McGraw, Redford, Vassar, Denton and Other Stars Celebrate Organ Donation
At “Share the Beat” Event

Omaha, Nebraska -- Some of Hollywood’s biggest names and the music industry’s hottest stars joined forces to present “Share the Beat” at Omaha’s Joslyn Art Museum’s Witherspoon Hall on Saturday, March 10.  The star-studded line-up included celebrity host James Denton of Desperate Housewives fame, appearances by James Redford and Robert Redford and performances by Tim McGraw, Phil Vassar, Rivers Rutherford and Alana Grace.  The event netted nearly $160,000 which will be used to fund transplant awareness initiatives and programs.

“It was truly an amazing evening of music, awareness and storytelling,” commented James Redford.  “I am grateful to all of the artists who donated their time and talent and to the Omaha community for supporting our efforts to spread the message about donating life.”

A sell-out crowd of approximately 1,000 attended the event.  The audience included actress Diane Baker, CAA Nashville head Rod Essig, Mark Wright, president of Universal Records South and entertainment Producer, Gil Cunningham of Neste Event marketing.  These special guests were joined by donor families, a contingent of military wives, music fans, film buffs and others to support the life-saving potential of organ and tissue donation.

The evening’s master of ceremonies, James Denton, received a warm welcome by the Omaha crowd.  Throughout his remarks, Denton emphasized that the evening was not about death, but about life. Personifying the evening’s life-affirming theme, James Redford shared his experience with organ transplantation.  Because of a life-threatening liver disease, he underwent two liver transplants at Omaha’s Nebraska Medical Center in 1993.  The organ transplants saved his life and inspired him to establish the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness (JRI).

Demonstrating that organ donation not only affects individuals, but entire families, James’ 11-year-old daughter, Lena, appeared on-stage with her father.  Lena was born three years after James’ liver transplants. 

James’ father, Robert Redford, introduced his son and spoke eloquently about how difficult it was for him to watch James’ health deteriorate, and how grateful he is to the donors who saved his life.

Following the Redfords’ appearance, up-and-coming rocker Alana Grace had the audience on their feet with a set that included her hit song Black Roses Red.  Next, singer/songwriter Rivers Rutherford and Nashville favorite Phil Vassar delivered powerful performances of their chart-topping hits.  Finally, Tim McGraw brought the house down his performance, kicked-off with the Rivers Rutherford-penned hit Real Good Man.

One of the evening’s most poignant moments came when Gerri Osman, who flew in from her home in Salt Lake City, Utah, spoke about her experience as the parent of an organ donor.  Ms. Osman’s son, Sebastian, died while crossing the street in 2006.  Before his death, Sebastian had learned about JRI’s Redford Animation Project “It’s a RAP!” and expressed his desire to become an organ and tissue donor.  When he died, it gave her great comfort to carry out his wishes and, by doing so, to save the lives of others.

At the beginning of the program, the ten wives and mothers who received “Share the Beat” tickets donated by Tim McGraw and his label, Curb Records, were recognized from the stage.  The ladies, whose husbands and sons are currently deployed to Iraq, also had the opportunity to meet Tim McGraw and have their photograph taken with him after the show.

The evening also included a tribute to Chris LeDoux, the former world champion bronco rider and country music star.  In 2000, LeDoux was diagnosed with a liver disease, and successfully underwent a liver transplant at the Nebraska Medical Center.  Within six months of the surgery, LeDoux was back on tour, and in 2003, he released the album Horsepower and celebrated career sales of more than 5 million albums. LeDoux died on March 9, 2005, from complications of liver cancer at the age of 56.  The tribute included a special thank you from Chris’s widow, Peggy LeDoux, to the physicians and nurses at the Nebraska Medical Center who performed Chris’ transplant and extended his life by five years.

Prior to the “Share the Beat” event, a private reception was held at the home of Omaha philanthropist Susie Buffett.  All of the “Share The Beat” performers attended the event, as did Warren Buffet, and the honorary co-chairs and Nebraska Medical Center physicians Drs. Michael F. Sorrell and Byers W. Shaw.

After the event, approximately 200 guests attended a dessert reception with “Share the Beat” performers.

Following up the success of “Share the Beat,” JRI will soon release its new jewelry line through Robert Redford’s Sundance catalog.  The collection will feature the words “Hope,” “Heal,” and “Honor” and will be available on-line at www.sundancecatalog.com. 

JRI’s “Honor” shirts, which were sold at “Share the Beat,” are available at www.yolthreads.com.  For more information about the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness, please visit www.jrifilms.org.