Look To The Stars News: Five For Fighting

Andre Agassi's Grand Slam A Success

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Sheryl Crow, Natasha Bedingfield, The Killers, Lifehouse, Ray Romano, Rod Stewart and David Spade were among the performers at the 13th annual Agassi Grand Slam for Children benefit concert in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

The concert raised funds for the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation, which provides recreational and educational opportunities for at-risk boys and girls, and was preceded by an invitation-only concert on Friday that featured James Taylor and Five For Fighting’s John Ondrasik.

Among the 1,900 guests at Saturday’s Grand Slam were Stefi Graf, Mariah Carey and her husband Nick Cannon, the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson, Donny Osmond, comedian George Wallace, and many more.

Andre Agassi said that while the event was a benefit, this year’s focus was not on counting the dollars, but instead celebrating accomplishments made possible through the support of talented performers, generous sponsors, enthusiastic attendees and hard-working volunteers. Agassi summed it up as “a night full of heart.

Andre Agassi Grand Slam For Kids This Weekend

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Rod Stewart, Sheryl Crow, The Killers and David Spade will headline the 13th annual Andre Agassi Grand Slam for Children benefit concert in Las Vegas this weekend.

“I’m thrilled to have so many amazing performers donate their talents to help us help children,” said Agassi. “We look forward to celebrating with our partners what we’ve accomplished in Las Vegas with the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy and our future efforts to transform public education for underserved children nationwide.”

The concert will raise funds for the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation, which provides recreational and educational opportunities for at-risk boys and girls. The concert will be preceded by an invitation-only concert tonight – October 10 – featuring James Taylor and Five For Fighting’s John Ondrasik.

“This year the Grand Slam for Children is being held at Wynn Las Vegas, which offers a first-class, intimate experience for our guests,“ said Agassi. “The event is sure to be a hit with top exclusive entertainment at this beautiful venue.”

Since its inception in 1995, the Grand Slam for Children has been distinguished by its roster of entertainers, including Barbra Streisand, Elton John, Billy Joel, Phil Collins, Jerry Seinfeld, Stevie Wonder, Ellen DeGeneres, Jamie Foxx, Robin Williams, Don Henley, Tony Bennett, Luther Vandross, Usher, Goo Goo Dolls, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarkson, John Mayer, Ray Romano, Lionel Richie, Carlos Santana, Seal, Duran Duran and Josh Groban. More than 98,000 fans and VIP guests have attended the past 12 Grand Slam events, raising more than $70 million for charity.

Agassi’s 2008 Grand Slam for Children will take place tomorrow night, October 11, with musical direction by David Foster. More information about tickets can be found at the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation website.

Andre Agassi Plans Star-Studded Galas

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Five For Fighting’s John Ondrasik will join James Taylor for a special VIP event to raise money for the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation.

Andre Agassi’s 2008 Grand Slam for Children will take place on October 11 at Wynn Las Vegas and feature a concert by Grammy-award winning singer Sheryl Crow, with other performers to be announced soon. However, the gala will be preceded the previous night – October 10 – by a special show featuring Ondrasik and Taylor for Gold and Diamond sponsors.

The Grand Slam shows will follow the charity’s annual A Night In The Hamptons event on August 16 at Ross School. The evening will be hosted by Agassi and will include dinner, a live auction and a special performance by Matchbox 20’s Rob Thomas. Emcees for the evening will be Chevy Chase and Kelsey Grammar. The event is limited to 35 table sponsorships at $35,000 each, with 10 seats per table. Individual seats are also available at $3,500 each.

The Andre Agassi Foundation – which focuses on changing the lives of at-risk children through programs that provide educational and recreational opportunities and has raised over $70 million to support these programs in the last 14 years – hopes this will be a very intimate event where sponsors can hear directly from Andre Agassi how the Foundation is working to effect change in public education and at the same time, have a fantastic evening for a great cause.

More information about the events can be found at the Andre Agassi Foundation website.

Look to The Stars Asks Five For Fighting's John Ondrasik

Fri, 09 May 2008 11:35:08 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

John Ondrasik, the recording artist behind the pop-rock sensation Five For Fighting, has been offering Americans support and inspiration for more than 10 years. His song, Superman (It’s Not Easy) became an anthem after the 9/11 attacks, and was performed at The Concert for New York City in late 2001, and then added to the charity album Live in the X Lounge IV.

