Keith Urban To Kick-Off Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign With Halftime Performance At Nationally
Calls on Fans to Sign onto www.OnlineRedKettle.org for Chance to See Halftime Performance LIVE at Cowboys Stadium
Arlington, TX (October 25, 2010) – Three-timeGrammy Award winner Keith Urban will be the featured performer at TheSalvation Army’s Kettle Kickoff at halftime of the nationally televisedDallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game on November 25, 2010. CharlotteJones Anderson, Executive Vice President Brand Management/ President ofCharities for the Dallas Cowboys, made the announcement on ESPN’sMonday Night Football this evening. As part of the Kettle Kickoffpromotion, fans will have a chance to win an expense-paid trip to thegame in Dallas versus the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints bysigning up to be an Online Red Kettle virtual bell ringer at www.onlineredkettle.org. The game will air on FOX starting at 4:15 p.m. EST.
KeithUrban’s halftime show will mark the 14th year that the Dallas Cowboysand The Salvation Army have partnered together to raise money forpeople in need in communities across the country. During theThanksgiving Day performance Urban is expected to play a number of histop hits, including his latest single “Put You in a Song” from hisforthcoming CD Get Closer (in stores on November 16th).
“I’mreally honored to be a part of this great tradition and greatpartnership between the Dallas Cowboys and the Salvation Army,” saidUrban. “It’s gonna be amazing playing in Cowboys Stadium in thatenvironment at half time of the Thanksgiving game!”
As part ofthis year’s Kettle Kickoff, two fans will have the chance to win a tripto Dallas to see the game, by signing up to host an Online Red Kettleat www.OnlineRedKettle.org.The contest is free to enter and allows participants to work as avirtual bell ringer, recruiting friends, family and colleagues tosupport people in need across America by donating online. Fans whocollect the most donations have a chance to win. Fans can sign upbeginning October 25, 2010 and winners will be alerted on November 21,2010. Complete rules and contest details are available online at www.OnlineRedKettle.org.
“Thisyear, Keith Urban, one of the most popular music artists in the world,will kick-off the Red Kettle Campaign in style and we couldn’t behappier,” said Charlotte Jones Anderson, recently announced as the newChairperson of The Salvation Army’s National Advisory Board. “We knowKeith’s drive to share his voice with others, will connect with andencourage the American public to give generously and support theimportant work being done by The Salvation Army.”
Over the last13 years, the nationally televised halftime performance has become anannual Thanksgiving tradition for fans in attendance and viewers athome. The Red Kettle campaign has raised more than $1.3 billion sincethe partnership began in 1997 and has helped The Salvation Army toserve 30 million people each year nationwide. Last year, the redkettles raised a record $139 million. Previous celebrity halftimeperformers include Daughtry, Jonas Brothers, Kelly Clarkson, CarrieUnderwood, Sheryl Crow, Destiny’s Child, Toby Keith, LeAnn Rimes,Creed, Jessica Simpson, Billy Gillman, Clint Black, Randy Travis andReba McEntire.
“The partnership between The Salvation Army andthe Dallas Cowboys is one that comes from the heart of the Jones familyas part of their commitment to help those in need during Christmas andyear-round,” said Major George Hood, National Community Relations andDevelopment Secretary for The Salvation Army. “Every year theopportunity for Salvation Army beneficiaries grows thanks to this greatrelationship, as well as the support of great musical talent like KeithUrban, allowing the Army to provide food, utility assistance, adultrehabilitation from alcohol and drug addiction, disaster relief andother services to nearly 30 million individuals in more than 5,000communities nationwide every year.”
From its original beginningsas a fundraiser started by a Salvation Army captain in San Francisco in1891, the Red Kettle Campaign has grown into one of the mostrecognizable and important charitable campaigns in the United States.As part of the campaign, more than 25,000 Salvation Army workers andvolunteers spread throughout the country to ring bells daily andsolicit spare change donations to the iconic red kettles from holidayshoppers. In 2009, the campaign raised more than $139 millionnationwide, a new record supported by the public’s nickels, dimes,quarters, dollars, credit cards (and the occasional diamond ring orgold tooth) all collected and used to help people in the communitieswhere they were raised. Last year, the funds helped The Salvation Armyprovide food, clothing, toys and other assistance to nearly 30 millionAmericans in need.
In addition to physical kettles, donors can contribute online at www.salvationarmyusa.org or through a virtual red kettle on any number of corporate or individual websites and Facebook pages.
About Keith Urban
In 2001, the Country MusicAssociation honored Keith Urban with its Horizon Award, designating hima talented artist with a bright future and to this day Urban remainsthe only Horizon Award winner in history to go on to win the CMA’s MaleArtist of the Year, a title he’s captured three times, and the covetedEntertainer of the Year. Nine years and nearly 15 millions albumslater, Keith is a three-time Grammy Award winner, who has also won aPeople’s Choice and an American Music Award. He’s won five Academy ofCountry Music Awards, had 11 #1s, including 21 Top 5 hits and twoconsecutive #1 CDs. He will release his sixth studio CD, Get Closer,on November 16th.
In December 2009, Urban was named theyear’s most played country artist (at radio) thanks to #1 hits such as“Sweet Thing,” “You’ll Think of Me,” “Only You Can Love Me This Way,”“Better Life” and “Days Go By.” In addition, his 2002 smash “SomebodyLike You” was named the #1 Country Song of the Decade by Nielsen BDS(based on radio airplay and audience impressions).
But Urban’sreputation as an elite songwriter, musician, vocalist and virtuosoguitarist is no more evident than when he is onstage. His electrifyingconcerts have played to sold-out venues from Australia to Germany toEngland to Canada and The United States and he’s received high praisefrom critics. In fact, 2009’s Escape Together World Tour, as well as2007’s Love, Pain & the whole crazy World Tour, were both,according to Pollstar, one of the top grossing tours for theirrespective years.
About Gene & Jerry Jones Family Charities
Inthe area of community service, Gene and Jerry Jones Family Charities'mission is built upon an overall philosophy of helping those who don'thave the strength, the resources or the means to help themselves. As asports entity that has enjoyed unprecedented success and recognitionfor more than four decades, the Dallas Cowboys feel a very strongobligation to transfer that championship tradition and the magic thatit creates toward the bigger purpose of making a difference in thecommunity. More information about the Dallas Cowboys is available at www.dallascowboys.com.
About The Salvation Army
TheSalvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian churchestablished in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in Hisname without discrimination for 130 years in the United States. Nearly30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army eachyear through the broadest array of social services that range fromproviding food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistancefor the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelterto the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to supportthose services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information,go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.