Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts to Welcome Collin Raye

Chart-topping country artist Collin Raye brings his soulful voice to Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre in Malibu on Friday, January 16 at 8 p.m.

Tickets, priced starting at $25 for the public and $10 for full-time Pepperdine students, are available now by calling (310) 506-4522 or online at arts.pepperdine.edu. More information: collinraye.com.

Country artist Collin Raye was one of the true hit makers of the 1990s. Collin still continues to crank out soulful, heartfelt material with the honesty and richness that is signature to his vocals alone. With 24 top ten records, 16 #1 hits, and ten nominations for male vocalist of the year (five for Country Music Association Awards and five for the Academy of Country Music), this truly electrifying performer remains one of the great voices of our time.

Raye is nothing if not passionate. His soulful delivery has set country standards in such searing ballads as "Love, Me," "In This Life," "Not That Different," and "If I Were You." Always an energizing showman, he has also blazed through such vivid rockers as "My Kind of Girl," "That's My Story," "I Can Still Feel You," and "I Want You Bad."

Raye shot to fame with "Love, Me" in 1991. Listeners were so moved by this golden and pure voice that this song set the cornerstone for a career built on meaningful and emotional songs that have often been used for weddings, anniversaries, memorial services and funerals. When "Little Rock", an anthem for those struggling with addition recovery, hit the charts in 1994, its video led to over 100,000 phone calls to Alcoholics Anonymous from folks seeking help in their addictions. Keeping with this theme of social activism, his song "Not That Different" pleaded for tolerance, and "I Think About You" exposed the exploitation of women and children.

To this day, Raye continues to use his stardom to advance social causes. Among the organizations he has supported are Boys Town, First Steps, Al-Anon, Special Olympics, Country Cares About AIDS, Catholic Relief Services, Parade of Pennies, Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, The Tennessee Task Force Against Domestic Violence, The Emily Harrison Foundation, Childhelp USA, Silent Witness National Initiative, Easter Seals, The Life and Hope Network, and Make a Difference Day. In 2001 at the Country Radio Seminar, Clint Black presented Collin Raye with the organization's Humanitarian of the Year Award in recognition of Collin's issue-oriented music and his tireless charity work.

Raye's new outreach is very personal. In 2010, after the loss of his precious 10-year old grandchild, Haley, Collin and his daughter Britanny (Haley's mother) established The Haley Bell Blessed Chair Foundation to honor her memory. The Foundation supports and assists families of the cognitively and physically disabled with a primary emphasis on supplying wheelchairs and other necessary medical equipment to elevate the quality of life for the disabled family member in need. Collin wrote a very special song for Haley called, "She's With Me," which carries a powerful message for families of special needs children.

In 2013, Collin released his latest album, Still on the Line, which is a tribute album to his longtime friend and country music legend, Glen Campbell, who continues to battle Alzheimer's Disease. The album, featuring Ricky Skaggs and Billy Dean, includes classic Glen Campbell hits. Collin continues to perform his traditional country music across America and abroad and has added Christian and Catholic concerts to his tour schedule as well. His autobiography, A Voice Undefeated, was released April 2014.

The Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University provides high-quality activities for over 50,000 people from 664 zip codes annually through performances, rehearsals, museum exhibitions, and master classes. Located on Pepperdine's breathtaking Malibu campus overlooking the Pacific, the center serves as a hub for the arts, uniquely linking professional guest artists with Pepperdine students as well as patrons from surrounding Southern California communities. Facilities include the 450-seat Smothers Theatre, the 118-seat Raitt Recital Hall, the "black box" Helen E. Lindhurst Theatre, and the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art.

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