Daughtry to kick off Red Kettle campaign

Annual fundraiser highlighted at Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game.

Grammy-nominated rock band Daughtry will perform live at the Dallas Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day game against the Oakland Raiders in a nationally televised halftime show that will air on CBS television network on November 26, 2009, at 1:15 p.m. PST, to officially kick off The Salvation Army’s 2009 Red Kettle Christmas campaign, the oldest annual charitable fundraiser of its kind in the United States. Through Christmas Eve, December 24, the campaign will raise money for people in need in communities nationwide, providing toys for kids, coats for the homeless, food for the hungry and countless social service programs year-round.

Daughtry—Chris Daughtry, Josh Steely, Josh “JP” Paul, Joey Barnes and Brian Craddock—will perform a medley of hits from their chart-topping sophomore album, Leave This Town and multi-platinum debut, Daughtry, during the first Thanksgiving Day halftime show at the new state-of-the-art Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Tex. Since forming Daughtry in 2006, the band has sold nearly seven million albums worldwide, and is currently headlining their first arena tour promoting Leave This Town, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

“Thanksgiving is a time for great traditions, like watching the Cowboys’ game, giving thanks for the blessings in your life and remembering those less fortunate,” said singer Chris Daughtry. “This year, the band will perform at the game during halftime and encourage people to generously support The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign, a fantastic charity that has a real impact on people’s lives.”

Daughtry’s performance will mark the 13^th year that the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game halftime show officially launches the Red Kettle Christmas Campaign on a nationally televised stage. The event has become an annual holiday tradition for fans in attendance. The Red Kettle campaign has raised more than $1 billion since the partnership began in 1997 and has helped the Army to serve 30 million people each year nationwide. Last year, the campaign raised a record $130 million. Previous halftime performers include Jonas Brothers, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Sheryl Crow, Destiny’s Child, Toby Keith, LeAnn Rimes, Creed, Jessica Simpson, Billy Gillman, Clint Black, Randy Travis and Reba McEntire.

“We are very pleased that Daughtry will be the centerpiece of the Red Kettle kickoff this year. They have shown that their music connects with the American public like few artists have before,” said Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones, who is also the national honorary Christmas chairperson for The Salvation Army. “If Chris Daughtry and his fellow band members bring the passion and intensity they display in their music to this partnership, the importance of The Salvation Army’s work can spread far, reaching American donors of all ages.”