Jack & Diane Host International "Squeaky Wheel" Concert Tour Stop at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel

Oct. 11, 2011 - PRLog -- Jack & Diane, of Nashville Unleashed, will host the Nashville stop on the International Squeaky Wheel Tour® , benefiting GINA FOR MISSING PERSONS, November 3, 2011 from 6pm-9pm at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, located at 2100 West End Avenue, Nashville. Tickets are $65-VIP Seating/Dinner, $50-General Admission/Dinner, and $25-Concert Only. Tickets are available exclusively at www.nashvilleunleashed.com.

RICHIE MCDONALD will be the featured Artist performing at this event. Richie was the long-time front man for CMA and ACM Award Winning band LONESTAR as well as the songwriter penning radio hits like "Amazed," "Smile", and "My Front Porch Looking In". Now enjoying a successful solo career, Richie just released a new album “Slow Down” to rave reviews.

An extensive and impressive lineup of Nashville’s finest performing songwriters for the evening will also include: BERNIE NELSON, JEFF MILLER, SHAY WATSON, DARRYL MACQUARRIE, ERIC HAINES, TRENT JEFFCOAT, JULIE FORESTER, JEFF BATSON, KAREN STALEY, CJ WATSON, ADAM POPE, and COLLEEN MCFARLAND.  

COACH MICHAEL BURT, (Leadership Coach to some of the top performing companies and people in the Southeast, Author of 5 books and host of his own popular show on WLAC - Change Your Life Radio), will be among the Presenters for the evening. These Presenters will spotlight individual missing cases in our community to the audience, including the recent disappearance of HOLLY BOBO, cousin to Warner Brothers Recording Artist, Whitney Duncan.

The Squeaky Wheel Tour® is an annual, internationally acclaimed concert series created by “GINA for Missing Persons FOUNDation”, which raises awareness for the staggering number of people who vanish every year and brings hopes to their families.  

A primary focus on the Nashville event will be educating people on detecting suspicious activity and potentially playing an instrumental part in bringing a lost soul home. Families of the missing will be present at this event, as well.

GINA FOUNDATION and subsequently The Squeaky Wheel Tour® was created by JANNEL RAP in honor of her sister, Gina. Both musicians, Gina mysteriously disappeared from Lincoln, Nebraska 11 years ago (on October 17, 2000) after a performance at a venue. Her car was found the next day with her guitar in the trunk, but no sign of Gina.

Jannel realized in her attempts at finding her own sister that so many families face the same hurdles; Their loved ones simply vanishing with no media hook to garner the much-needed, ongoing attention to the disappearance of their loved one. Jannel had to do something to change that. In 2001, she launched the SWT® and GINA FOUNDation. Since then, more than 1,100 people have been found because of these efforts.

THE ELIZABETH SMART FOUNDATION supports GINA's cause and they are combining efforts to help drive this year's Squeaky Wheel Tour. Elizabeth's case garnered national attention and she is now an on-air contributor to ABC's Good Morning America.

Elizabeth and her father, ED SMART, will appear at several of the SWT® events. It is not yet confirmed whether they will attend the Nashville event, but they will make themselves available for interviews with radio, television and print publications to spread awareness for this event.

This year during SWT® , GINA founder Jannel Rap is touring throughout the U.S. and Canada with her son, Elijah, and making a special appearance at Loews Vanderbilt Hotel. Jack & Diane will perform "in the round" with Jannel & Elijah, and Richie McDonald.

"Jack & I have known Jannel for a long time and our hearts go out to her and to all the families of the missing. We consider it an honor to present this event and hope that it will go a long way in educating people and helping to bring someone home." says Diane Untz, Event Host/Performing Songwriter

Other artists and entertainers around the country that have contributed or are contributing to the tour include Maroon 5, MIchael Imperioli, Karen Black, Gloria Loring, Little Feat, Los Angeles Sparks Basketball, Meatloaf, Ted Lange and countless indie artists. In Canada, The band Conscience has joined the SWT® as well as Canadian Icon, Bif Naked and celebrated Cellist Kiki Mizumi. Joy Smith, a member of parliament and outspoken advocate in addressing Canada’s role in the trafficking of humans world wide is a tour spokesperson along with actresses Tantoo Cardinal and Leah Pinsent.

For more information or to schedule an interview with Jack & Diane about the event, please contact Diane Untz at 615-624-4048 or email jackanddiane@nashvilleunleashed.com.