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Randy Kohrs Band Leader For Children's Charity Telethon

02/25/2010
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For over fifteen years, renowned resonator guitarist, Grammy-winning producer and rising artist Randy Kohrs has donated his talents and time to the annual telethon put on by Variety, the Children's Charity, in Des Moines, Iowa, by acting as band leader for the house band. On March 6 and 7, he will resume the role again in the 24 hour event near his own hometown of New Virginia, Iowa.

Kohrs began his participation in the fund-raising event in 1993, when his nephew was born premature with extenuating complications. "His lungs weren't fully developed and a very experimental procedure, at that time, was used to keep him alive. I learned so much about what it took to even be able to conduct the research to develop these ideas, the cost of it all, that I wanted to help in whatever way I could," Kohrs explains. "The telethon plays such a huge role in helping fund the children's hospitals in Iowa, so I walked into Stan Reynold's (President of Variety) office and offered to do anything they needed, whether it was answer phones, sweep the floors, anything. They needed help in the music department, so it worked out perfectly!"

On its 36th year, the telethon has raised more than $70 million for over 300 charities throughout Iowa and neighboring regions, and attracts volunteers internationally, from the current reigning Miss World to sports celebrities to Hollywood actors, not to mention the A-list group of Nashville musicians put together by Kohrs every year.

"With such a random group of people like we have every year, you never know what you're going to see or be involved in that will be broadcast all over the country," laughs Kohrs. "Especially around three or four in the morning, when you're still excited to be there but your body may be wearing down. A few years ago, I ended up in a Blues Brothers skit, complete with hat, tie, and sunglasses, alongside soap actors Emma Sams and Jason Cook and (wrestler) "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan! We're all in it for the same reason and look forward to it every year."

Kohrs' passion for the future generations is evidenced in that he can also be seen performing every year at the Musicians Against Childhood Cancer festival held just outside of Columbus, where all proceeds go to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. For more information on the Variety Children's Charity telethon, visit www.varietytelethon.com and for more information on Randy Kohrs, visit www.randykohrs.com.


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