Archive for the ‘Children’s Hospital and Arena Tour’ Category

Doyle Lawson Kicks Off 2012 Children’s Hospital & Arena Tour

Posted on: February 10th, 2012 by Sherri George

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver with UK Coach John Calipari prior to the Auburn-Kentucky game on January 11, 2012. Corey Hensley, Doyle Lawson, Coach Calipari, Josh Swift and Mike Rogers.

BRISTOL, TN (February 10, 2012) — A patriotic fever is about to hit all of us in the next few months, if Doyle Lawson has his way.

Bluegrass legend Doyle Lawson and his band Quicksilver are embarking in 2012 on the second leg of their benchmark Children’s Hospital and Arena Tour, an ultra creative venue combining helping hospitalized children with inspiring national patriotism.

The tour combines National Anthem performances at major sporting arenas with Children’s Hospital visits in the same cities or regions. The tour is the first of its kind in any genre, and expands in 2012 from the southeast region to national in scope.

An arena stop in Knoxville was the first order of tour business in 2012 as Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver took the hardwood of Thompson-Boling Arena to perform our National Anthem for the Tennessee-Florida Men’s Basketball game on Saturday, January 7.

DLQ wowed a packed house at Auburn Arena as they performed the National Anthem for the Men’s Basketball game between Auburn and then #2-ranked Kentucky on January 11.  DLQ were honored to be greeted by UK Coach John Calipari in the Kentucky locker room before the game, and enjoyed world-class treatment by Auburn’s sterling staff as guests in the spectacular new Auburn Arena.  UK has now claimed the #1-ranking in the Nation in AP and ESPN/USA Today Polls, and a photo of DLQ meeting Coach Calipari is included in this article.

Upcoming Children’s Hospital & Arena Tour highlights include:  SEC Men’s Basketball action on February 28 in Music City as the Vanderbilt Commodores take on the Florida Gators at Vanderbilt’s Memorial Gymnasium; DLQ singing their first baseball National Anthem; plus DLQ performing their first Speedway National Anthem at Charlotte Motor Speedway as they perform for NASCAR and NHRA races in North Carolina this year.  Visits with boys and girls in Children’s Hospitals during 2012 will include cities such as Birmingham, Charlotte, Nashville, and Knoxville.

Catch a world-class National Anthem performance by Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver at the Auburn-Kentucky game in the video below.  Doyle, Mike, Corey and Josh were stunning in their dark suits at center court, while Auburn Coach Tony Barbee and players are attentive on court directly behind them. The UK team assembled hands-over-their-hearts beside Kentucky’s bench, with a fast close up of UK Coach Calipari listening to DLQ’s National Anthem seen after a wide shot of Auburn’s team near the end. The focus then returns to perhaps the strongest National Anthem performance to date by Doyle, Mike, Corey and Josh.

DLQ’s National Anthem performance was a special occasion for Auburn fans, as live vocal Anthems are not usually done for Auburn men’s basketball games.  The amazing Auburn crowd for Tuesday night’s Kentucky game responded in spades, erupting with a thundering chant of “U.S.A! U.S.A!” as DLQ walked off-court.

“We loved being back at Tennessee to kick off this year’s tour,” said Lawson, “and really appreciated performing in Auburn’s new arena for the biggest game of their home season. It’s always an honor to perform our National Anthem, and I’m excited to combine honoring our great country with helping hospitalized children — and doing both through my band’s music.”

DLQ – Tennessee’s Good Luck Charm!

Posted on: January 7th, 2012 by Sherri George

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver at early morning sound check at Knoxville's Thompson-Boling Arena prior to the UT-FLA game.

Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver performed our National Anthem for the Tennessee-Florida game at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville on Saturday, January 7, 2012.

DLQ enjoyed the game from box seats as the Vols rolled over #14-ranked Florida, 67-56.

Fans kept walking by DLQ’s box, recognizing Doyle, and stopping to shake hands and express how much they enjoyed the Anthem.

As the Vols also upset the Gators in Knoxville last season with Doyle and crew on hand performing the National Anthem, one UT sports executive referred to DLQ after Saturday’s game as “Tennessee’s good luck charm!”

Check out Tennessee’s good luck charms in the video below… Doyle, Mike, Corey and Josh!  And stay tuned for more Children’s Hospital and Arena Tour news coming soon!

DLQ Perform First Stadium National Anthem

Posted on: November 3rd, 2011 by Sherri George

NASHVILLE , TN  (October 29, 2011)  –  Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver performed their first stadium National Anthem as part of the Children’s Hospital and Arena Tour as they took the field at Vanderbilt Stadium on Saturday prior to the Vandy-Arkansas game in Nashville. DLQ worked in a major football stadium performance this Fall as they prepare to kick off the second leg of their benchmark Children’s Hospital and Arena Tour in January 2012.

