T.J. Martell Gala Raises Over $500 Million for Cancer and AIDS Research

Last night (Feb. 28), some of country's biggest stars gathered in downtown Nashville to raise money for a great cause. The T.J. Martell Foundation's ninth annual Nashville Honors Gala, held at the Omni Hotel, raised $535,000 to benefit leukemia, cancer and AIDS research. Along with fundraising efforts, five honorees were presented with awards for their inspiring efforts in the community.

Scott Hamilton, Rod Essig, Louis Messina, Dr. Joseph Smith and Janet Miller were all honored with special presentations during the event. Along with the awards, George Strait, Brad Paisley, Frankie Ballard, Clare Bowen, Kelsea Ballerini and Styx's Tommy Shaw performed at the invite-only event.

Check out Wide Open Country's exclusive photos from the red carpet below.