Country singer Kenny Chesney posted this photo of himself on Twitter, standing knee-deep in water next to a boat filled with gear. He said he was salvaging possessions from his flooded home. He is one of many country music stars affected by record flooding in Nashville this week.Photos: Kenny Chesney
Keith Urban, who lives in Nashville with his wife, actress Nicole Kidman, and their daughter, lost all of his equipment when a storage facility for musicians flooded. He told CNN anchor Rick Sanchez, "At this stage it is possible that I have lost all my equipment, all my road equipment, and all of my guitars and amps, everything. We have to wait and see to what extent the waters came up... but we know it is not good." Urban added that he was fortunate to have survived the disaster: "This pales in comparison, people have lost everything."
Singer Brad Paisley, who also lost all his equipment when the storage facility flooded, is scrambling to replace it before his latest tour opens in two weeks. An AP report said that Paisley's props and staging were flooded, and his guitars, amps and equipment were destroyed. Paisley posted this message on Twitter: "Just know, that as you watch us perform on the H20 tour, our entire stage & set has literally been under water. Now that's cred right there."
Musician Vince Gill, seen here with wife Amy Grant at the 2007 BMI Country Awards in Nashville, may have lost most of his entire guitar collection, including irreplaceable vintage pieces with historic value, his friends have told the Associated Press. Gill is reportedly hosting a telethon May 6 to benefit the Red Cross, Salvation Army and the Second Harvest Food Bank.
A tractor-trailer full of road gear for singer LeAnn Rimes, seen here at a Los Angeles Lakers game on May 6, 2009, is probably under 3 1/2 to 8 feet of water, her guitarist Ryan Wariner told the Associated Press.
Musician Dierks Bentley canceled two shows to save his home. "Hate to cancel shows...might be a first. but nashville is a disaster. all of our houses are messed up," he tweeted. He also posted pictures of himself bailing out the basement.
Also bailing water was country singer and actress Laura Bell Bundy, who lives in Nashville. "Crap! Crap! Crap! Water is leaking thru my walls... puddles on my floor..."she tweeted.
Singer Bo Bice's cabin was damaged by flooding but Bice told USA Today he was lucky because it is on a hill and the water ran down. "We've got good friends and family that are safe, and we're glad we didn't lose anybody," he said. "Our prayers definitely go out to those who did."
Photos: Flooding at the Grand Ole Opry
Danny Gokey, who lives in the Hermitage area, told USA Today he was watching flood waters rise around his house. "Even though we're on a hill, our backyard started filling up," he said. "I've never seen that much water -- it started filling up pretty quickly."
Singer Kellie Pickler, seen here at the 2007 American Music Awards, appealed to her Twitter fans to pitch in and help her city. "Pray for Nashville. It's flooded. Bad," she tweeted.
Grammy Award-winning pop/country singer Taylor Swift told E! Online that she's devastated. "Right now Nashville is under water," Swift said. "We had the worst storm in 35 years, so please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. A lot of people back home are not doing well."
According to E! Online, country singer and former "Dancing with the Stars" pro Julianne Hough, seen here at the 2008 CMA awards, tweeted, "Hey guys! Please keep the families and everyone else in Nashville in your thoughts and prayers... They really need it right now! Thanks."
Singer Chuck Wicks tweeted, "So many of my friends have been hit with the floods..keep them in your thoughts. Just found out my Bus/Trailer is Under Water," CMT News reports.
Country singer Julie Roberts told Fox News she had to be rescued from the second story of her home with her mother, sister and four dogs. "It was crazy and horrifying," she said. "Rescue boats were coming by for hours." Officials evacuated the sick and elderly first, and then came back for others like herself, she said.