Country Music Star John Rich Named Grand Marshal for 57th Nashville Christmas Parade Hosted by Piedmont Natural Gas

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Renowned Warner Brothers recording artist, John Rich, will serve as Parade Grand Marshal for the 57th annual Nashville Christmas Parade, hosted by Piedmont Natural Gas. The parade, which will benefit Piedmont's Share the Warmth Round Up program, kicks-off the Christmas season in downtown Nashville on Friday, December 4, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. CST.

"Piedmont Natural Gas is proud to continue this Nashville holiday tradition. This is the 57th straight year for the Nashville Christmas parade and the people of Nashville and all of Middle Tennessee have enjoyed and supported the parade with huge turnouts every year," said Tim Greenhouse, Regional Executive, Piedmont Natural Gas. "We are especially excited to have John Rich join us as Grand Marshal in support of the Share the Warmth Round Up program."

"It's an honor for me as a Nashvillian and as an artist to serve as Grand Marshal for Nashville's Christmas Parade. I'm also very proud to help support the Share the Warmth Round Up program. There is no more basic need than helping our neighbors stay warm this winter and by donating just a few cents a month, we can make that happen," said John Rich. "This parade will showcase the best that Music City has to offer and spotlight a great cause. I can't wait to kick it off! Can I get a YeeHaw!?"

Thousands of spectators and families from throughout the middle Tennessee region will converge on the city for the Nashville Christmas Parade. John Rich and Mayor Karl Dean will light the Nashville Christmas Tree at the Public Square, near the intersection of Second Avenue and Union Street.

"The Nashville Christmas Parade is a great tradition for downtown, and is one of my favorite events of the year," said Mayor Karl Dean. "With the city's tree lighting ceremony on the same night, the first Friday in December will mark the official start of the holiday season in Nashville. I can think of no better way to get into the spirit of the season than with music, lights, and floats -- not to mention Santa Claus himself -- all centered on the theme of giving to others. I hope everyone will come out and help us celebrate the holidays in Music City."

Following the tree lighting, the Parade will start at the intersection of Broadway and 6th Avenue in front of the Sommet Center and continue through Nashville's historic downtown, concluding at LP Field. Fireworks sponsored by the Nashville Downtown Partnership will kick off the parade.

Community sponsors for this year's parade include the Nashville Conventions & Visitor's Bureau and Wal-Mart. Other sponsors include Averitt Express, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, and Caldwell, Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM), the Copper Kettle, Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, Joslin Signs, Kickin' Coffee & Tea, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, and Nashville Downtown Partnership.

Presenting Media partners are The Tennessean, Lamar Outdoor Advertising, Comcast and Clear Channel Communications which includes WSIX 98, 1510 WLAC, 107.5 The River, 105.9 The Rock and 101.1 The Beat.

For more information on the parade, please visit: www.nashvillechristmasparade.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nashvillechristmasparade.

About John Rich
Most recently known as one-half of the Multi-platinum Warner Bros. Records duo, Big & Rich, Rich has been honing his writing skills for years. He has made a name for himself as an artist in his own right, a producer, an award-winning songwriter, judge on Nashville Star (NBC), and host of the smash hit series Gone Country on CMT. As a part of Big & Rich and as a songwriter, he has garnered multiple Grammy, ACM, CMA and CMT Music Award nominations. He was also awarded the ASCAP Songwriter Of The Year Award in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and has written 13 Top 10 singles. This spring, Rich made it official with the release of his first solo album, "Son of a Preacher Man," which peaked at No. 3 on Billboard's Top Country Albums Chart. The second single from the set, "Shuttin' Detroit Down," peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

About Share the Warmth Round Up
Share the Warmth Round Up offers a simple way for Piedmont customers to round up their monthly natural gas bill to the nearest dollar with the difference going to assist neighbors in their community who need help paying their home energy bills. Share the Warmth Round Up funds can be used to pay energy bills throughout the year regardless of the energy source used in the home -- including natural gas, propane, oil, electricity, coal, kerosene and wood. To enroll, visit www.piedmontng.com and click on the Share the Warmth Round Up icon on the left-hand side of the page.

About Piedmont Natural Gas
Piedmont Natural Gas is an energy services company primarily engaged in the distribution of natural gas to more than one million residential, commercial and industrial energy customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, including 61,000 customers served by municipalities who are wholesale customers. Our subsidiaries are invested in joint venture, energy-related businesses, including unregulated retail natural gas marketing, interstate natural gas storage and intrastate natural gas transportation. Additional information about Piedmont is available on the Internet at www.piedmontng.com.