Ticketmaster has joined Gibson to raise money for Music Rising, the organization founded by U2’s the Edge, producer Bob Ezrin, and Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz to help the musicians of the Gulf Coast replace instruments destroyed in the hurricanes. Working closely with Gibson and some of this summer’s hottest touring acts, Ticketmaster will give fans an opportunity to bid on special ticket packages for shows this summer. Every Saturday through April, fans will be offered the chance to place the winning bid on a ticket package that includes four premium seats, and in most cases, an Epiphone guitar autographed by the show’s performers. Starting this Saturday, packages for more than 80 shows will be open to bidding, including performances by Brad Paisley, Blondie and the New Cars, Def Leppard and Journey, O.A.R., Il Divo, Queensryche, and the Violent Femmes. Some of the country’s biggest promoters—including Live Nation, House of Blues, AEG Live, and Nederlander Concerts—have agreed to work together and donate their time and resources, an act of cooperation that the Edge feels is a tribute to the incredible work of Music Rising, and the power of the music itself.

GuitarTown Project, a public arts project that features 10-foot tall fiberglass Gibson Les Paul or Chet Atkins model guitars was launched in April 2004. The guitar sculptures are artistically designed by local and nationally acclaimed visual artists and displayed throughout Nashville in front of the city's landmarks and businesses. Many guitar sculptures are partnered with a country music celebrity and backed by a corporate sponsor. The GuitarTown Project has united the Nashville art, music and business communities behind the cause of raising money for four worthy charitable organizations: Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, The DISTRICT, and the United Way of Nashville.