American Red Cross Honors Trace Adkins with Crystal Cross Award

Country superstar is major Red Cross supporter, competes for Red Cross on "All-Star Celebrity Apprentice"

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May 19, 2013, 09:00 ET

WASHINGTON, May 19, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Red Cross honored award-winning country music star and Red Cross spokesman Trace Adkins last night with the Crystal Cross for his support of the humanitarian organization. The Crystal Cross award honors celebrities who have shown exemplary support of and service to the Red Cross mission.

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"Trace brings humor, honesty, hard work, and grit to everything he does," said Red Cross President and CEO Gail J. McGovern. "We could not ask for a better representative of the Red Cross."

Adkins was personally helped by the Red Cross when his family survived a fire and he joined the American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet in 2012. He is currently competing on behalf of the Red Cross on this season of Donald Trump's "All-Star Celebrity Apprentice" on NBC and is a finalist for the grand prize of $250,000 to the charity of the winner's choosing. Adkins will compete against magician Penn Jillette in tonight's season finale on NBC at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT. Adkins has already raised more than $700,000 for the Red Cross through his participation with this season of All-Star Celebrity Apprentice.

During last night's awards ceremony, Adkins entertained an audience of Red Cross Tiffany Circle Summit attendees for a short performance at the organization's Washington, DC headquarters. The Tiffany Circle is a group of women who donate $10,000 or more to their local Red Cross chapters annually.

"When my home was claimed by fire last year, Red Cross volunteers were among the first on-site," Adkins said. "They looked after my family when I couldn't be there and offered help. We were fortunate because we could replace the things we lost, but that's not always the case for every disaster victim. That's when the Red Cross steps in. I am supporting the mission of the Red Cross and hope to help them reach more people in need."

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About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at blog.redcross.org.

About Trace Adkins:
Trace Adkins' trademark baritone has powered countless hits to the top of the charts and turned albums into Platinum plaques, selling over 10 million albums, cumulatively. His hit list includes "(This Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing," "You're Gonna Miss This," "Ladies Love Country Boys," "Songs About Me," "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk ," "I Left Something Turned On At Home," "Every Light In The House," "Hillbilly Bone (Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins)," "The Rest Of Mine," "Hot Mama," "I'm Tryin'," "Just Fishin'," "Then They Do," "Chrome," and "More."

The Grammy-nominated member of the Grand Ole Opry is a television personality, actor, author, spokesman for the Wounded Warrior Program, the American Red Cross and has performed seven USO Tours.

In his 2007 autobiography, A Personal Stand: Observations and Opinions from a Freethinking Roughneck, the 6'6" oil-rigger recounted his rise to fame, brushes with death and battles with personal demons. He also explains just how the world's biggest alpha-male handles fatherhood with five daughters. In 2008, Trace's integrity and wry humor served him well as a finalist on NBC's The Celebrity Apprentice and for NBC's All-Star Celebrity Apprentice on behalf of the American Red Cross.

Trace has played a tough as nails biker in The Lincoln Lawyer (starring Matthew McConaughey), he developed and hosted GAC's "Great American Heroes" honoring every-day Americans doing great things and he has hosted the American Country Awards on FOX for three consecutive years.

In 2011, Trace album, Proud To Be Here debuted atop the Billboard Country Chart with the Top Ten hit, "Just Fishin'." His eleventh studio album, Love Will ... debuted May 14, 2013.

SOURCE American Red Cross