Gary Morris And Friends Presents A Benefit For Heather

Famed country music artist and Broadway star Gary Morris announces that famed actor/raconteur Wilford Brimley will make a special appearance in a benefit concert for Morris's injured niece and other victims of domestic violence. Gary Morris and Friends: A Benefit for Heather also will feature Tucson native Lisa Morales and other artists on Friday, Aug. 24 at 8:00 p.m. at the Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. Tickets start at $35 and are available at $50, which includes a CD and $100, which includes a CD and meet-and-greet pass through the Rialto box office (520-740-1000, www.rialtotheatre.com).

In June, Morris's niece was shot twice in the head in a domestic-violence event in Tucson. She survived the shooting, but has permanent damage and faces a long recovery. She is going through therapy to learn tasks that many of us take for granted, such as walking and talking.

"I'm grateful and excited that my friend of more than 30 years, Wilford Brimley, will be joining us," said Morris. "Wilford is a master storyteller and I'm sure our audience will love to hear what he has to say."

Brimley established himself as a premier character actor in such films as "The China Syndrome," "The Natural," "Cocoon" and "Absence of Malice." He is a familiar face from many commercials for Quaker Oats and Liberty Medical and is an accomplished singer and musician. Follow him on Twitter at @RealWilfordB.

Morris also has set up a GoFundMe account called Heather Walks, www.gofundme.com/heather-walks, to help with expenses and there are plans for a silent auction to raise more funds.

Morris recorded 12 albums that spawned 16 Top 10 and five #1 hit singles, including "Why Lady Why," "The Love She Found in Me," "Baby Bye Bye," "100% Chance of Rain," "Leave Me Lonely" and "Wind Beneath My Wings." In 1984, his original rendition of "Wind Beneath My Wings" won both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music Song of the Year Award. In 1982, he was also named Billboard's "Male Artist of the Year."

At the height of his Nashville recording career, the Texas-bred tenor was offered the role of Rodolfo starring opposite Linda Ronstadt in the Broadway production of Puccini's opera, "La Bohème." Later, he was offered a lead role on Broadway as Jean Valjean in the musical "Les Miserables" at the height of its popularity. His performance received resounding critical praise and the Drama Desk Best Actor nomination. His famous rendition of "Bring Him Home" on the platinum-selling Grammy Award-winning international cast album resulted in a Command Performance by Her Majesty, the Queen of England.

Like many singer/songwriters, Lisa Morales started penning tunes to express her emotions addressing the complex landscape of relationships through music and verse. Her perspective now is that of a woman who's gone through many storms and witnessed their sometimes-beautiful aftermaths as well. She draws from a creative palette informed by the rhythms, colors and flavors of the Southwest - from the painted-desert skies of her native Tucson, where she and cousin Linda Ronstadt grew up, to the sea-salted air of Houston, where she moved at 18, and the history-filled city of San Antonio, where she now lives. Morales recorded six albums as one-half of the duo Sisters Morales before releasing her solo debut, Beautiful Mistake, in 2012.

Morris recorded 12 albums, which spawned 16 Top 10 and five #1 hit singles, including "Why Lady Why," "The Love She Found in Me," "Baby Bye Bye," "100% Chance of Rain," "Leave Me Lonely" and "Wind Beneath My Wings." In 1984, his original rendition of "Wind Beneath My Wings" won both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM) "Song of the Year Award." In 1982, he was also named Billboard's "Male Artist of the Year." At the height of his Nashville recording career, the Texas-bred tenor was offered the role of Rodolfo starring opposite Linda Ronstadt in the Broadway production of Puccini's opera, "La Bohème." Morris also starred as Jean Valjean, the lead role in the Broadway musical "Les Miserables" at the height of its popularity. His powerful performance received resounding critical praise and the Drama Desk "Best Actor" nomination. Gary's famous rendition of "Bring Him Home" on the platinum-selling Grammy Award-winning international cast album resulted in a Command Performance by Her Majesty, the Queen of England. After his run on Broadway, Morris immediately returned to recording and touring, garnering more #1 Country music hits. Throughout his career, Gary has been asked to perform for every U.S. president starting with President Jimmy Carter. For more information, visit his website, www.garymorris.com.

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