Crown Royal and Country Music Star Lainey Wilson Celebrate the Power of Music to Honor Military Heroes at "The 56th Annual CMA Awards"

"Crown Royal Honors the Military Community Ahead of Veteran's Day announcing a donation to CreatiVets as part of the Crown Royal Generosity Fund $1 million commitment to serving those who serve us"

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Crown Royal returned to the CMA Awards for its fifth year as the program's exclusive whisky partner, this time with country music superstar Lainey Wilson and nonprofit organization CreatiVets, a charity designed to help veterans heal through music therapy and the arts. The award-winning whisky brand celebrated Country Music's Biggest Night™, which aired live on ABC Wednesday, November 9, by raising a glass to the most generous among us, active-duty military and veterans. CreatiVets founder, Richard Casper, joined Wilson, the CMA Awards New Artist and Female Vocalist winner, live, on-stage to receive a surprise donation of $50,000, on behalf of Crown Royal. Just ahead of Veterans' Day, the brand is proud to honor Casper's selflessness and lifesaving work through the foundation and further its steadfast support of the military community.

The storied Canadian whisky brand also celebrated and hosted veterans from all over the country in Nashville to participate in the Crown Royal Purple Bag Project, an initiative designed in partnership with Packages From Home, which turns donated Crown Royal bags into care packages for military overseas. Leading up to the CMA Awards, country superstar Lainey Wilson surprised the veterans and packed purple bags for active duty service men and women. During the private gathering, Wilson and the veterans not only packed purple bags, but also bonded over their shared love of music. Wilson was able to truly connect with them, hear the veterans' stories, and learn how music continues to play a fundamental role in their healing journey.

"The CMA Awards are so special and getting an opportunity to connect with these veterans, now turned musicians, right before Veterans' Day was truly incredible," said Wilson. "I can tell you firsthand about the healing power of music and it's been a privilege to join Crown Royal and CreatiVets in honoring the military community that I admire and respect so deeply through something I love."

During the show, Wilson gave viewers the opportunity to trigger an additional donation from Crown Royal to CreatiVets by scanning a QR code that appeared onscreen or by visiting www.crownroyal.com/cmascreativets. These donations will be added to the $50,000 Crown Royal will contribute to help CreatiVets continue to serve hundreds of veterans each year through music therapy and songwriting workshops.**

"I am honored CreatiVets is being recognized for the life-saving work we're doing to empower and heal veterans with music," said Richard Casper, founder of CreatiVets. "As we saw last night, music brings people together and I cannot wait to further our mission thanks to the generosity of Crown Royal."

Crown Royal has a deep tradition of giving back, and as a long-standing supporter of the military, is proud to support the most generous people in our communities who selflessly serve others. For over a decade, Crown Royal has ignited exceptional generosity within our communities by giving back to the people and places that support them. Through partnerships with organizations like Packages From Home, the brand has supported over 1 million servicemen and women through the Purple Bag Project. This very season, Crown is taking the bag-packing program that provides food, hygiene, and entertainment items to veterans worldwide, with events all across the country.

"Our brand prides itself on honoring icons that keep their communities thriving and we're thrilled to recognize Richard Casper for his incredible acts of service to the military through CreatiVets. Our longstanding partnership with CMA gives us a platform to amplify the military community we so strongly support and gives them the spotlight they deserve," said Nicky Heckles, Vice President of Crown Royal. "Crown Royal is proud to come together with Lainey Wilson, CreatiVets, and the larger country music family to celebrate veterans who have selflessly served this country."

Crown Royal reminds everyone 21+ that living generously is not about what you have, but about what you give. And, most importantly, to always drink responsibly.

**No minimum for additional donation via consumer QR Code scan/website visit. Donation made via the Crown Royal Generosity Fund, a donor advised fund with Diageo North America, Inc. as the donor and which is administered by Fairfield County's Community Foundation, an IRS 501(c)(3) organization. Donation is part of a larger charitable giving initiative through which $1,000,000 will be donated to select national and local charities between 9/8/2022 & 6/30/2023. The dispersal of funds from the Crown Royal Generosity Fund is subject to the approval of the Fairfield County's Community Foundation.

Crown Royal Canadian Whisky is the number-one selling Canadian whisky brand in the world and has a tradition as long and distinctive as its taste. Specially blended to commemorate a grand tour of Canada made by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain in 1939, Crown Royal's smooth, elegant flavor and gift-worthy presentation reflect its regal origins – it is considered the epitome of Canadian whisky. For more information, visit crownroyal.com. Crown Royal encourages all consumers to please enjoy responsibly.

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Casamigos, DeLeon and Don Julio tequilas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: DGE) and their products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world.

For more information about Diageo, their people, brands, and performance, visit www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Follow on Twitter and Instagram for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.

CreatiVets' is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to provide wounded veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury with opportunities to use art, music, and creative writing to heal their unseen wounds of war. Their goal is to empower veterans with tools they can use for the rest of their lives and enable them to see their own capacity for success in an arena outside the battlefield. Learn more at creativets.org.

The first "CMA Awards Banquet and Show" was held in 1967. The following year, the CMA Awards was broadcast for the first time – making it the longest running, annual music awards program on network television. The CMA Awards have aired on ABC since 2006. ABC is the network home of the CMA Awards and CMA's other two television properties, "CMA Fest" and "CMA Country Christmas."

Six-time CMA Award nominee and ACM New Female Artist of the Year 2022 winner, Lainey Wilson has earned the enthusiasm of the industry, having been named to nearly every "Artist to Watch" list, being crowned Billboard's "Top New Country Artist of 2021," and earning CMT's 2022 "Breakout Artist of the Year" honor, the Louisiana native is one of Nashville's hottest and most buzzed-about new artists. Landing her first No. 1 with her PLATINUM Certified ACM Song of the Year "Things A Man Oughta Know," nearly 10 years to the day after leaving her small farming community in a camper trailer to chase her dreams, she has won over legions of fans with her signature Bell Bottom Country sound and aesthetic, which blends traditional Country with a modern yet retro flare. A prolific and sought-after songwriter (having co-writer credits on songs by artists including Luke Combs, Flatland Calvary and more), Lainey is a fresh, fierce voice in Nashville, delivering CMA nominated album of the year with her label debut, Sayin' What I'm Thinkin'. With a rockstar stage presence, her artistry has taken her across the globe, performing for sold-out crowds throughout the US, UK, and Germany with notable names like Jon Pardi, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, HARDY, Jason Aldean, Ashley McBryde, and more. After topping the country radio charts for a second time with the two-week No. 1 hit, "Never Say Never" with Cole Swindell, her current single "Heart Like a Truck" is Top 20 and climbing, with the HARDY collaboration "wait in the truck" sitting close behind in the Top 30. Her newest album "Bell Bottom Country" is out now and she's soon to make her acting debut on the hit series Yellowstone on November 13.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Michelle Gattenio
DIAGEO
Michelle.Gattenio@diageo.com 

TAYLOR
crownroyal@taylorstrategy.com

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SOURCE Crown Royal