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ACM Lifting Lives, the philanthropic partner of the Academy of Country Music, hosted the 15th Annual ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp with Vanderbilt Kennedy Center earlier this month.
The week-long residential program hosted 30 musically talented individuals with the rare genetic condition Williams syndrome by providing music enrichment through performance and education.
Campers got to go behind-the-scenes in the country music community and participate in exclusive opportunities with some of Nashville’s most acclaimed musicians and rising talent.
Campers began the week by co-writing a song called “Find the Sunshine” with Ross Copperman, Russell Dickerson and J.T. Harding, which they performed lived at the Grand Ole Opry alongside newcomer Alex Hall.
Other artists who joined the campers throughout the week included Post Malone, Dasha, Jordan Davis, Caylee Hammack, Tiera Kennedy and Conner Smith.
“Hosting this camp is truly the highlight of the year for everyone involved, including the campers and those volunteering and doing the research,” Lyndsay Cruz, ACM Lifting Lives executive director, and Taylor Wolf, ACM Lifting Lives senior manager and music camp lead, said in a joint statement. “This camp allows our partners at Vanderbilt Kennedy Center to conduct important research on Williams syndrome, all while providing campers with an experience they'll never forget. The artists, songwriters and venues in Nashville who donate their time to this amazing summer camp are the ones who make this research and fulfilling experience for campers possible, and we thank them for their positive energy and excitement.”
Other highlights included Smith playing songs and holding a casual Q&A with campers at the Bluebird Cafe and Hammack joining campers for a night of karaoke at Loser’s Bar and Grill, where Post Malone and ERNEST were the surprise guests.
ACM Lifting Lives funds the costs of the camp, in addition to providing scholarships for several campers, enabling the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center to advance its mission of improving the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families through research, training and service. Read more about the ACM Lifting Lives program here and watch the Grand Ole Opry event below.