Josh Groban, fun., Dierks Bentley to appear at teachers benefit

A diverse group of pop musicians including vocalist Josh Groban, rock group fun. and country singer-songwriter Dierks Bentley will band together Aug. 14 at L.A.’s Nokia Theatre in a benefit concert saluting teachers. Others scheduled to appear at the “Teachers Rock” event include Viola Davis, Miranda Cosgrove and numerous actors and sports figures.

Scenes from the forthcoming film “Won’t Back Down,” starring Davis and Maggie Gyllenhaal, will be shown during the evening, which is being sponsored by Walmart and the film’s producers, Walden Media. “Honoring teachers and recognizing the importance of education have been bedrock values since the founding of our companies,” David Weil, chief executive of the Anschutz Film Group & Walden Media, said in a statement. The film tells the story of two women determined to save a deteriorating inner-city school.

The event will be taped and shown as a one-hour CBS-TV special on Aug. 18, a program produced by Ken Ehrlich Productions, which handles the annual Grammy Awards telecasts and numerous other televised special events.

The TV version also will include taped appearances and messages from celebrities including Meryl Streep, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Garner, Matthew Morrison, Usher, Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl and Maroon 5’s Adam Levine.

Tickets for the concert go on sale Friday, July 27, at Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com and Charge-by-Phone: (800) 745-3000. Proceeds from the concert tickets will be donated to DonorsChoose.org, Feeding America and Teach for America.

ALSO:

Spotify at Year 1 in the U.S.: The digital market is up

New Beatles collection out on iTunes: Is that all there is?

Chuck Berry is Rock Hall’s ‘American Music Masters’ 2012 honoree