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... 

XM Satellite Radio will be airing a 48-hour marathon of the XM Public Radio (ch 133) flagship program, "The Bob Edwards Show," starting on May 12th at 8am ET.

The Marathon also coincides just a few days before the radio icon's 60th birthday. 

"The Bob Edwards Show" Marathon will include almost 50 interviews with some notable personalities including:

• Actors George Clooney, and Philip Seymour Hoffman
• Best-selling authors David McCullough and Maya Angelou
• Political figures Al Gore and Bob Dole
• Journalists Walter Cronkite and Bill Moyers
• Musicians David Crosby and Jeff Tweedy of the band Wilco
• Humorists Harry Shearer and Garrison Keillor
  
• Edwards’ original reporting from the Appalachian region of Kentucky for his award-winning radio documentary, “Exploding Heritage.”

Check out the full schedule and more info on a special Bob Edwards Marathon page on XM's website.

Thanks Nathan! 

 

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.

Remember how XM and Wal-Mart teamed up to benefit the Children's Miracle Network? Well here's a new TV spot that will air on Wal-Mart video monitors in retail stores.

The first XM Kids Roadshow broadcast and live concert will be in Los Angeles on April 30th. The channel will broadcast from the road every day and host fund-raising events at select Wal-Mart locations to help raise $10 million in just 30-days for Children's Miracle Network.

XM is dedicating a special channel in honor of Larry King and in celebration of his 50th anniversary in broadcasting.

The new channel, "LARRY! A Celebration of Larry King's 50 Years in Broadcasting" (ch 130), will air over the course of five days, starting at 12-midnight ET, April 16th through April 20th.

"LARRY!" (ch 130) will air content spanning Larry King's earlier broadcasting years on Miami's WIOD radio station and his recent work as host of "Larry King LIVE!" on CNN. Highlights include some of his most memorable interviews with celebrities and newsmakers, such as Bob Hope, Jackie Gleason, Johnny Cash, Oprah Winfrey, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Gregory Peck, Richard Nixon, Larry Flynt and many others.

"LARRY!" will also feature live broadcasts of CNN's special anniversary week, including brand new Larry King interviews with Oprah Winfrey and Bill Clinton, an interview with Larry King hosted by Katie Couric, a tribute to King hosted by Bill Maher and the two-hour special presentation, "CNN Presents: Larry King - 50 Years of Pop Culture." This special anniversary week will also be available to XM subscribers through the CNN feed (ch 122).

XM also will air an exclusive interview with Larry King hosted by Bob Edwards and recorded during King's daily breakfast ritual at Los Angeles' famous Nate n' Al's Deli. The interview will premiere on Monday, April 16th at 8am ET on "The Bob Edwards Show," on XM Public Radio (ch 133) with additional encores features throughout the day as well as on the "LARRY!" channel.

[LARRY! A Celebration of Larry King's 50 Years in Broadcasting]

XM Satellite Radio and Wal-Mart have teamed up to create the "XM Kids Traveling Roadshow" - a cross-country initiative to raise $10 million in 30-days for the Children’s Miracle Network.

The XM Kids Traveling Roadshow will kick-off on April 30th in Los Angeles, with XM Kids visiting local Children’s Miracle Network hospitals and hosting events at local Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stores nationwide before ending the tour in Washington, DC on May 19th.

The entire on-air team from XM Kids (ch 116) will broadcast live from the "Balloon Bus" for 20 days. Live performances from premier recording artists for young people will air on XM Kids Saturdays from 10am – 2pm ET. The first XM Kids broadcast and live concert will be in Los Angeles on Monday, April 30th with a performance by Paulie Litt, Laughing Pizza, Rhythm Child and Meredith Brooks.

You can track the bus and find out about the events at xmradio.com/roadshow. Not only will you hear live performances every Saturday, but broadcasts from the XM Kids Traveling Roadshow in local Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stores can be heard Monday through Friday from 3pm -7pm ET.

At every stop, the tour will encourage parents and kids to purchase a paper Miracle Balloon at Wal-Mart to help their local Children’s Miracle Network hospital. The Children’s Miracle Network a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children at hospitals across North America. Since 1987, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc has raised more than $388 million in support of the Children’s Miracle Network.

View the complete schedule of stops on the XM Kids Traveling Roadshow after the jump...