THE OAK RIDGE BOYS TEAM WITH COMPASSION INTERNATIONAL FOR 2013 CHRISTMAS TIME'S A COMIN' TOUR

Legendary award-winning, hit-making group celebrate 24th Anniversary of Christmas Tour

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (November 11, 2013) – Grammy Award-winning music legends The Oak Ridge Boys are set to celebrate the 24th Anniversary of their annual Christmas Tour in 2013 with a festive show featuring live performances of holiday classics and their biggest hits. Additionally, while Richard Sterban, Duane Allen, William Lee Golden, and Joe Bonsall are celebrating their 40th Anniversary of The Oak Ridge Boys, they have teamed with Compassion International as the official sponsor of the “Christmas Time’s a Comin’” Tour.

“Over the course of our career we have worked with many children's relief organizations, but never have we seen a more positive response from our fans than we are seeing with Compassion International,” says Oak Ridge Boy Joe Bonsall. “I believe that folks are moved by Compassion International’s Christ-centered approach to feeding and educating needy kids around the world—and their amazing success rate, which is impressive! When folks sign up to help a hungry child there is a huge chance that THAT child will rise out of poverty and make a difference in the world. This is why we are excited and blessed to be working with this stellar organization.”

The Oak Ridge Boys came together in 1973, beginning as gospel singers, became a top act in country music and then crossed over to pop with the monster hit “Elvira” in 1981. The song became their fourth No. 1 country hit, reached No. 5 on the pop charts, won the group a Grammy® award and went on to become one of only a handful of singles released out of Nashville ever to go double platinum. The Oak Ridge Boys recently became members of the Grand Ole Opry®.

“Compassion International will be traveling with us on our Christmas Time’s a Comin’ Tour so folks can meet them first hand and join with us as we try to do some positive things for children. The song “Thank God For Kids” has inspired us for decades to give back and to be a special blessing to needy children. Our partnership with Compassion International enables us to fulfill those visions, and together we can make a huge difference through Christmas and beyond!” adds Bonsall.

The Oak Ridge Boys are known for creating a show atmosphere of holiday cheer with their Christmas tour, which consistently receives rave reviews and has become a holiday tradition in its own right since its start 24 years ago. The masterful blends of new and traditional yuletide tunes are enhanced by the powerhouse group’s renowned four-part harmonies.

The Oak Ridge Boys will be filling the holiday season with the celebrated sounds of their Christmas Time’s A Coming CD (Gaither Gospel Series). The album was released to retail outlets in 2012, with an exclusive version of the CD available at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store®, featuring two heartwarming bonus tracks that capture the meaning of the season. The Christmas Time’s A Coming album marks the Oaks’ sixth holiday CD.

Christmas Time’s a Comin’ Tour Dates:

Nov 12-14 - Branson, MO
Nov 16 - Wisconsin Dells, WI
Nov 19-21 - Branson, MO
Nov 25 - Portsmouth, OH
Nov 29 - Sioux Falls, SD
Nov 30 - Des Moines, IA
Dec 1 - Cheyenne, WY
Dec 2 - Salt Lake City, UT
Dec 3 - Cedar City, UT
Dec 5 - Billings, MT
Dec 6 - Boise, ID
Dec 7 - Kennewick, WA
Dec 8 - Lewiston, ID
Dec 9 - Spokane, WA
Dec 10 - Eugene, OR
Dec 11 - Redding, CA
Dec 12 - Yountville, CA
Dec 13 - Northridge, CA
Dec 14 - Coachella, CA
Dec 15 - Tucson, AZ
Dec 16 - Amarillo, TX
Dec 17 - Topeka, KS
Dec 18 - Cedar Rapids, IA
Dec 19 - Wabash, IN
Dec 20 - Akron, OH
Dec 21 - Toledo, OH
Dec 22 - Green Bay, WI

For more information, please visit: www.oakridgeboys.com

For more information on the Compassion International partnership with The Oak Ridge Boys, please visit: www.compassion.com/oakridgeboys

Jeff Bates Gets Hands-on Lesson in Compassion

Country Singer Travels to Colombia
with Renowned Children’s Charity Compassion International
 

Nashville, Tenn. (September 20, 2011) -- Country Singer Jeff Bates wishes everyone could stare hunger and poverty in the face the way he recently did.  Bates spent a week in Colombia, visiting communities Compassion International helps.

“There are children out there who are hungry, without medical care and who will never be able to go to school and get an education to help them better themselves,” Bates says of the unspeakable conditions he saw Colombian children living in.  “It breaks my heart, tortures my soul, haunts my spirit and mind and makes it hard to sleep at night.”

Bates sponsors a child through Compassion International. “Compassion ensures these children are fed, clothed, have medical and dental care, that they receive love, attention and an education.”

Bates recorded two albums for RCA between 2003 and 2006.  During that time he charted several songs including the top-10 hit, The Love Song.  After leaving RCA, Bates signed with Black River Music Group, for whom he recorded two albums.

Jeff Bates is the latest Country artist to embrace Compassion International since it reached out to Country Music earlier this year.  Other country artists include 90’s hit maker John Berry, Marty Raybon, former lead singer of the group, Shenandoah, and BNA Records’ all-girl group, The Lunabelles.

“Country artists and their fans have always had big hearts, especially for children,” says Zane King, Artist Relations Regional Director for Compassion International.  “I have no doubt Country fans will go to the mat for these starving children.”

“It makes me so proud to work with Compassion International,” Bates adds.  “Together we will eradicate hunger and poverty and help change the world for the better, one mind, one soul and one heart at a time.”

ABOUT COMPASSION INTERNATIONAL:

Compassion International is the world's largest Christian child development organization that permanently releases children from poverty. Founded in 1952, Compassion successfully tackles global poverty one child at a time, serving more than 1.2 million children in 26 of the world's poorest countries. Recognizing that poverty is more than a lack of money, Compassion works through local churches to holistically address the individual physical, economic, educational and spiritual needs of children - enabling them to thrive, not just survive. Compassion has been awarded ten consecutive, four-star ratings by Charity Navigator, America's largest charity evaluator.