His support has continued through a USO tour of Guantanamo Bay and other bases in Cuba in February/March of 2007, followed by a tour of Japan, Guam and Hawaii in November. That same month he coordinated the release of 13 free songs for US military members called CD for the Troops consisting of tunes from Billy Joel, Gary Sinise, Brooks and Dunn, Jewel and many others.

Ondrasik created WhatKindofWorldDoYouWant.com, the first video charity website, early last year. Based on his song, World, the website offers a place where people can go to be creative and entertained, while supporting charity.

John was kind enough to take some time to answer our questions about what inspires him, and what he feels people can do to make a difference.

Where did the idea for What Kind Of A World Do You Want come from?

We’d noticed over the years how folks would make home movies to a few of my songs. We thought, in this age of You Tube, we’d build a platform to allow expression and raise money for good causes at the same time.

You’ve made a few changes to the site over the last year, how is it going? Are you pleased with the response and the way it is growing?

Now that we have a sponsored model (companies and private individuals send donations) we are raising more money. Still, the beauty of the site to me is the community and cathartic nature that the comments and videos have on those who make and watch them. To see a couple hundred families with Autistic children make there own video’s shows the potential of what we are doing…

What do you hope to achieve with the site?

I think the combination of an individuals creativity combined with the desire to give to something to those in need has no bounds.

Why do you think people should take an interest in the site and visit it?

Beyond the charitable aspects, there are some great videos. Some are educational, some are amusing, but virtually all will make you think and move your spirit…

What was your inspiration behind the CD For The Troops? Why is this issue important for you?

I think it’s our duty to do our part for those who secure our freedom. I can’t pick up a gun and go to Iraq, but I can try and help morale by producing efforts that express or appreciation and thanks to our troops and their families. The best thing about the CD is that is non-partisan with artists for both sides of the political worldview. Whatever we think about policy, we must never forget that over our nations history 2.8 million soldiers have died for that luxury.

In the aftermath of 9/11, you played benefit several concerts for New York. How did the attacks affect you? Do you think it affected the nation in a philanthropical way… do people want to help each other more?

I think after 9-11 the country rallied spiritually. It showed the character of New York and America as a whole. Sadly we’ve lost some of that. I do think the press does not focus on how philanthropic American’s are, both private and corporate. I’ve been blown away by some great work done by corporate America for various causes and met some amazing people who change the world every day. American’s are for the most part incredibly caring and giving.

Do you believe America is a nation of givers? Can the nation do more on a personal level? A national level?

I guess I answered that question. We can always do more but we have to smart with our efforts and our dollars. We don’t need photo ops we need to commit to causes and have partnerships around the world. Charities need to be responsible to their donors and we need to be better at getting resources to those who need it.

Why do you think it is important to give freely and help others?

Giving is a selfish enterprise; you always get more than you give.

Where do you find your inspiration to help others?

From those who have given much more than I ever will.

At the present point in time, what do you think is/are the biggest problems, social and/or environmental, facing the world today? What can people do about it? How can 1 person make a difference?

We can all make a difference in our private circle of influence and in the larger world. Taking your child to a VA fundraiser or Special Olympics is as voluble as writing a big check. Every person can find his or her way. As far as problems in the world, I’ve always been a fan of that which allows us to proper and help each other. Until every man, women and child has Freedom of Expression, Freedom of Religion, and basic human rights we can’t rest.

Do you have any more ideas or future plans involving philanthropic work that may interest our readers?

We’re working on CD for the Troops II and continuing to focus on whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com.

Do you have a personal message for our readers?

I just took my son to a Stephen Hawking lecture this week, and I’m sure Hawking would agree. Look to the Stars.

Thanks so much for your time, John. We wish you the greatest success merging music with philanthropy!

Those wishing to help support John’s efforts can visit WhatKindofWorldDoYouWant.com, buy a CD in support of US Troops, or purchase a Five for Fighting charity bracelet from the Do Good Jewelry Collection.

Billy Joel - A Philanthropic Man

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 10:26:01 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Billy Joel is back with his first new song since 1994 – sort of. The 58-year-old singer has made a triumphant return with “Christmas in Fallujah”, a protest song about the war in Iraq, with proceeds going to charity.

“I guess [it’s] just a cumulative effect of this war,” said the Grammy winning singer about how he came to write the song. “We’ve been there longer than World War II. I’ve been getting mail from service people over there, and there seemed to be a similar theme running through the letters, which was a sense of alienation from the home front. I think a lot of people are starting to feel like they’re forgotten.”

