Nashville, Tennessee - Country superstars Reba and Blake Shelton raised $500,000 for victims of recent tornados in Atoka County, OK during two sold-out “Tornado Relief Concerts” at the Choctaw Events Center in Durant on May 25 and 26. Susie McEntire-Eaton and Kelly Clarkson made a surprise guest appearance at the May 26 relief show.
The proud Okies did not disappoint, entertaining for over two hours each night and giving their hometown friends support, songs and of course – some comedic banter. The pair co-headlined the event, opening with a duet of “Oklahoma Swing.” Armored with humor, they took turns belting out hits – occasionally harmonizing between songs and jokes – on Reba’s “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” “Why Haven’t I Heard From You,” “Turn on the Radio” and “Consider Me Gone,” as well as Shelton’s “All About Tonight,” “Goodbye Time,” “Hillbilly Bone” and “Some Beach.” The duo also showcased their current singles “When Love Gets a Hold of You” (Reba) and “Honey Bee” (Blake Shelton). Reba and Shelton sent their dedicated audience home with a sense of optimism and an encore. Performing alone for the first time all evening, Shelton performed “Ol’ Red” before Reba made her solo appearance for “Fancy.”
Initially, news of the disaster prompted the stars to reach out with one fundraising event, but when it sold out in less than two hours, they announced a second show. Reba was born just outside of Kiowa, which is approximately 30 miles away from the greatest devastation. Shelton was born in Ada and currently resides in Tishomingo, less than 50 miles from the Atoka County border. All proceeds from both shows, as well as generous donations from The Choctaw Nation and fans, will go towards Atoka County’s ongoing relief efforts through the Tushka Disaster Relief Fund.
In addition to the proceeds already raised, a special mobile fundraising campaign has been set up with The mGive Foundation. Fans can text “OKGIVE” to 27722 to make a one-time $10 donation, which will be added to their monthly cell phone bill. Checks can also be made out to the Tushka Disaster Relief Fund and mailed to: 101 SE 1st Street, Tushka, OK 74525.
For more information on Reba, please visit: www.Reba.com.
For more information on Blake Shelton, please visit: www.BlakeShelton.com.
For more information about The mGive Foundation, please visit:
www.mGive.org.
