Country Stars Contribute to Good-Cause Auctions

Proceeds intended to benefit those affected by health problems, natural disasters

From Great American Country:

Sugarland, Faith Hill, Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney are among the country artists who've contributed their signatures of late to online auctions intended to raise money for people who've been affected by health problems or natural disasters.

Faith (pictured) signed an iPod loaded with some of her favorite music for an auction being run for Music Rising, which supports victims of hurricanes along the Gulf Coast. Sugarland, Taylor and Kenny are just a few of the country acts taking part in a Grammy auction at eBay where the proceeds will benefit MusiCares and the Grammy Foundation. MusiCares aids musicians facing health problems, addiction issues or financial hardship; the Grammy Foundation backs music research and education projects.

Faith's iPod had drawn a $255 top bid as of Sunday at tonic.com, where she's joined by pop stars Mariah Carey and Gwen Stefani in paying homage to some of the music they personally find inspiring. Each of them has uploaded 20 songs onto an iPod to call attention to music that's affected them. Faith's iPod features songs by Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin, Coldplay and Madonna. Husband Tim McGraw is the only country artist among her 20 selections: He's represented by "Live Like You Were Dying" and "She's My Kind Of Rain."

Among the country-related items available through the Grammy auction at eBay are:

* A pink guitar signed by Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus. (High bid, as of Sunday: $1,225)

* A Grammy program book signed by at least seven people at last week's Grammys, including Carrie Underwood, Kanye West, Best New Artist nominee Adele and Raising Sand producer T Bone Burnett. (High bid: $100)

* A Grammy ball cap signed by Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush. (High bid: $75)

* A working microphone signed by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss. (High bid: $810)

* An Epiphone guitar signed at the MusiCares Person of the Year tribute to Neil Diamond by Tim and Faith as well as numerous pop stars: Jennifer Hudson, Foo Fighters, the Jonas Brothers and Neil himself. (High bid: $1,000)

* A leather-bound book from the green room at the Grammys signed by a wealth of artists, including Carrie, Taylor, Miley, Sugarland, T Bone, Robert & Alison, plus Kenny Chesney, Paul McCartney, Coldplay, Justin Timberlake, Queen Latifah, B.B. King and John Mayer. (High bid: $1,075)

* A Dwight Yoakam Honky Tonk Deuce model guitar signed by Tim and Faith. (High bid: $1,500)

* A copy of the "Lucky Old Sun" CD signed by Kenny Chesney. (High bid: $66)

* A copy of the 2009 Grammy Nominees CD signed by Carrie. Music on the disc includes Lady Antebellum, the Eagles, Katy Perry and Leona Lewis. (High bid: $65)

* A long-sleeved Grammy thermal signed by Carrie. (High bid: $150)