ACM Male Vocalist of the Year Thomas Rhett to Kick Off 127th Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign with LIVE Halftime Performance During Cowboys Thanksgiving Day Game

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"Watching the Cowboys game is such a tradition on Thanksgiving Day," said Thomas Rhett. "It's all about being together with family and friends, but this year is going to be a little different for us. I'm pumped that we get to pack up the whole family to go to Dallas for the halftime show...it's going to be blast and helping do it for a good cause makes it even better."

"Thomas Rhett is not only a chart-topping country artist, but also a musician whose commitment and passion for philanthropy makes him a great fit to join the Fight for Good and kickoff the Red Kettle Campaign," said Charlotte Jones Anderson, executive vice president and chief brand officer for the Cowboys and former national advisory chairperson for The Salvation Army. "Every year, The Salvation Army makes a difference in the lives of millions of Americans. We want everyone to know that their donations truly make an impact."

The Red Kettle Campaign, which begins on Thanksgiving Day and runs through Christmas Eve, is the largest and longest-running fundraiser of its kind. It raised $147.3 million during the 2016 campaign alone and has raised nearly $2.2 billion since the Cowboys Thanksgiving Day partnership began in 1997. 

"We are thankful for our partnership with the Dallas Cowboys, whose organization has continually provided us with incredible awareness during our most critical fundraising season," said Lt. Col. Ron Busroe, national community relations and development secretary for The Salvation Army. "We celebrate their ongoing support, and what is sure to be a memorable kickoff performance." 

As the first country artist to top the all-genre Billboard 200 Album's chart this year, Thomas Rhett's star has continued to rise since the release of his debut album "It Goes Like This." Currently the Academy of Country Music's Male Vocalist of the Year, his albums have also garnered GRAMMY, CMA, CMT, and iHeartRadio Music award nominations, including major wins for his love song "Die a Happy Man." Thomas Rhett recently released his third album LIFE CHANGES and announced he will be bringing his signature swagger to his LIFE CHANGES TOUR 2018. 

To watch Thomas Rhett reveal himself as the halftime performer, click here.

The Red Kettle Kickoff halftime show has been nationally televised for all of its 21 years, reaching millions of viewers with the campaign's message. Rhett is the newest addition to a list of Red Kettle Kickoff celebrity halftime performers, including Eric Church, Luke Bryan, Selena Gomez, Kenny Chesney, Enrique Iglesias, Keith Urban, Daughtry, Jonas Brothers, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Sheryl Crow, Destiny's Child, Toby Keith, LeAnn Rimes, Creed, Jessica Simpson, Billy Gilman, Clint Black, Randy Travis, and Reba McEntire.

In addition to donating to the traditional bell ringers that will be stationed at retail locations throughout the country, supporters can join The Salvation Army's Fight for Good by starting their own #FightforGood fundraiser on RedKettleReason.org.

Join the Fight for Good
Joining the Fight for Good takes four easy steps:

1. Visit redkettlereason.org.
2. Click "Join the Fight" or scroll to the bottom of the page and join one of our notable citizen soldiers' fundraisers.
3. Specify the community, fundraising goal, and designated cause to support, or simply make a general donation to The Salvation Army.
4. Encourage friends and family to donate and start their own fundraising pages.

Donations can also be made through the Army's text-to-give program. By texting the word "KETTLES" to 51555, donors can send any amount to the Red Kettle Campaign.  

From its humble beginnings as a Salvation Army captain's start-up program in 1891 in San Francisco, the Red Kettle Campaign has grown into one of the most recognizable and important charitable campaigns in the United States. It provides toys for kids, coats for the homeless, food for the hungry, and countless social service programs year-round. As part of the campaign, more than 25,000 Salvation Army volunteers throughout the country ring bells and solicit donations to the red kettles.

About Thomas Rhett
Thomas Rhett recently released his third album LIFE CHANGES (The Valory Music Co.), the biggest, boldest-sounding record of his career, filled with a diverse batch of songs united by the "consistency of their craft" (Variety) as he stretches his sound to new limits. Highlighting his "detailed style of songwriting" (Rolling Stone), the new release debuted at No. One on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, marking the first Country release to take the top spot in 2017. The "expertly assembled" (All Music) album is garnering early attention, earning his ninth career No. One with his fastest peaking single yet, the GOLD-certified "Unforgettable." He recently received three CMA Awards including Male Vocalist of the Year along with Musical Event Of The Year and Music Video of the Year for the No. One GOLD-certified lead track "Craving You" and is currently nominated for an AMA Award for Favorite Country Male Artist. Thomas Rhett has earned major trophies from the Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, Billboard Music Awards, CMT Music Awards and more while also drawing GRAMMY Award, American Music Award and iHeartRadio Music Award nominations, among others. In April, he will launch his LIFE CHANGES TOUR 2018. For more information and a full list of upcoming tour dates, visit www.ThomasRhett.com. 

About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need without discrimination for more than 135 years in the U.S. Nearly 25 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through a range of social services: food for the hungry, relief for disaster survivors, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless, and opportunities for underprivileged children. For every dollar donated to The Salvation Army, 82 cents is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. The Salvation Army tracks the level of need across the country with the Human Needs Index (HumanNeedsIndex.org). For more information, go to SalvationArmyUSA.org or follow on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS.

About Gene and Jerry Jones Family Charities
In the area of community service, the mission of the Dallas Cowboys and Jones Family Foundation 's mission is built upon on an overall philosophy of helping those who don't have the strength, the resources, or the means to help themselves, with a primary focus on a partnership with The Salvation Army. With the Cowboys organization having enjoyed immense and unprecedented success, the Jones Family feels a very strong obligation to take the visibility, energy, and celebrity of one of the world's most powerful sports franchises and channel those dynamic forces toward the bigger purpose of making a difference. Recognized as one of the world's most generous families, the Joneses enlist the talents, skills, and resources of all the Cowboys players, coaches, cheerleaders, and every member of the organization to provide a unique and cutting- edge approach to community outreach. More information about the Dallas Cowboys and the Gene and Jerry Jones Family Foundation can be found on at http://www.dallascowboys.com/.

For more information about The Salvation Army and the Red Kettle Kickoff, please visit blog.salvationarmyusa.org, facebook.com/SalvationArmyUSA or twitter.com/salvationarmyus.

SOURCE The Salvation Army USA