Vanderbilt media interviewed Doyle following DLQ’s performance in the clip above, and photos of DLQ at the Vandy game are below.  Photo 1: Waiting on the sidelines at Vanderbilt Stadium to perform.  Photo 2:  Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver’s unparalleled Anthem harmony ringing from the 20-yard line.  Photo 3:  Media time for Doyle.  Warmest thanks to Vanderbilt Athletics for video footage; photos courtesy Sherri George.

Photos from Children’s Hospital & Arena Tour 2011

Posted on: October 29th, 2011 by Sherri George

Videos from Children’s Hospital & Arena Tour 2011

Posted on: October 26th, 2011 by Sherri George


DLQ Visits Children’s Hospital of Alabama

Posted on: March 17th, 2011 by Sherri George

BIRMINGHAM, AL  (March 2, 2011)  — Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver visited Children’s Hospital of Alabama on the third official hospital stop of their Children’s Hospital and Arena Tour this afternoon, following their early morning appearance on Birmingham’s live morning show “Talk of Alabama” on ABC 33/40.

The Birmingham hospital’s two-story lobby quickly packed with children, parents, doctors and hospital staff as Doyle and the boys in Quicksilver set toes to tapping with new album cuts “Gone at Last” and “Love on Arrival.”

“That was the biggest lobby crowd we’ve ever had by far for any celebrity program event we’ve hosted in the past five years,” said Suzanne Reeves, the hospital’s Director of Child Life and the Sunshine School.

The crowd revved up as one doctor called out a special request for “Sadie’s Got Her New Dress On,” and Doyle and Quicksilver took the lobby on a rollicking ride through the perennial favorite.

The tone then changed from rollicking to comforting as Mike Rogers led DLQ in soulful performances of “Nothing Can Touch Me” and “Precious Memories.”

Then memories of the group’s first visit the Birmingham hospital flooded back as Carl White stepped to the microphone and led a heartrending rendition of the group’s Southern Gospel #1 hit, “Help Is On the Way,” which DLQ sang all over the Birmingham hospital during their October 2009 visit.

“Doyle and his band stayed at the hospital an amazing seven hours that day, singing and visiting with families,” said Sherri George, the hospital’s Celebrity Events Coordinator. “All we saw were big huge grins on every single face of patients, parents and staff all over the lobby and entire hospital when DLQ sang. I’ve never seen anything like the impact they had. DLQ were like an infusion of Instant Happy!”

“That was a special day,” said Lawson’s manager, Josh Trivett. “If you have a chance to help kids and their families feel better, you want to do that. It’s always a blessing to be able to help.”

Doyle forged some special friendships during his first visit to Birmingham, including with an adorable six-year old, McKinley Keith.

“She just stole my heart,” said Lawson of the bright-eyed recovering cancer patient from Crossville, AL.

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver with McKinley Keith of Crossville, AL, after their performance at Children's Hospital of Alabama on October 23, 2009. Photo by Sherri George. Pictured L to R: Jason Barie, Joey Cox, Josh Swift, Doyle Lawson, Corey Hensley, Carl White, and little McKinley.

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver with McKinley Keith of Crossville, AL, after their performance at Children's Hospital of Alabama on October 23, 2009. Photo by Sherri George. Pictured L to R: Jason Barie, Joey Cox, Josh Swift, Doyle Lawson, Corey Hensley, Carl White, and little McKinley.

McKinley and her mother Angel came into the Birmingham hospital’s lobby that sunny October afternoon while Doyle and Quicksilver were performing. During a pause between songs, the smiling little girl with sparkling blue eyes told Lawson she wanted to dance. “You want to dance?” Doyle asked her with a big grin, and he and Quicksilver gladly obliged her with a revved up instrumental version of “North Carolina Breakdown.” And, little McKinley danced.

And she danced.

And she danced!

To smiles on every face in the lobby, including a beaming hospital CEO Mike Warren, McKinley danced. With chemotherapy over, and an all-clear diagnosis recently proclaimed, the little girl from northern Alabama had plenty to celebrate, and all energy back to do it with.

“McKinley loves to dance,” said her mother, Angel Keith. “And Mr. Lawson and his band provided her with the perfect opportunity! She loved it!”

The desire to bring smiles to children and parents like McKinley and Angel across the southeast region led Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver to partner efforts with Sherri George to create their current Children’s Hospital and Arena Tour.

“Moments like those with McKinley are priceless,” said Lawson. “We’re loving every minute of this tour, being able to perform for kids and their parents when our music may be able to make a real difference for them.”

