Washington - Mar 8, 2012 - The National Association of Broadcasters and ThanksUSA will host a country music benefit concert to kick off the 2012 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Sunday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m. The concert is being held in support of military families and will take place at the Encore Theater in the Wynn Hotel. Rodney Atkins and Lucas Hoge will perform.

The event is part of ThanksUSA's mission to provide spouses and children of active duty men and women with need-based post-secondary educational scholarships. Since ThanksUSA's inception in 2006, the organization has awarded 2,500 scholarships to military families, for atotal value of nearly $7.5 million.

As a token of appreciation to Las Vegas' active duty military, ThanksUSA will invite 400 families from nearby Nellis Air Force Base to attend the concert. In addition, tickets will be available for all NAB Show attendees at the door for a charitable donation of $20.

ThanksUSA began in 2005 when two Virginia schoolgirls set out to mobilize Americans to thank active-duty troops. The organization provides need-based scholarships to the children and spouses of active-duty status military. Scholarships have been awarded in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to families representing all branches of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserves, and the families of the wounded and fallen.