LITTLE BIG TOWN GIVE CHILDREN 'HOPE!' (AUDIO & VIDEO)

Little Big Town, in partnership with ACM Lifting Lives, hit the ACM Awards show stage for a performance of ‘Here’s Hope,’ an original song co-written by ACM New Artist of the Year nominee Hunter Hayes. Hunter introduced the quartet, who was joined onstage by the Clark County Children’s Choir. The performance, presented by ConAgra Foods’ Child Hunger Ends Here campaign, is being presented to shed light on child hunger in the United States.

Little Big Town began their performance by singing a bar of John Lennon‘s ‘Imagine’ before launching into ‘Here’s Hope’ with images of children flashing on the screens behind them.

“When I first learned about ACM Lifting Lives a few years ago, I immediately asked to be a part of this amazing organization,” says Little Big Town’s Kimberly Schlapman. “Lifting Lives seeks out needs and takes care of people. They work hard at giving both children and adults comfort, contentment and happiness. We are so honored and excited to be a part of the very special Lifting Lives moment to end child hunger on the ACM Awards.”

ACM Lifting Lives is the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music. The organization is dedicated to improving lives through the power of music. Among the services they provide are grants to music therapy and music education programs and assisting members of the country music community who face unexpected medical or financial hardship. This year’s ACM Lifting Lives award-show presentation with Little Big Town marks the fourth consecutive year during which a performance has been used to highlight worthy causes and provide support on behalf of their beneficiaries. Since 2009, the ACM Lifting Lives on-stage moment has raised over $200,000 for designated charities.

‘Here’s Hope’ was penned by Hunter Hayes, Luke Laird and Barry Dean to inspire consumers to join the fight against child hunger.

AUDIO: Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild talks about the band’s ACM Lifting Lives moment.

LBT (Karen-ACM) OC: …moment. :30

“Well, I mean we have children, so when we heard the statistics that one in five children don’t know where their next meal was coming from, we were astounded. We just couldn’t believe it that that could happen here. I mean, we always thought that was a global problem, but not really something that happened in the States. We just thought if we could do something really moving, like a call to action, maybe people would do something right in the moment when they’re listening to the music. So, that’s what we’re hoping for and Conagra and the ACMs have put together a really beautiful moment.”

AUDIO: Little Big Town’s Kimberly Schlapman talks about the importance of the band’s ACM Lifting Lives moment.

LBT (Kimberly-ACM) OC: …in our country. :20

“One of the most important things about the performance was that hopefully it brought awareness, because we had no idea that one in five children in our country don’t know where their next meal is coming from. So hopefully, it at least put that in people’s minds and hopefully, they gave last night, but they’ll continue to give to cure that problem in our country.”