The Kingdom Heirs, chart-topping gospel music artists, will headline the "Forward Air Changing Lives" fundraiser in the group's fifth annual concert for the American Red Cross of Greene County.
The Foundations, a local gospel quartet, will open the show.
Changing Lives will be on Thursday, March 7, at 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 211 N. Main St. in Greeneville.
"The Kingdom Heirs were so popular at our first four 'Changing Lives' shows that we keep bringing them back," said event Chairman Dr. Shelly Shaw.
"We sell about 1,000 tickets for each annual show, and we hope to do the same this year," she said.
Forward Air Corporation is the show's lead sponsor, with several other Greeneville-area businesses and individuals serving as co-sponsors.
Tickets are $15 each, and are available now at Heritage Community Bank locations located at 1435 Tennessee Highway 70 Bypass, 114 W. Church St., and 3626 E. Andrew Johnson Hwy.
Tickets are also available at First Baptist Church, and at the local Red Cross office, 218 N. Main St.
'DOLLYWOOD'S OWN'
The Kingdom Heirs have been the resident gospel group at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge since 1989.
"The Kingdom Heirs have a strong following of longtime fans, Dollywood friends and gospel music-lovers," said Brian Cutshall, chairman of the Leadership Cabinet of the American Red Cross of Greene County.
The group performs for more than two million people per year, which is "more than any other Southern Gospel group," reports an article on the group at Wikipedia.org.
The Kingdom Heirs have had six #1 singles on the Singing News magazine charts -- "That's Why I Love To Call His Name," "Forever Changed," "I Know I'm Going There," "What We Needed" and "He Locked the Gates."
They have been nominated for industry awards from the Southern Gospel Music Association, Gospel Music Association and Singing News.
The Kingdom Heirs website is KingdomHeirs.com
THE FOUNDATIONS
The Foundations were an opening act for the first Changing Lives concert in 2009.
"We're excited that both The Kingdom Heirs and The Foundations are coming back to help us raise much-needed funds for our local American Red Cross," Cutshall said.
The Foundations sing "old standards, hymns and modern favorites," according to a new release from the Southern Gospel quartet.
"In the early years, the group went though many personnel changes and sang mostly in the area around Greeneville," the release continued.
The Foundations now have a regional fan base, and perform in churches throughout Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
The current lineup, who have been together since the mid-1990's, consists of Melissa Brantley, Jacob Justice, Ronnie Thompson and Stephen Thompson.
The namesake verse for the group is I Corinthians 3:11: "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
For more information on The Foundations, visit FoundationsMinistries.com
RED CROSS FUNDRAISER
The Forward Air Changing Lives concert will benefit local programs of the American Red Cross of Greene County.
"We serve thousands of Greene Countians every year with funding from United Way of Greene County, private donations and other sources," said Cutshall, who will emcee the program.
The American Red Cross of Greene County responds to single-family fires, offering food, shelter and other assistance to victims and emergency responders; provides emergency communications between families and their members serving in the armed forces; and distributes disaster preparedness information.
Local volunteers teach classes in CPR, first aid, lifeguarding, swimming and other areas of health, safety and emergency preparedness.
For more information on the Forward Air Changing Lives concert, individuals should call the American Red Cross of Greene County at 423-638-6441.
