OCTOBER 19, 2011
Heard Museum ‘Moondance’ Benefit Gala spotlights Merle Haggard and Kris Kristofferson
Moondance 2011: “Boots, Beads, Bolos & Ballads”
PHOENIX – The Heard Museum presents music legends Merle Haggard and Kris Kristofferson, Saturday, Oct. 22, 6 p.m., at its annual Moondance Gala, an evening under the stars featuring the two magical entertainers for a coveted once-in-a-lifetime concert experience.
2011 Moondance Gala honorees Harvey and Carol Ann Mackay. Harvey Mackay is the best-selling author and columnist who writes and speaks about how to navigate the often-harrowing seas of business, and is a successful businessman himself. Carol Ann Mackay is a longtime Heard Museum supporter and trustee. Event co-chairs are Joette Schmidt, senior vice president at JPMorgan Chase, and Valerie Manning, former president of the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce and a respected business/community leader.
Haggard and Kristofferson - Entertainment Icons. A giant of country music, Merle Haggard has racked up more than 40 No. 1 hits on the Billboard charts during his five-decade career. He has earned many honors, including the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor in 2010, awarded by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Best known as the “poet of the common man,” Haggard rose from a youth spent in and out of jail to become one of our nation’s most beloved earthy, no-nonsense musical performers and writers.
Singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson is a legend to the Baby Boom generation and beyond. The three-time Grammy and Golden Globe awards winner has had a storied career as an actor, artist and performer. Kristofferson has penned several Billboard Top 40 songs for artists and, of course, also is a successful singer in his own right. He continues to pursue ever more perfect lyrics, rhythms and tunes in a career that spans decades, yet is as relevant as tonight’s news.
Tickets & Sponsors. Tickets are $500 and available at www.ProTix.com or 1-866.977.6849. Or call Dani Boone at 602.346.8192, to learn more about the event and sponsor opportunities. The enticing dinner menu for this year’s Moondance Gala is presented by Arizona Taste Fine Catering, in collaboration with the renowned Barrio Café chef Silvana Salcido Esparza. Sponsored by APS, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, JP Morgan Chase and the University of Phoenix. Media Partner is Western Art Collector Magazine.
This year, attire for the Moondance Gala takes a departure from the usual “Arizona Black Tie” in favor of boots, bolos and bangles. Ladies are invited to wear “Native bling forward;” and gentlemen to wear cowboy boots and bolo ties for this singular event.
About the Heard Museum. Since 1929, the Heard Museum, a private non-profit organization, has enchanted visitors from around the world with the art, culture and history of American Indians, with an emphasis on tribes of the Southwest. With more than 40,000 fine artworks and cultural artifacts in its permanent collection, 11 long-term and changing exhibit galleries, an education center, an award-winning Shop, boutique bookstore, coffee cantina and a courtyard Café, the Heard Museum is a place of learning, discovery and unforgettable experiences. In addition to its flagship Phoenix location, the Heard Museum also operates a community museum in North Scottsdale.
Before the Sunday matinee performances on Oct. 30 and Nov. 6, you can have "Lunch with Charlie Brown." Enjoy a brown-bag lunch of peanut butter sandwiches, fruit and dessert and meet some of the characters from the show!