Rod Stewart, Sheryl Crow, The Killers, Lifehouse, Ray Romano and David Spade headline Andre Agassi’s 13th Annual Grand Slam for Children benefit concert


Rod Stewart, Sheryl Crow, The Killers, Lifehouse, Ray Romano and David Spade headlined the 13th annual Andre Agassi Grand Slam for Children benefit concert, presented by Genworth Financial. The event, benefiting underserved children, was held on Saturday, Oct. 11 at Wynn Las Vegas and begins at 6:30 p.m.

Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon and several other top performers and surprise guests attended the event. Grammy award-winning producer, arranger and composer David Foster returned for his 13th year as musical director.

“I’m thrilled to have so many amazing performers donate their talents to help us help children,” Agassi said. “We look forward to celebrating with our partners what we’ve accomplished in Las Vegas with the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy and our future efforts to transform public education for underserved children nationwide.”

Agassi added, “This year the Grand Slam for Children was held at Wynn Las Vegas, which offers a first-class, intimate experience for our guests. The event was a hit with top exclusive entertainment at this beautiful venue.”

“We have great respect and admiration for our friends at The Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation and are proud to partner with them for the Grand Slam for Children event. Everyone at Wynn Las Vegas is delighted to host such a memorable experience and support this very important cause,” Wynn Las Vegas President Andrew Pascal said.

Rod Stewart and Sheryl Crow made encore appearances at the Grand Slam for Children while The Killers and David Spade made their debuts.

Rod Stewart continues to captivate and inspire five generations of music fans worldwide as a brash pub-rocker, sophisticated balladeer, soul man, folk troubadour and rock ‘n’ roll singer. The Grammy winner has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the UK Music Hall of Fame.

Since emerging in the early 1990s, Sheryl Crow has been profiled as one of the most popular mainstream rock recording artists and activists the world over. Her music and lyrics have earned her numerous awards and recognition including multiple Grammys and American Music Awards.

The Killers – Brandon Flowers (vocals/keyboards), Dave Keuning (guitar), Mark Stoermer (bass) and Ronnie Vannucci (drums) – are one of America’s most popular, critically-acclaimed bands. The group’s achievements include two platinum-plus albums, multiple Grammy and American Music Award nominations, MTV VMA Awards and NME Awards. The Killers’ highly-anticipated third studio album, Day & Age, will be released in November.

David Spade has earned notoriety for his wry humor and biting witticism. The “Buh-Bye” and “And you are...?” phrases he made famous during his five-year run on NBC’s landmark “Saturday Night Live” are now part of the mainstream vernacular. He also has found success on the big screen in Benchwarmers, Dickie Robert: Former Child Star, Joe Dirt, Tommy Boy and Blacksheep. Spade received critical acclaim for his role in NBC’s “Just Shoot Me” and can now be seen starring in CBS’ “Rules of Engagement.”

Genworth Financial again was the presenting sponsor of the Grand Slam for Children benefit. “During the four years that Genworth has been the presenting sponsor for the Grand Slam for Children, amazing progress has been made by The Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation in improving the lives of underserved children,” said Michael D. Fraizer, chairman and chief executive officer of Genworth Financial. “We are proud to be a part of that accomplishment and are looking forward to another outstanding event this year.” Since its inception in 1995, the Grand Slam for Children has been distinguished by its roster of entertainers, including Barbra Streisand, Sir Elton John, Billy Joel, Phil Collins, Jerry Seinfeld, Stevie Wonder, Ellen DeGeneres, Jamie Foxx, Robin Williams, Celine Dion, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, Rod Stewart, Tony Bennett, Luther Vandross, Usher, Matchbox Twenty, Goo Goo Dolls, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarkson, John Mayer, Dennis Miller, Ray Romano, Lionel Richie, Carlos Santana, Earth, Wind & Fire, Seal, Tears for Fears, Duran Duran, Hall and Oates and Josh Groban among others. More than 98,000 fans and VIP guests have attended the past 12 Grand Slam events, raising more than $70 million for charity.