Wednesday Video Spotlight: Toby Keith tours Moore tornado damage, talks about the twister striking his sister’s house and benefit plans
Oklahoma country music superstar Toby Keith, who was born in Clinton, raised in Moore and now lives in Norman, talked with the Associated Press about Monday’s massive EF5 tornado and its impact on his family and hometown in this video interview.
The hitmaker told the AP he will plan a benefit concert to raise money to help the community recover, but his first priority is helping people now, especially his family.
His said his sister-in-law, niece and sister all had their houses hit by the tornado. His sister is now staying with his mom, while the other two are living with him for the time being.
“So it hit three of my direct family members; (their houses are) not wiped off the face of the Earth, but unlivable. No doors. No windows. Roof knocked in. But the shell is still there so they can dig out their photo albums and jewelry and stuff like that, stuff that they’d want and then get it back going. So we’re trying to get around here today and get ‘em all boarded up and get ‘em taken care of,” he told USA Today.
According to the Associated Press, Keith flew out of the Moore area at about noon Monday and said the gathering clouds on the western horizon gave him a bad feeling. After he arrived in his Nashville recording studio Monday afternoon, he watched the storm system on an iPad app. So when he saw the tornado rolling down Fourth Street through his old neighborhood and toward his sister Tonni’s house, he picked up the phone to warn her.
“She said, ‘We’re safe. We’re south of it, but we can see it,’” Keith told the AP. “She was at my mother’s about a mile away. I said, ‘Well, good.’ Then she got to watch it go right through her neighborhood.”
Keith told the AP he had tornadoes pass a few miles to the north and south of his house on consecutive days.
Sunday’s storm damaged parts of nearby Shawnee, killing two. Monday’s storm killed 24 people — including 10 children — in Moore.
During recording breaks, Keith told the AP he fielded calls about putting together a benefit for tornado victims. He said he’s been in contact with the University of Oklahoma about possibly using the football stadium.
“I know as soon as I start sending out some feelers that I’ll get a lot of people in there,” Keith told the AP. “Hopefully, we can use music to heal some of the money problems right away.”
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Wednesday Video Spotlight: Blake Shelton talks about Oklahoma-dedicated “Over You” duet, plans to host televised tornado benefit show in Oklahoma City
This May 21, 2013 photo released by NBC shows married singers Miranda Lambert, left, and Blake Shelton performing an acoustic version of the hit “Over You” during a broadcast of the singing competition series, “The Voice,” in Los Angeles. Shelton and NBC are putting together a benefit for Oklahoma tornado victims. Shelton, an Oklahoma native, told reporters about the fundraising effort after Tuesday night’s episode of “The Voice.” He said the benefit will take place soon in nearby Oklahoma City.
As previously reported, Oklahoma country music superstar Blake Shelton and his wife Miranda Lambert delivered an emotional tribute to his tornado-ravaged home state to open Tuesday night’s live episode of “The Voice.”
The country music power couple, who live in Tishomingo, performed a heartfelt acoustic rendition of Lambert’s emotional chart-topper “Over You.” The couple co-wrote the song about the death of Shelton’s brother, Richie, in a car accident. The song has earned song of the year honors from the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association.
“It was rough. Luckily, Miranda happened to be in town. A lot of different producers came up to me and said do you want to do something for Oklahoma, and I said ‘Absolutely.’ I told Miranda we should just do ‘Over You,’ — that’s a perfect tribute to what a lot of people are going through,” Shelton told Extra in a video interview after the show.
He added, “Everybody that I’m friends with and all of my family made it through, but it still hurts and it’s still home.”
In an interview with CNN, the Ada native said he had family ties to Moore, the community most devastated by this week’s deadly tornado outbreaks.
“I spent three Christmases at my sister’s house in Moore, Oklahoma, and some of those helicopter views of the destruction, you could see her house a quarter of a mile away from there,” Shelton told CNN. “My nieces and nephews would have gone to that school (Plaza Towers Elementary), and when you start putting it in that sort of perspective, and then thinking, ‘Oh my God, I am so glad that they recently moved away from that area.’ And then you go, ‘What about all those people that didn’t?’ It’s hard to put into words, honestly.”
