artist, I have performed in just about every town that has been hit by the many storms, and I feel that this concert is a great way to reach out and help as many people as we can. I know that a lot of people from all over the world will be hitting the streets during this week, and we wanted to kick off a week of music with a direction that will call people to action to continue to support the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund in any way that they can."

Music City Gives Back is presented by Wrangler, with Carl Black Chevrolet, Crown Royal, GAC, Sennheiser, Tempus Jets and Big 98 Country as its sponsors. More artists will be added to the lineup as the date approaches.

Stay tuned to Taste of Country for our exclusive interview with Atkins about his new music that he is putting the finishing touches on in the studio.

Watch the Rodney Atkins 'Farmer's Daughter' Video