However, don’t expect to hear Joel’s trademark piano on the recording – in fact, don’t expect to hear much of Joel himself. The semi-retired entertainer decided to let a young musician from Long Island, 21-year-old Cass Dillon, take the lead vocals.

“I wanted to help somebody else’s career,” said Joel. “I’ve had plenty of hits. I’ve had plenty of airplay. I’ve had my time in the sun. I think it’s time for somebody else, maybe, to benefit from my own experience.”

Proceeds from the song, available on iTunes, will go to Home For Our Troops, a non-profit organization that builds specially adapted homes for severely disabled veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a cause close to the singer’s heart, and earlier this year he contributed to Five For Fighting frontman John Ondrasik’s CD produced exclusively for troops stationed overseas. The compilation also featured songs donated by Sarah McLachlan and Josh Groban.

“I don’t get up on a soapbox and do political messages,” said Joel in Rolling Stone Magazine. “I believe in talking about the human being, and the conditions humans find themselves in. I never liked it when a rock star got up on stage and told people how to vote. I find it insulting. But I believe if an artist feels strongly about something, it should be reflected in their art. Ultimately, everything’s political. Even love is political.”

Billy Joel is certainly no stranger to philanthropy, a fact that was recognized when he was honored as MusiCares Person of the Year in 2002 for his accomplishments as a humanitarian. Joel is well known as being a supporter of several causes, and contributes regularly to organizations around his hometown of Long Island. Over the years he has played benefit concerts for Charity Begins At Home, Farm Aid, USA For Africa, several AIDS groups, the United Service Organization, as well as many concerts to raise money for environmental causes, such as Sting’s Rainforest Benefit Concerts in the late 1990s, and Don Henley’s Concert For Walden Woods. While on tour in Japan in 1994, Joel experienced the disastrous Kobe earthquake, and donated the proceeds from several shows to relief efforts.

Joel’s record for benefit concerts looks set to continue into 2008, with the singer being booked to headline the Soles4Souls Opening Night at WSA concert on February 21 at Orleans Arena, Las Vegas.

Soles4Souls is a non-profit organization with a simple aim – to change the world, one pair of shoes at a time. The foundation was established by Wayne Elsey during the Asian Tsunami in December, 2004, with the idea to donate shoes to people devastated by the disaster. A quarter of a million shoes were donated by shoe companies and individuals, and another three quarters of a million were donated after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

“I’m happy to be able to help people with such a simple mission,” said Elsey. “The growth of this organization has been rapid and I am excited to get involved on a daily basis so that I can devote more time to a cause that makes a difference in people’s lives.”

The benefit concert will be hosted by Miss Massachusetts 2005, Cristina Nardozzi, who appeared in the movie “Ocean’s Thirteen” and also hosts “The Good Show”, a celebrity-driven television program that features stars and their favorite celebrities.

Tickets are available at www.openingnightatwsa.com.

John Ondrasik Asks What Kind Of World You Want

Tue, 08 May 2007 18:58:56 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting has started a charity music video community. The site, www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com, offers the public the chance to upload videos which explain the type of world in which they want to live.

At the end of every video viewers can click on the sponsor link; each click donates up to 49 cents to one of the charities chosen by Ondrasik. He encourages submissions, saying, “There are no rules here, your film can be personal, political – write a story, tell a story – anything goes.”

The charities benefitting from the website include Fisher House Foundation, Breast Cancer 3-Day, Save the Children, Autism Speaks, Save The Music Foundation and New York Police & Fire Widows’ & Children’s Benefit Fund. John tells us that another charity, Augie’s Quest will be added within the next few months.

For those who need more of a reason to create a video, there are prizes on offer. The grand prize winner will be chosen at random from the 20 most popular videos, and will be treated to a private concert with John Ondrasik including roundtrip airfare and lodging for two in Los Angeles.

Look To The Stars News: Five For Fighting

Andre Agassi's Grand Slam A Success

Related past articles

Andre Agassi Grand Slam For Kids This Weekend

Related past articles

Andre Agassi Plans Star-Studded Galas

Related past articles

Look to The Stars Asks Five For Fighting's John Ondrasik

Related past articles

Billy Joel - A Philanthropic Man

Related past articles

John Ondrasik Asks What Kind Of World You Want

Related past articles