“The Voice” celebrity coach told reporters after Tuesday night’s episode of the show that he and NBC are putting together a benefit for Oklahoma tornado victims. He said the benefit will take place soon in Oklahoma City, according to the Associated Press. Details are said to be coming soon.
Shelton’s fellow coach on “The Voice,” singer Usher, told CNN he hopes to be part of the benefit, since he also has family ties to central Oklahoma.
“I have family in Oklahoma City,” Usher told CNN. “My little sister, Ashira — her family is OK. Unfortunately, that is something that you can’t — all you can do is put your best efforts forward, just let those who have been a part of this tragic reality, this natural disaster, know that we are thinking about them and care about them. I think that is 100 percent the effort.”
Toby Keith, who grew up in Moore and now lives in nearby Norman, also is planning a benefit, with details expected to be released soon. His sister’s house was hit by the tornado.
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Wednesday Video Spotlight: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and more Thunder players tour Moore areas hit hard by Monday’s tornado
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant toured a southwest Oklahoma City neighborhood that took a direct hit in last Monday’s F5 tornado to offer words of support and encouragement to homeowners and volunteers assisting with the relief effort. Durant walked several blocks along S Hudson, near SW 145, on Wednesday afternoon, May 22, 2013, and also visited Briarwood School, the heavily damaged elementary school in the same neighborhood. Photo by Jim Beckel, The Oklahoman
One day after donating $1 million to victims of Monday’s devastating tornado through his foundation, Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant ventured out into the hard-hit community to brighten the day of those suffering through their darkest hours.
My fine colleague Darnell Mayberry reports that KD did anything and everything he could to bring a smile to as many faces as possible. He shook hands and gave hugs. He posed for pictures and signed autographs.
Not once did Durant turn down a request, graciously scribbling his signature on anything he was handed. A pair of shoes. A hat. A Thunder mug. A team program.
“I just feel for these families, man,” Durant said. “They don’t have a home. All their things are gone. I’m just lost for words, to be honest.”
The Thunder and the Thunder Cares Foundation also announced Tuesday a joint donation of $1 million to benefit the local chapters of the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army as well. Today, fellow Thunder star Russell Westbrook ventured out to tornado-ravaged parts of Moore on crutches to tour the damage and spread goodwill to the victims.
Today, Oklahoma City police escorted Thunder Coach Scott Brooks, General Manager Sam Presti and players Westbrook, Daniel Orton, Hasheem Thabeet, and Thabo Sefolosha around some of the heavily damaged areas, reports my excellent colleague LeighAnne Manwarren.
The Thunder group also visited with first responders at a command post in the Moore Fire Station, 2400 S Fritts Blvd. Officials took out their cellphones and started taking pictures while the players checked out operations. To read more of LeighAnne’s great story, click here.
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Wednesday Video Spotlight: Bill Warren talks about tornado-struck Warren Theatre in Moore, to reopen next Wednesday
Workers begin to clean up the Warren Theatre in Moore, Okla., on Tuesday, May 21, 2013. The Theatre was hit by the tornado that moved through the Moore area on Monday. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
Warren Theatres founder Bill Warren got emotional today when he talked about the EF5 tornado that struck his Moore movie theater Monday with 150 to 200 people inside it. He watched the tornado score a direct hit on the theater from his home base in Kansas via his Internet security cameras, reports NewsOK video host Dave Morris.
The theater’s partially repaired marquee now bears the slogan “God Bless Moore.”
“Today I had my architects and three structural engineers in town. They’ve gone through the building; structurally, it’s very sound. There’s going to be half a million to a million dollars in damage, but it’s all on the exterior of the building. Other than a couple of water leaks, there’s no damage on the interior. We do plan to open next Wednesday to the public. And the restoration to the outside is ongoing,” he said.
“We feel very fortunate that the building’s still standing.”
After the tornado tore through Moore on Monday, I spoke to Jill Gottschalk, an assistant in Warren Theatres’ corporate office in Wichita, Kan., who said there were no reports of injuries to theater employees or patrons.
“Obviously, we are just in a loss of words right now,” she said, with obvious emotion in her voice. “Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone … Anything any of us can do here we’re definitely in gear to go do it.”
