ACM LIFTING LIVES® AND MUSICIANS ON CALL BRING THE HEALING POWER OF MUSIC TO SUNRISE HOSPITAL WITH SPECIAL VISIT FROM WALKER MONTGOMERY
ACM LIFTING LIVES® AND MUSICIANS ON CALL BRING THE HEALING POWER OF MUSIC TO SUNRISE HOSPITAL WITH SPECIAL VISIT FROM WALKER MONTGOMERY
ACM Lifting Lives® Donates $20,000 to Support the Growth of Musicians On Call’s Bedside Music Programs
ACM Lifting Lives® Kicks Off Organization’s 20th Anniversary Celebration With 2026-2027 Grant Cycle Prioritizing Healing Through Music Therapy Initiatives
GRANT SUBMISSIONS WINDOW TO OPEN WEDNESDAY, JULY 1 & CLOSE ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 7
(L-R) Katy Epley, COO; Taylor Wolf, Executive Director ACM Lifting Lives; Walker Montgomery, Abby Tannler, Programs & Activations Manager; Emiley Roye, Program Manager
Photo Credit: Courtesy of ACM Lifting Lives
NASHVILLE, TN (May 14, 2026) - Today, ACM Lifting Lives®, the philanthropic partner of the Academy of Country Music®, and the national nonprofit Musicians On Call returned to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas to host a Bedside Performance Program featuring Red Street Records recording artist, Walker Montgomery, continuing the organization’s longstanding mission to bring the healing power of music to patients, caregivers, and hospital staff. The visit was held while the organization was in Las Vegas for the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards, which will stream live exclusively to a global audience across more than 240 countries and territories on Prime Video on Sunday, May 17, 2026, from the world-renowned MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
During the visit Walker Montgomery, treated caregivers and physicians to a performance of songs including “I Love The Way You Love Me,” “Nothing Like You Nowhere,” “Saving The Honky Tonks,” and “Wouldn’t Be A Country Boy.” Following his performance, Montgomery walked the halls of Sunrise Hospital giving special bedside performances to a number of patients.
Following the 2018 launch of the Musicians On Call Las Vegas program, originally established through a $150,000 endowment from ACM Lifting Lives®, the work has continued bringing live music directly to patients’ bedsides through Bedside Performance Programs at Sunrise Health System hospitals. Originally inspired by visits with Route 91 Harvest Festival survivors, families, caregivers, and first responders following the 2017 tragedy, the program has created ongoing moments of comfort, connection, and healing throughout the Las Vegas community. During today’s visit, ACM Lifting Lives® presented a $20,000 grant in support of Musicians On Call's ongoing programs, including its work at Sunrise Health System hospitals in Las Vegas. This grant helps launch the ACM Lifting Lives® 2026-2027 grant cycle to celebrate its 20th anniversary year.
During today’s visit, ACM Lifting Lives presented a $20,000 grant to support Musicians On Call and its ongoing programs, iAs ACM Lifting Lives® celebrates 20 years of improving lives through the power of music, the organization is proud to announce that its 2026-2027 grant cycle is open for submissions beginning Wednesday July 1, 2026 through Friday August 7, 2026. This year’s grant cycle will prioritize nonprofit organizations delivering innovative and impactful music therapy initiatives designed to improve mental, physical, and emotional health outcomes for individuals and communities in need. Through these grants, ACM Lifting Lives® aims to help alleviate suffering, foster connection, and expand access to life-changing therapeutic music programs that bring comfort, healing, and hope to those who need it most. Past recipients include Country Music Foundation (Nashville, TN), Musicians On Call, (Nashville, TN), Rock to Recovery (Laguna Beach, CA), The Angel Band Project (Saint Louis, MO), The Texas Supremacy of Music and Arts Conservatory (Dallas, TX) and more.
Eligible beneficiaries for the 2026-2027 grant cycle will fall into one of three primary areas:
- Clinical Music Therapy: Programs operating in hospices, hospitals, and specialized camps, etc.
- Music-Based Therapeutic Interventions: Examples include programs supporting alternative behavioral approaches in primary and secondary schools, or focused on segments of the community such as military and veterans, etc.
- Mental Health for the Industry: Initiatives providing direct therapeutic services to touring professionals, songwriters, and other industry workers facing mental health struggles.
Key Application Details
Application to open Wednesday, July 1, 2026. Click here to request an email notification when the application opens.
- Application Window: Wednesday July 1, 2026 – Friday August 7, 2026
- Award Range: Approximately $5,000 to $20,000
- Eligibility: Qualified U.S.-based 501(c)(3) public charities in good standing
- Exclusions: Funding not available for music education, fundraisers, lobbying, building and capital campaigns, endowments, or debt retirement.
Beginning Wednesday July 1, 2026, eligible organizations can access the forthcoming application portal at ACMLiftingLives.org. All submissions must include a detailed project budget and clear, measurable outcomes. For more information on how to submit, along with further details on eligibility requirements, visit ACMLiftingLives.org.