Appearance on ABC in Birmingham, AL

Posted on: March 7th, 2011 by Sherri George

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver on ABC in Birmingham, ALDoyle Lawson & Quicksilver appeared on ABC’s 33/40′s “Talk of Alabama” morning show on Wednesday, March 2, 2011. They were in Birmingham for a Children’s Hospital and Arena Tour stop, and were invited to appear on the live ABC morning show prior to their performance for the boys and girls at Children’s Hospital of Alabama that afternoon. DLQ performed Gone at Last and Country Store from their new album “Drive Time,” which will be released on March 26, 2011. Watch DLQ perform Gone at Last on “Talk of Alabama” by clicking the link below:

http://www.abc3340.com/global/category.asp?c=189742&clipId=5635477&topVideoCatNo=192263&autoStart=true

NBA Anthem and Levine Children’s Hospital

Posted on: February 5th, 2011 by Sherri George

DLQ Perform First NBA Anthem and Visit Levine Children’s Hospital

Charlotte, NC  (February 5, 2011)  –  Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver chalked up two “firsts” in one day on their newly launched Children’s Hospital and Arena Tour in Charlotte, North Carolina: they performed their first NBA game National Anthem for the Charlotte Bobcats, and visited their first children’s hospital of the tour at Levine Children’s Hospital on February 5, 2011.

DLQ performed a Main Lobby concert in a spectacular atrium area at Levine, and their performance was beamed into every child’s room in the hospital via closed circuit TV.

“The first family to come down for the concert had been wanting to see a DLQ show,” said tour coordinator Sherri George. “The young dad was so excited! His family had been at the hospital for months, and he’d been waiting so long for a chance to hear Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. It was neat, because he said, ‘I couldn’t get to them, but today they came to me!’”

“Providing a lift like that for kids and their parents is the reason we’re doing this tour!” said Lawson.

“It’s the greatest thing when you can have an impact like that,” said Lawson’s manager Josh Trivett. “Doyle got the biggest grin on his face when we told him about that family being there. Their little girl was dressed in a Cinderella outfit, and when they met, Doyle told her she was DLQ’s little princess! You’ve got to be happy when you can help bring smiles to the faces of kids and parents. That’s what this tour is all about!”

“I still have families stopping me to say how awesome it was!” said Carrie Keuten, Event Coordinator for Child Life at Levine. “One floor mentioned it was so cool to hear the music coming from all the rooms! Many parents said they wished they could have come down to the lobby, but didn’t want to leave their child’s bedside.”

Time Warner Cable Arena was the next stop for DLQ as they performed their first rendition of their NBA version of The National Anthem that evening for Michael Jordan’s Charlotte Bobcats in the five-year old downtown TWC Arena as the Bobcats hosted the Dallas Mavericks.

“I heard it went well at Time Warner Area,” said Carrie Keuten. “I had a friend there, and she thought it was one of the most beautiful renditions EVER!”

“We’re having a wonderful time doing these Anthems,” said Lawson. “It is a joy to be able to sing it in front of so many people. I love to look at the crowd and see the caps off, or the hands over their hearts, as we honor our flag and country.”

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver performing our National Anthem at Time-Warner Cable Arena for the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats. 5 Feb 2011. Pictured L to R: Corey Hensley, Mike Rogers, Doyle Lawson and Josh Swift.

DLQ Kicks Off Children’s Hospital and Arena Tour

Posted on: February 1st, 2011 by Sherri George

Doyle Lawson Kicks Off Children’s Hospital and Arena Tour

BRISTOL, TN (February 1, 2011)  –  A patriotic fever is about to hit all of us in the next few months, if Doyle Lawson has his way.

Bluegrass legend Doyle Lawson and his band Quicksilver are embarking on a Children’s Hospital and Arena Tour in 2011, an ultra creative venue combining helping hospitalized children with inspiring national patriotism.

The tour will combine a series of National Anthem performances at major sporting arenas with Children’s Hospital visits in the same cities or regions in the early months of 2011.

The tour kicked off on January 11 as DLQ brought the house down in Knoxville’s Thompson-Boling Arena with an Anthem performance at the Tennessee Vols home SEC game with Florida.

“Audience response was overwhelming,” said tour coordinator Sherri George, “from sound check forward. ESPN’s commentators even stopped their pre-game prep to call out, ‘Who ARE THEY? That’s incredible!’”

“Singing the National Anthem at the UT-FL men’s basketball game was a blast,” said Lawson. “Fans shook our hands and voiced their approval as we made our way back to our seats to watch the game. Many commented that it was the best version of our National Anthem they had ever heard. I was honored to do it!”