Warren confirmed that no patrons or employees were injured in the tornado; in fact, he said the company has received emails from people who said they were driving on Interstate 35 as the twister approached and sought shelter in the theater, safely riding out the storm inside.
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Wednesday Video Spotlight: Driving with Serge Ibaka – The Thunder take on Memphis in Game 5 tonight in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City’s Serge Ibaka (9) shoots over Memphis’ Marc Gasol (33) in the first half during Game 4 of the second-round NBA basketball playoff series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., Monday, May 13, 2013. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman
It’s do-or-die Thunder up time tonight at The ‘Peake!
The Oklahoma City Thunder takes on Memphis Grizzlies in Game 5 of their Western Conference playoffs series. The Grizzlies lead the series 3-1, so our hometown boys in blue must win tonight or end their season.
To help you Thunder up, cruise with power forward Serge Ibaka to Chesapeake Energy Arena. We need Serge in the zone and playing at peak form tonight!
The game tips off at 8:30 tonight at The ‘Peake, 100 W Reno. It will air on TNT.
For extra Thunder pride, check out my excellent colleague Jennifer Palmer’s feature on the making of the complimentary T-shirts the Thunder home crowds have become so famous for during the playoffs by clicking here.
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Wednesday Video Spotlight: One-time screening of Paul McCartney and Wings concert film “Rockshow” Thursday night at Harkins Bricktown
A special one-time screening of “Rockshow” — a concert film starring Paul McCartney and Wings on their 1975-76 “Wings Over the World” tour — will be presented at 7 p.m. Thursday at Harkins Bricktown Cinema 16, 150 E Reno Ave.
SpectiCast, in association with Eagle Rock Entertainment, is premiering the film in theaters in the U.K. on Wednesday and worldwide on 
Thursday.
Although filmed on the tour in 1976 at the enormous Kingdome in Seattle, “Rockshow,” originally a cutdown version of the concert, was not premiered until November 1980 in New York and April 1981 in London.
The film will be shown at nearly 1,000 theaters in more than 700 cities worldwide, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Cape Town, South Africa, Sydney, Rome, Warsaw, Poland, and many other cities across the U.S., Mexico, Asia, Europe and South America. These special theatrical presentations will include a bonus 12-minute interview with McCartney, according to a news release.
The demand that greeted Paul McCartney and Wings (Linda McCartney, Joe English, Denny Laine and Jimmy McCulloch) in the spring of 1976 as they embarked on what would become their only North American tour was overwhelming.
Having released four consecutive chart-busting albums including “Red Rose Speedway, “Band on the Run,” “Venus and Mars” and “Wings at the Speed of Sound” — not to mention 1973′s Academy Award-winning James Bond theme “Live and Let Die” — McCartney’s solo career was in full flight, having not performed in the States for 10 years, either solo or with The Beatles.
Tickets for “Rockshow” are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.rockshowonscreen.com.
McCartney will bring his “Out There” Tour to Tulsa for a two-night stand May 29-30 at the BOK Center. For more information, go to www.bokcenter.com.
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Wednesday Video Spotlight: Skating Polly “Lost Wonderfuls”
Delo Creative produced this video for the title track of Skating Polly’s new album, “Lost Wonderfuls,” which was produced by Exene Cervenka of Los Angeles punk rock band X and mixed by Kliph Scurlock of The Flaming Lips.
“Lost Wonderfuls” is the title track to the recently released sophomore album from Skating Polly, the Edmond punk-rock-pop duo of stepsisters Kelli Mayo, 13, and Peyton Bighorse, 17.
The video debuted on our own NewsOK.
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Wednesday Video Spotlight: Gretchen Wilson to kick off Newcastle Casino Outdoor Concert Series Thursday
NEWCASTLE – On Thursday night, country singer Gretchen Wilson will kick off the the third annual Outdoor Concert Series at Newcastle Casino, I-44 and Highway 62.
Newcastle Casino’s Outdoor Concert Series is open to the public, takes place in the casino’s north parking lot and admission is free.
Ryan Sykes, Newcastle Casino’s general manager, said the festival is a chance to give back to the community and its employees.
