“Send donations for Joplin now” is the message the Branson community wants to deliver on June 26, 2011, during the live concert and telethon being staged by the Southwest Missouri town known as the “live music show capital of the world”. The live benefit concert will be at The Mansion Theatre and tickets are on sale now for a minimum donation of $50 by calling 1-866-707-4100 or visiting JoplinBenefit.com.
As of this date the jam-packed night of special entertainment will include performances and appearances from stars and celebrities including:Jim Stafford
Shoji Tabuchi
Liverpool Legends
Carrie April Tillis
Hughes Brothers Show
Todd Oliver & his talking dogs
The Lennon Sisters
Baldknobbers Jamboree
Acrobats of China featuring New Shanghai Circus
The Duttons of America’s Got Talent
Buck Trent
Barbara Fairchild
Grand Country Music Hall
God and Country Theatre
3 Redneck Tenors of America’s Got Talent
The Haygoods
Jim Barber of the Hamner Barber Variety Show
Tom Mullica as Red Skelton
Legends In Concert
Kirby VanBurch
Janice Martin from the Showboat Branson Belle
Doug Gabriel
Sons of the Pioneers
Circle B Cowboy Show
The Brett Family
Hooray for Hollywood
Legends of Kung Fu
Presley’s Jubilee
Clay Cooper
SIX
The Comets…and more!
Joplin, Missouri was hit by an EF5 tornado that brought winds exceeding 200 mph, destroying over 8,000 homes, 400 businesses, 5 schools, and St John’s Regional Medical Center (Mercy Health Joplin). “Joplin is a great neighbor and folks there need for their community to be made whole again,” said Ann Stafford, event organizer and co-owner of the Jim Stafford Theatre in Branson. “Branson’s stars and our local businesses and volunteers want to help that process happen. We believe assisting St John’s Mercy Hospital to operate while rebuilding is vital to the stability and health of the entire community both economically and spiritually. We also believe that as musicians and show people, who make our living from the arts, that it is important to the children of Joplin to also have their music programs put back in place.” Proceeds from the concert and telethon will go to St John’s Mercy Hospital and to the Joplin Schools’ music programs.
St John’s Mercy Health Systems has committed to keeping all 2200 employees on the payroll indefinitely. “That’s a big undertaking for a non-profit,” adds Stafford, “and essential to the economic vitality of the entire Joplin community, and in fact to Branson as well as to Missouri.”
The Joplin High School’s loss in musical instruments alone exceeds $280,000. “Our goal is to reach out to everyone to donate instruments or to purchase instruments for the kids through a silent auction being held on the 26th during the live concert. There’s a list of specific instruments needed at JoplinBenefit.com,” said Jim Barber, President of The League of Theatre Owners & Show Producers as well as co-star of the Hamner-Barber Variety Show & Theatre. “We believe that by keeping the music alive in the schools, the lives of the children of Joplin will be enriched during this time of recovery.” Instruments may be dropped off at the College of the Ozarks Christian Ministries offices, The Mansion Theatre, any Palen Music Stores and Hoover Music Store in Springfield, Missouri or at any of the Mercy Health Systems offices.
The show will be broadcast live via television, radio and the internet. As of press time the following had announced their air times:
KOAM-TV and FOX 14 in Joplin, Missouri from 7-10pm Central Time;
RFD-TV network from 7-10pm Central Time;
Access channels on Mediacom MC22 stations through the Midwest;
CW affiliates in Springfield MO, KSCW in Wichita KS, and Fayetteville AR;
ABC affiliate in Fayetteville AR; KAVU the NBC affiliate in Victoria TX; WXVT the CBS affiliate in Greenville MS; KMOV St. Louis (7-8PM) and KMOV’s Living Healthy Channel (7-10P); WQWQ in Cape Girardeau; Fox 23 in Tulsa OK; WGEM in Quincy IL; Comcast in Kansas City; and KCTV in Kansas City.
On Radio via Saga Communications Jonesboro, AR Radio Group and the Cascade Radio Group from
Bellingham, WA. In addition it will be streaming live on Branson World Radio and at KOAMTV.com
The Branson Cares Benefit will be available via satellite for television broadcast from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. KOAM-TV and Fox 14 in Joplin are producing the show and have graciously donated the equipment, labor, and the satellite services for this event. The event will also be closed captioned provided by Caption Solutions of Lawrence KS. (Metro Sports of Kansas City and Freebird TV of Olathe, KS provided the production truck and satellite truck, respectively).
The League of Branson Theater Owners and Show Producers (The Branson Show League) is producing the Joplin Benefit Concert & Telethon presented by Branson Cares. Other Sponsors of the event are KOAM-TV, the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB, a variety of area businesses, and numerous volunteers.
KOAM, in providing the live broadcast of the show and facilitating the satellite uplink, is making it possible for the telethon to be shown in communities throughout the country, with those station placement efforts currently underway. Viewers are advised to call their local TV stations to check the schedule to see if their hometown stations are airing the Joplin Benefit Concert and Telethon presented by Branson Cares. (Visit BransonCares.com) or click on the banner above.