While the chance to watch some of the country’s best hoops in VIP seats is quite a perk, helping hospitalized children is the real driving force behind the tour. “Doyle really has a soft spot for kids,” said Lawson’s manager Josh Trivett. “After we visited Children’s Hospital of Alabama last year, their celebrity program coordinator Sherri George and I put our heads together and came up with the idea for this tour. She and I both have sports industry backgrounds, and we wanted a creative and fun vehicle to keep Doyle involved with helping kids. This tour does it all!”

“It’s a win-win for everyone: Doyle, the kids, and teams and arenas where DLQ performs the National Anthem,” Trivett continued. “Plus, it’s unique and a total blast for everyone. No one has ever put together a tour quite like this before, so we’re excited for the exposure Bluegrass will be getting in front of huge sports arena audiences, and we’re really pumped for the help we get to be to kids in the hospitals.”

The tour is geared to help meet the emotional needs of hospitalized children and their parents, while raising awareness of the service and emotional miracles Child Life Departments render daily within Children’s Hospitals nationwide. Some hospital visits may even occur during special celebrations of National Child Life Month in March.

“Child Life Departments work to help ease the emotional stress and trauma of children who are hospitalized,” said tour coordinator Sherri George. “Doyle’s music works fabulously with that objective in mind, from the up-tempo fun numbers like ‘Sadie’ and the new ‘Gone at Last,’ to gospel songs with a powerful, touching message like ‘Help Is On the Way.’ We had amazing experiences with DLQ last year as they sang ‘Help Is on the Way’ a cappella all over the hospital in Birmingham. The impact Doyle and his band have to touch lives and hearts, and to provide comfort, is the reason we’re doing this tour.”

“Sometimes it may work to do the hospital visits same day as the arena performances,” said Lawson’s manager Trivett, “and sometimes we may need to visit on another day. The big thing is that we make it happen for the kids.”

“We did a Main Lobby concert for the hospital in Birmingham last year, then room-to-room visits,” said Lawson. “We stayed seven hours singing and saying hello to all the kids the hospital wanted us to see! But what a great way to spend a day. Good feeling, and we look forward to more days like that as we start the Tour this year.”

An arena stop in Alabama was the most recent order of tour business as DLQ stepped on the hardwood of The University of Alabama’s Coleman Coliseum to perform our National Anthem for the Alabama-Kentucky game on January 18 in Tuscaloosa.

Upcoming SEC men’s basketball National Anthem performances for DLQ include February 10 in Nashville at Vanderbilt University’s Memorial Gymnasium for the Vandy-Alabama game, and March 5 in Starkville in the largest on-campus arena in the state of Mississippi at Mississippi State University’s Humphrey Coliseum for the MSU-South Carolina game.

DLQ’s first NBA game performance of the tour is slated for North Carolina on Saturday, February 5, as Doyle Lawson’s version of the Anthem will ring in Time Warner Cable Arena as the Charlotte Bobcats host the Dallas Mavericks with tip-off scheduled for 7:00pm ET in downtown Charlotte.

“I’m very excited about partnering our efforts to create this Tour,” said Lawson. “I love children and am very patriotic. I’m really proud and honored to be able to combine helping hospitalized children with honoring our great country – and doing both through my band’s music. It’s a special opportunity, and I’m excited to be part of such a great project.”

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver on the hardwood at Coleman Coliseum after the Alabama-Kentucky game in Tuscaloosa where they performed our National Anthem on 18 Jan 2011. Photo by Sherri George. Pictured L to R: (back row) Corey Hensley, Carl White, Doyle Lawson, Josh Swift. (front row) Jason Barie, Mike Rogers, manager Josh Trivett.

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver on the hardwood at Coleman Coliseum after the Alabama-Kentucky game in Tuscaloosa where they performed our National Anthem on 18 Jan 2011. Photo by Sherri George. Pictured L to R: (back row) Corey Hensley, Carl White, Doyle Lawson, Josh Swift. (front row) Jason Barie, Mike Rogers, manager Josh Trivett.

DLQ Perform Our National Anthem at the University of Tennessee

Posted on: January 18th, 2011 by Sherri George

KNOXVILLE, TN  (January 11, 2011)  –  “Singing the National Anthem at the UT-FL men’s basketball game was a blast,” said Doyle Lawson. “The fans really showed their appreciation. Afterwards they shook our hands and voiced their approval as we made our way back to our seats to watch the game. Many commented that it was the best version of our National Anthem they had ever heard.  I was honored to do it.”

University of Tennessee vs. Florida National Anthem

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver at center court at Knoxville's Thompson-Boling Arena following the TENN-FLA game and DLQ's first National Anthem performance of the Children's Hospital and Arena Tour. 11 Jan 2011. Pictured L to R: (back row) Carl White, Mike Rogers, Doyle Lawson, Josh Swift, manager Josh Trivett, Corey Hensley. (front row) Dale Perry, sound engineer Kevin McKinnon.