“We are thrilled to host our third annual Outdoor Concert Series,” Sykes said in a news release. “This is a chance to show our appreciation for the local community. A concert is a great way to spend an evening outdoors listening to great music and enjoying food and friends.”
This year’s concert series will be the casino’s largest yet, Jennifer Cross, Newcastle Casino’s marketing manager added in the release. She said the concert series is a community event that locals look forward to all year.
Along with Wilson, this year’s lineup will include Creedence Clearwater Revisited, Joe Nichols, Bellamy Brothers and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts.
Food and refreshment vendors will be on site, and for-purchase options will include selections from the casino’s restaurants, Stone House Pizzeria and Blackjack Grill, as well as La Luna’s taco truck. Other retailers will be setup to provide the full concert experience. Outside food and drink will be prohibited. Attendees older than 18 will receive rewards play redeemable in the casino.
Wilson, 39, last month released a new country album, “Right On Time”; check out the video for the first single, “Still Rollin’.” is an album of new material and includes the single ‘Still Rollin’.”
The country singer recently told Yahoo! Music she plans to release two more albums this year: a collection of rock cover songs called “Under the Covers,” due out this summer, and a Christmas album.
The Illinois native has notched 13 singles on the Billboard Country charts, of which five have reached Top 10: the No. 1 hit “Redneck Woman,” as well as “Here for the Party,” “When I Think About Cheatin’,” “Homewrecker” and “All Jacked Up.”
For more information on the Newcastle Casino, go to MyNewcastleCasino.com. The Outdoor Concert Series concert schedule:
Thursday, May 16- Gretchen Wilson
Thursday, June 6- Creedence Clearwater Revisited (CCR)
Thursday, July 18- Joe Nichols
Saturday, Aug. 24- Bellamy Brothers
Thursday, Sept. 26- Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Sunday, Oct. 13- EXIT 107 LIVE Family Music Festival
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Wednesday Video Spotlight: Blake Shelton, The Swon Brothers and the rest of Team Blake, “Play Something Country”
Check out this video of Oklahoma country music superstar Blake Shelton and his all-country team – Muskogee duo The Swon Brothers, 16-year-old Texan Danielle Bradbury and Baylor University student Holly Tucker – performing the Brooks & Dunn hit “Play Something Country” on Tuesday’s episode of “The Voice.”
The Swon Brothers
Okies Zach and Colton Swon, who are the first duo to make it to “The Voice” live rounds, lead off on this fun group performance.
As previously reported, it was another elimination episode Tuesday night, but all three members of Team Blake got enough public votes to stay in the competition.
“Congratulations #TeamBlake… Well done my friends… Well done.” Shelton quickly posted on Twitter (@blakeshelton).
As the finalists were whittled from the Top 12 to the Top 10 tonight, the two lowest vote-getters were eliminated: Garrett Gardner from Team Shakira and Vedo from Team Usher.
“The Voice” live playoffs continue at 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday on NBC.
Here is your “The Voice” Season 4 Top 10:
Team Blake: The Swon Brothers, Danielle Bradbury, Holly Tucker.
Team Adam: Judith Hill, Amber Carrington, Sarah Simmons.
Team Shakira: Kris Thomas, Sasha Allen.
Team Usher: Josiah Hawley, Michelle Chamuel.
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Wednesday Video Spotlight: Pistol Annies perform “Unhappily Married” on “Craig Ferguson,” playing live streaming show tonight
Pistol Annies, the country music trio comprised of Tishomingo resident Miranda Lambert and singer-songwriter pals Angaleena Presley and Ashley Monroe, performed the television debut of their song “Unhappily Married,” Tuesday night on “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.”
“Unhappily Married” is a darkly funny track off the group’s second album, “Annie Up.”
The Annies are continuing their media blitz in support of their sophomore release at 9 tonight with a live streaming show. Yahoo! Music will live stream the group’s one-hour concert as part of its “Ram Country Live!,” a series of exclusive special music events accessible to millions of viewers on Yahoo!
Find the player for tonight’s concert embedded after the break; it will go live at showtime.
Speaking of showtime, the Pistol Annies will play June 13 at First Council Casino in Newkirk and June 14 at Lucky Star Casino in Concho. For tickets and information, go to www.ticketstorm.com.
