The KEAN-105 St. Jude Radio-thon is right around the corner (Feb.17 & 18). That being said the music and patient stories are what will move you to becoming a "Partner In Hope" and join the growing numbers across America that pitch in the help save a life, find a cure or just to help with your continued donations. If you ever have the opportunity to go to the St. Jude Hospital GO! Never ever miss that chance you will see what a totally donation driven hospital is really like...IT'S ALL ABOUT THE PATIENTS! So when a country star goes, it's no surprise they come away "INSPIRED" the start giving their own money they donate their talent & time and more obviously THEY WRITE HIT SONGS. The Grascals and Dolly Parton are no different...read on.

The Grascals
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Jamie Johnson visited St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis last February with his bandmates in bluegrass group The Grascals. While there, he saw a wall where children with cancer had filled in words to complete sentences beginning with "I am." There was "I am homesick" and "I am tired," and then there was "I am strong."  It hit me like a ton of bricks," said Johnson, who returned to Nashville and wrote a song called "I Am Strong" with wife Susanne Mumpower-Johnson and songwriter Jenee Fleenor. Two versions of the song are included on The Grascals & Friends — Country Classics With a Bluegrass Spin album, which comes out today and is available exclusively at Cracker Barrel locations. One version features The Grascals with Dolly Parton, while the other includes contributions from Parton, Randy Owen, Joe Nichols, Darryl Worley, Terri Clark, Charlie Daniels, Tom T. Hall, The Oak Ridge Boys and Steven Seagal.

"The day she recorded that, Dolly said, 'I got up this morning and listened again to the song, and after I got done crying I told myself God sent this to you all to tell us to help these children,' " Johnson said. "She said, 'I hope you write a thousand more great songs, but you're never going to come close to this one right here.' "via: Tennessean Nashville's News Paper

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