Not another living soul can deliver a song with deep, raw emotion like David Frizzell. With his forthcoming single, “Say Hello To Heaven,” the legendary singer has found a compelling story worthy of his vocal gift. The song will be used to raise awareness and money for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
Written by Nashville musician and producer, Buddy Hyatt, “Say Hello To Heaven” pulls at the heartstrings with the story of a wife and mother lost to her loved ones in a car accident. Sadly, it is a story that rings true for the Frizzell family, who lost David’s niece in 1998 when a drunk driver was responsible for her death on her 32nd birthday.
“MADD was there even before I or others in the family could get there,” Frizzell says. “They provided so much care and support; services that I had no idea they offered.” Frizzell has called 2012 his “year of giving back.” With an upcoming special on RFD-TV, he will launch a promotion using the song to shine the light on the dangers of driving while impaired, and on the good work done by MADD.
The “Frizzell & Friends” show will be taped at The Texas Troubadour Theater, home of the famed Midnight Jamboree radio show, and feature appearances by Hyatt, Jett Williams, Jimmy Fortune and Moe Bandy. A phone bank will be in place to take calls from fans wanting to purchase music or donate directly to MADD. A portion of all music sales will also be donated to the organization. Representatives of the organization will also be part of the show which airs on March 29 and will be rebroadcast on March 30. The promotion is sponsored in part by the generous support of Liberty Tax Service.
ABOUT MADD
MADD was incorporated on September 5, 1980, the mission or purposes of MADD as stated in its Articles of Incorporation were “To aid the victims of crimes performed by individuals driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, to aid the families of such victims and to increase public awareness of the problem of drinking and drugged driving.”
In 1984, MADD changed its name from Mothers Against Drunk Drivers to Mothers Against Drunk Driving. This carefully considered change was made because MADD is opposed to the criminal act of drunk driving, not individuals. MADD also updated its mission statement to “Mothers Against Drunk Driving provides grassroots leadership to create major social change in the attitude and behavior of Americans toward drunk driving.”
In 1985, MADD’s mission statement was again updated. The mission read, “Mothers Against Drunk Driving mobilizes victims and their allies to establish the public conviction that impaired driving is unacceptable and criminal, in order to promote corresponding public policies, programs and personal responsibility.”
In 1992, MADD adopted a more simplified mission statement, which was “The mission of Mothers Against Drunk Driving is to stop drunk driving and support the victims of this violent crime.”
By 1999, MADD had greatly expanded its work on preventing underage drinking and emerging research underscored our efforts to prevent youth alcohol use. MADD’s efforts in this area were also encouraged and supported by the government, corporations, educators, the media and public. The mission statement was officially changed to make preventing underage drinking a free-standing prong of the mission. The updated mission, which continues to guide the organization today, read “The mission of Mothers Against Drunk Driving is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking.” To date, MADD’s work has saved nearly 300,000 lives…and counting. For more information, visit www.madd.org
ABOUT RFD-TV:
Launched in December 2000 and now in its 10th year of broadcasting, RFD-TV is the nation’s first 24-hour television channel dedicated to servicing the needs and interests of rural America with programming focused on agriculture, equine and rural lifestyle, along with traditional country music and entertainment. The channel is now distributed into more than 41 million homes worldwide by DBS and cable systems including DISH Network (231), DIRECTV(r) (345), Comcast, Verizon FiOS TV (247), Mediacom, Charter, Optimum, Brighthouse, Suddenlink, Time Warner, Cox, and more than 600 independent rural cable systems. Production originates in studios located in Nashville, Tennessee, for RFD-TV, RFD HD, and RURAL TV, the company’s new international channel. RFD-TV The Magazine now has more than 180,000 paid subscribers for its bi-monthly publication, and the company continues to operate “RFD-TV The Theatre” in Branson, Missouri. For more information, visit www.rfdtv.com.