More than 60 musical acts scheduled to perform in concert this summer--including Tim McGraw and Faith Hill [ tickets ], Queensryche, Melissa Etheridge, Sammy Hagar [ tickets ], Ben Harper, Def Leppard and Journey--will participate in online auctions to benefit Gulf Coast musicians affected by 2005's devastating hurricanes.

Beginning Saturday (4/1), fans who visit the Music Rising auction website will be able to bid for tickets to more than 80 summer concert events from the aforementioned artists, as well as from Brad Paisley, The New Cars and Blondie, and more.

The Music Rising effort teams the artists with Ticketmaster, four of the nation's largest concert promoters (Live Nation, House of Blues, AEG Live and Nederlander Concerts) and Gibson Guitar. (Ticketmaster is liveDaily's parent company.)

Founded by U2's The Edge, renowned music producer Bob Ezrin and Gibson Guitar CEO Henry Juskiewicz, Music Rising replaces instruments and equipment that Gulf Coast musicians lost due to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

"The Central Gulf Coast region has one of the most vibrant music cultures in the world," The Edge said in a statement. "That culture was almost eradicated in the storms of last summer. ... Ticketmaster's Music Rising Auctions offer us a way to come together as musicians, as an industry and as fans of every genre of music to make a difference."

"Musicians in New Orleans and the Central Gulf Coast need our help," added Arthur Fogel, President of Live Nation's The Next Adventure. "And beyond the professional musicians, there are hundreds of churches, schools and community groups that lost their instruments and gear and simply do not have the funds to replace them. ... Together with the artists and with Gibson Guitars, we are able to make a real difference--not just for those individuals and groups whose instruments we replace, but for the health of the whole region."