Today the XM Kids Traveling Roadshow kicks off with its first live broadcast from Los Angeles starting at 12-noon PT/3pm ET.

The official start of the 20-day tour will include a live concert featuring kiddie fan-faves Paulie Litt, Rhythm Child, Laughing Pizza, Meredith Brooks and the Jonas Brothers.

The tour is a joint charity effort by XM, Wal-Mart, and the Children’s Miracle Network to help raise awareness and funds for local children's hospitals across the country. At each Children's Miracle Network hospital that XM Kids visist, kids will be encouraged to support the Children's Miracle Network by taking part in Wal-Mart's "Buy a Balloon" campaign.

This is all in an effort to raise $10 million in 30-days. A great goal for a great cause. The FCC should take note.

Check out a couple other shots of the XM Kids Traveling Roadshow tourbus - all wrapped up and ready for action - after the jump... 

Sirius will be airing a performance by Tori Amos on the night of the release of her 9th album, American Doll Posse, live on The Spectrum (ch 18).

After her performance, Tori will give an in-depth interview with The Spectrum channel host, Demos.

Tori Amos’ “American Doll Posse” LIVE! will be broadcast from the New York club, Spotlight Live, next Tuesday, May 1st at 8pm ET.

Replays will air on May 2nd at 12-noon, May 4th at 11pm ET, May 5th at 8am ET, and May 7th at 12:01am ET.

American Doll Posse will be released on the same day as the performance, and it's Amos’ ninth studio album. It features Tori unveiling five characters (Tori, Pip, Clyce, Isabel and Santa... all making up the American Doll Posse) who each deliver their own unique songs, conveying different aspects of Tori and women in general.

Tori chose to debut her last studio album, The Beekeeper, on Sirius and it was her fifth album to debut in the Top 10.

 

XM is broadcasting the 20th annual MerleFest festival this week, from April 26th - April 29th, on both X Country (ch 12) and Bluegrass Junction (ch 14).

 

MerleFest brings together a mix of traditional and contemporary bluegrass, acoustic, Celtic, blues, folk, old-time, Cajun, and jazz; all in celebration of the music of the late Merle Watson and his father Doc Watson.

You'll hear artists like Doc Watson and Merle's son Richard, Blue Highway; Sam Bush; John Cowan Band; Donna The Buffalo; Jerry Douglas; The Duhks; Paul Geremia; Pam Tillis; The Waybacks; and many others.

The action starts live on Bluegrass Junction, view the full schedule here.

Jimmy Buffett fans can hear his upcoming "Bama Breeze" tour live on Sirius Radio Margaritaville (ch 31) starting tomorrow, April 21st, when it kicks off at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

Parrot Heads will be able to hear every concert of the "Bama Breeze" tour as it runs through September’s two night stand at the Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA.

You can probably expect each broadcast to start with a pre-show party from backstage hosted by Jimmy's own daughter, Savannah Jane Buffett, and will also feature interviews with Jimmy himself. Check out all the tour dates, including pre-show broadcast times, after the jump...

John Mayer dropped by Studio A at New York's Jazz at Lincoln Center to play live and take questions from a packed house for the latest XM "Artist Confidential" series. The show will air tonight (April 16th) at 9pm ET on XM Cafe (ch 45).

Mayer is an XM customer who actually once wrote an article (partial pay-wall, sorry) about listening to the 40s on 4 channel in Esquire magazine. Think that's cool? He also once stopped by (unannounced) on the Ron and Fez show to debut some of his new material. 

Plus, well, he dates Jessica Simpson. So that's just enough to counterbalance any complaints you might have about hearing "Daughters" for the hundredth freaking time. Full schedule available after the linkage below...

[XM Artist Confidential]