This is it: the big concert
Impressive lineup coming to Rector stage

Anticipation continues to run high throughout the entire community as the stage is set for a performance of epic proportions.

Several of today's most popular gospel artists are on their way to Rector for a special concert to benefit the Rector High School Helping Hands Foundation. Former Lonestar lead singer Richie McDonald will be featured in a line-up that also includes Gaither artists Russ Taff, Kevin Williams, Gordon Mote and Reggie and Ladye Love Smith.

The show will begin at 7 p.m. Friday, July 25, in the air-conditioned Rector High School gymnasium.

Tickets for the concert still are available. General admission seats are $20 each and there are a few remaining "gold level" tickets available at $50 per person.

"Gold level" tickets enhance the evening with the stars, offering fans an opportunity to not only enjoy a catered meal prior to the show, but also an opportunity to meet with the stars for autographs and photographs. Gold level seats are located near the stage during the performance.

General admission tickets may be ordered by phone at (870) 595-3290 or at these locations: Now & Then in Rector, The Lantern Bookstore in Paragould, The Treasure Chest in Piggott, Myra's Framing and 23rd Psalm in Kennett, The Storehouse in Jonesboro and Christian World in Blytheville. Gold level tickets may be purchased only by phone at the above number.

Proceeds from the concert will go to the Helping Hands Foundation, a non-profit organization created to assist the youths of the community overcome some of the everyday financial constraints many take for granted.

Several of the artists performing have expressed a fondness for the organization and its efforts.

"The more I found out about what they do, the more it impressed me," Mote said. "I'm so happy to be a part of it."

"We're all in this life together," Ladye Love Smith said. "When someone takes the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others, it's such a wonderful thing."

Reggie and Ladye Love Smith met while attending Ole Miss. The two became acquainted through the school's choir and have been making music ever since. Upon graduation, the couple moved to Orlando, where they both began performing for Disney.

Ladye Love performed several shows as part of the America Sings production, while Reggie's talents can be heard on the soundtrack of the motion picture "The Lion King."

The couple eventually moved to Nashville. There, they began working as background singers and writing and performing jingles for various advertisers. Over the last 15 years, they have become well-known for their involvement in the Gaither Homecoming concerts and videos. They also are regular performers at the world famous Grand Ole Opry. The Smiths have released seven albums. They're latest album, "Standards," as well as their other efforts, will be available at Friday's concert or at their website http://reggieandladyelove.musiccitynetwo....

The Smiths have performed in over 12 countries, appearing in some of the most exclusive places in the world including Super Bowl XXVI, the Kremlin in Moscow and Carnegie Hall. They have complemented some of the top talents in both country and gospel music including Dolly Parton, George Jones, Lee Greenwood, Brenda Lee, Patti LaBelle, Ricky Skaggs, Steven Curtis Chapman, Bob Carlisle, Ray Boltz, Sandi Patty, Larnelle Harris and Vestal Goodman, among countless others.

Another Gaither artist, Mote also balances a firmly-established career in the studio with a burgeoning schedule of live performances.

Mote began playing the piano at age three. He had his first public performance at age four. By the time he was five years old, his performances were being shown on television.

"I had been playing in front of crowds for so much of my life, that when I started playing for 10,000 people, it didn't make me any more nervous than playing for a small group," Mote said.

Mote, who has been blind since birth, stood out as a performer throughout high school. For his talent, he was awarded a scholarship to Alabama's Jacksonville State University. An encounter with Muscle Shoals musician/producer Jimmy Johnson yielded Mote a scholarship to Belmont University in Nashville, where he could further develop his skills. The move helped spark his career, as he earned a job touring with Lee Greenwood for the three years following his graduation. Mote also has performed with such country stars as Trisha Yearwood and Porter Wagner, just to name a few.

Mote says he has a love for several styles of music. This can be heard in his 2007 release "Don't Let Me Miss the Glory," which features the current singles "Wake Up Dancing" (which has a country slant), as well as the gospel effort and title track.

Mote says he is looking forward to having the opportunity to reunite with his friends from the Gaither Homecoming events.

"I think when people come to see us all together, they see we're all good friends. It's always good to get back together."

While the Rector venue may be one of the smallest the artists visit this year, the importance of assisting a cause like the Helping Hands Foundation and the opportunity to meet with fans in a more relaxed setting offer a different kind of attraction.

"It's not just about playing for 30,000 people a night," McDonald said. "It's about being able to reach an audience and know that something that's important to you is also important to them."

McDonald burst on the country music scene in 1995 as the lead singer for the platinum selling band Lonestar. After numerous hits and sold out shows around the nation, McDonald decided to part ways with the group last year. He began focusing on a career as a solo artist, finding the freedom to pursue his own musical interests.

"I was a Christian long before I was a country artist," McDonald said. "When I left Lonestar last year, it gave me the opportunity to play different styles of music."

His inspirational album "I Turn to You" currently is available at all major retailers. Country fans need not despair -- McDonald says he will be releasing an as-yet-untitled country album later this year.

All the artists say they are looking forward to visiting the small community they have heard so much about through their association with Rector native and Helping Hands co-founder Bill Carter, producer of the Gaither videos, who resides near Nashville.

"I'm really looking forward to being there," McDonald said. "I think so much in life gets taken for granted, especially in the bigger cities. There's a certain atmosphere that small towns have that is just really refreshing."