TYLER, Texas, May 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Military non-profit The Boot Campaign has a new supporter on board! Country superstar Gary Allan has pledged his commitment to the troops by putting on his own pair of Boot Campaign military issue combat boots and “taking a walk in a soldier’s shoes.”

Supporters of the Boot Campaign purchase boots with all proceeds going to partner military charities that help with a variety of both physical and emotional issues that returning soldiers face today. The Boot Campaign wants Americans to put the boots on to “symbolically walk in the shoes of our military men and women to remember their service and sacrifice.”

“As a former member of the Army, this holds a special place in my heart.  I’m proud to work with such a fine organization. I’m headlining the Throwdown Tour this year and was glad to see that the Boot Campaign was going to be on the road with us.  I think it’s great that a tour of this size is working hand in hand with the Boot Campaign, supporting veterans as they come home from combat…it just feels right.” Gary Allan

With the allure of a modern day outlaw, Gary Allan has won over legions of fans with his signature blend of rugged vocals, rebellious lyrics and raucous live performances.  He has sold over 7 million albums and released five platinum and gold albums in a row including two that topped the Billboard Country Albums Chart.  Allan has also topped the charts with four #1 hits at country radio and has nearly a dozen Top 10 hits to his credit.  He has been described as “dark and dreamy” in Entertainment Weekly, “soulful and rough around the edges” in Playboy and deemed a “maverick” by Rolling Stone.  He has sold out venues as a headliner from coast to coast, appeared on Late Show With David Letterman, The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, CBS Early Show and has landed on the covers of Country Weekly, Pollstar and People magazine.  While becoming a force on the country music scene, Allan has remained true to his artistic voice each step of the way.

Allan joins the ranks of current Boot Campaign celebrity ambassadors Dolly Parton, The Rock, Texas Governor Ricky Perry, Troy Aikman, Nolan Ryan, Charlie Daniels, George Jones and Gretchen Wilson.

The Boot Campaign
The Boot Campaign is a grassroots military appreciation and veteran awareness campaign started by five women from Texas, known as the Boot Girls.  The Boot Girls launched the Boot Campaign in 2009 to spread awareness of the needs of military personnel returning home from combat and express gratitude to current military.  Through the sale of military combat boots, the Boot Campaign donates proceeds to a group of partner charities that work with soldiers healing from a variety of physical and emotional combat wounds, embodying the campaign motto that, “When They Come Back, We Give Back.” www.BootCampaign.com

SOURCE Boot Campaign

Web Site: http://www.bootcampaign.com

Martina’s “ELEVEN Across America Powered by Amtrak,” Will Create Unique Concert Experiences for Fans

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Amtrak will partner with multi-platinum-selling country music superstar Martina McBride to launch “ELEVEN Across America Powered by Amtrak,” a four-day train ride to launch her upcoming Republic Nashville album, ELEVEN. In celebration of her new album, Martina’s tour will include 11 stops, starting in Los Angeles and culminating in New York City in October. Fans will be treated to intimate performances in Albuquerque, Chicago and NYC.

“This partnership is perfect for many reasons,” said David Lim, chief marketing officer, Amtrak. “We both value connections. Martina wants to connect even more closely with her fans — her music touches so many people, and is relatable to so many American’s lives — and Amtrak’s trains connect people across the country every day.”

The whistle stop tour will travel to 11 cities across the nation: Los Angeles; Flagstaff, Ariz.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Newton, Kan.; Kansas City, Mo.; Chicago; Cleveland; Pittsburgh; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; and New York City.

Both Martina and Amtrak are celebrating meaningful numbers this year. Martina’s new album ELEVEN is Martina’s 11th studio album, and she has been declared the “most played female artist on country radio for the past 11 years” by both Mediabase and Broadcast Data Systems (BDS).  This year is Amtrak’s 40th anniversary, which has been celebrated with a national exhibit train tour, special fare promotions, commemorative merchandise and an anniversary-themed website, www.amtrak40th.com, among other initiatives.

“This album is very special to me, and I wanted to be able to share it with my fans far and wide. I also wanted to do something that has never been done before, and I thought what better way to do that than with a cross-country train ride with Amtrak where we make several stops along the way? Eleven stops, to be exact. I’m so excited for this journey across America,” said Martina, who was just declared a 2011 nominee for Female Vocalist of the Year by the Country Music Association.

In addition, the tour will be environmentally friendly, in keeping with the positive environmental impact of train travel, which is 20 percent more efficient than air travel and 30 percent more efficient than automobile travel.

David Lim added: “Amtrak is a green travel option and a great way to see the country. And Amtrak always provides travelers with a special and enjoyable journey — this tour is a really fun reminder of that.”

The partnership with Martina McBride is another great step in the evolution of Amtrak’s entertainment marketing initiatives-reaching millions of potential travelers and engaging them around their passion points.

About Amtrak®:

Celebrating 40 years of dedicated service as America’s Railroad(sm), Amtrak is the nation’s intercity passenger rail provider and its only high-speed rail operator. A record 28.7 million passengers traveled on Amtrak in FY 2010 on more than 300 daily trains-at speeds of up to 150 mph (241 kph)-that connect 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian Provinces. Amtrak operates trains in partnership with 15 states and four commuter rail agencies. Amtrak also is a strong financial performer, achieving an 85 percent cost-recovery ratio in FY 2010. Enjoy the journey(sm) at Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and more information. Join us on facebook.com/Amtrak and follow us at twitter.com/Amtrak.

About Martina McBride:

One of the most spectacular voices in any genre of music, Martina McBride is a four-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, three-time ACM Female Vocalist of the Year and GRAMMY®-winning recording artist with more than 18 million in album sales and 24 Top 10 singles, including six that hit No. 1. The breadth of her talents-as recording artist, producer, songwriter and concert entertainer-has made her an in-demand performer and personality, appearing on such high-profile programs as “VH1 Diva,” “Dancing with the Stars,” the “Today” show’s “Today Throws a Wedding,” “American Idol,” “Oprah,” “The Bachelorette,” “Private Sessions,” a “20/20″ special and much more. Celebrated for her beauty and sense of fashion, as well as her everywoman perspective in life and music, Martina is a wife and mother of three girls who has been featured on the covers of publications like Redbook, Ladies Home Journal, People, Country Weekly and Shape. Among her hits are such anthemic and empowering songs as “Independence Day,” “This One’s for the Girls” and “Ride,” all of which have underscored her incredible popularity as one of music’s preeminent female vocalists. Martina’s first album on Republic Nashville, “Eleven,” is set for release on Oct. 11 and includes her first new music since 2009-”Teenage Daughters” and her current single, “I’m Gonna Love You Through It.” She was recently nominated for the 2011 CMT Music Awards CMT Performance of the Year for “CMT Crossroads: Train and Martina McBride. Martina is also a nominee for “Female Vocalist of the Year” at the 2011 CMA Awards.

SOURCE Amtrak

Web Site: http://www.amtrak40th.com/