Great causes usually draw great people, great support and great crowds — a combination for great results.

That’s been the case for the past several years as Musicians Against Childhood Cancer is staged at Hoover Y-Park in Columbus, Ohio. The benefit has raised and donated well over $400,000 to childhood cancer research and care.

The dates for this year’s festival — officially billed as the 24th annual MACC/Bluegrass Classic — are July 23, 24, 25 and 26. It goes under the trademark name of Darrel Adkins and The Bluegrass Classic.

The cause couldn’t be any closer to Darrel Adkins and his family. Adkins and his wife Phyllis get deep and personal with this message on the M.A.C.C. Web site:

“Our daughter, Mandy, was diagnosed with an inoperable brain stem tumor, and lost her battle with cancer on November 25, 2000. I have experienced first-hand the devastation childhood cancer causes the patient and the family. After witnessing the great need that exists for continued research and highly qualified doctors and staff, we felt compelled to do something to help make sure that other children, facing the biggest challenge of their young lives, have hope and the best possible care. With this in mind, we have founded M.A.C.C., Musicians Against Childhood Cancer.” Darrel & Phyllis Adkins

The benefits were formerly held at Frontier Ranch, and more recently moved to the Hoover Y-Park in Columbus, Ohio. They traditionally draw thousands of fans from all over the world.

“We plan to continue the tradition of quality family entertainment but with one major change, the proceeds will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.,” Adkins said.

Entertainer Danny Thomas founded St. Jude in 1962 with the promise to help children and families regardless of race, creed, color, religion or their ability to pay. Since 1962 treatment protocols developed at St. Jude, which are shared with the world medical community, have brought survival rates for childhood cancers from less than 20% to better than 70%.

With a daily budget exceeding $1.5 million, St. Jude depends entirely on donations of which 90% of every dollar donated goes toward patient care.

As has become tradition, this year’s festival will feature an all-star lineup of artists, who all donated their performances to the M.A.C.C fund.

Special performances have been arranged for the July festival, topped by the original Longview, which includes Dudley Connell, Joe Mullins, James King, Don Rigsby and Marshal Wilburn.

The Friday M.A.C.C. Opry will also perform. It features J. D. Crowe & The New South with special guest The Grascals.

The Saturday M.A.C.C. Opry show will include Carl Jackson , Jerry Salley, Larry Cordle, Shawn Camp and Morgan Hayes.

The MACC Children’s Band will also perform. Young instrumentalists and vocalists are required to attend daily rehearsals in order to perform on stageat 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Ticket and camping information is available at http://www.bluegrassclassic.com/tickets.html

Adkins is inviting donations from folks who can’t attend the festival. Those contributions should be made payable to Musicians Against Childhood Cancer®, and mailed to 1434 S. 3B’s & K Road, Galena, OH 43021

Here’s a rundown of the all-star lineup:

Wednesday

• Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
• Lonesome River Band
• Mountain Heart
• Lost and Found
• James King Band
• Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice
• David Parmley & Continental Divide
• New Found Road

Thursday

• Blue Moon Rising
• Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
• Daily & Vincent
• Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers
• Pine Mountain Railroad
• Rhonda Vincent & the Rage
• Larry Stephenson Band
• Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
• The Original Longview

Friday

• Ernie Thacker & Rt 23
• Mark Newton Band
• J.D. Crowe & The New South
• The Grascals
• Steep Canyon Rangers
• Blue Highway
• Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers
• Don Rigsby & Midnight Call
• Bill Emerson & The Sweet Dixie Band
• The MACC Opry

Saturday

• The MACC Children’s Band
• Kenny & Amanda Smith
• Grasstowne
• Ronnie Bowman & The Committee
• Bradley Walker
• Randy Kohrs & The Lites with Jim Lauderdale
• Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time
• The Harley Allen Band
• Steeldrivers
• Carl Jackson, Jerry Salley, Larry Cordle & Shawn Camp, aka The Saturday M.A.C.C. Opry

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Front row, left to right: David McKee, Chief Operating Officer, ALSAC; Darrel and Phyllis Adkins; and Dr. Amar Gajjar, Director, Neuro-Oncology Division at St. Jude. Back row, left to right: Grascals Terry Eldredge, Danny Roberts, Terry Smith, Aaron McDaris and Jamie Johnson.

Memphis Tenn. — The Grascals visited St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital on February 4 and presented a check for $ 40,184.60 on behalf of Musicians Against Childhood Cancer (MACC). The check represents the proceeds from the 2007 MACC benefit concert, as well as sales of the the CD, Celebration of Life: Musicians Against Childhood Cancer. The Grascals have performed at the benefit concert each year since 2005, and they also contributed a song to the album.

MACC was founded by concert promoter Darrel Adkins and his wife Phyllis in 2000 after their daughter, Mandy, lost her courageous battle with cancer. In 2001, the annual Bluegrass Classic festival promoted by Adkins Productions since 1984 was re-named Musicians Against Childhood Cancer. All of the bluegrass artists who perform at the festival donate their time in an effort to raise money for the fight against childhood cancer. Celebration of Life: Musicians Against Childhood Cancer was released in 2006 by MACC through Skaggs Family Records. It contains 37 performances by 136 bluegrass artists and musicians, recorded at the MACC benefit concert from 2000-2005. The album was International Bluegrass Music Association’s 2006 Album of the Year.

After presenting the check, The Grascals toured the hospital and visited with patients.

“We’re absolutely blown away by the courage of these kids and their families, and by the incredible research being done here. We’re honored to have been a small part of raising funds through MACC, and we’re thankful to all the artists who have participated in this project.”Jamie Johnson - Grascals vocalist/guitarist

The Grascals’ visit to St. Jude came one day after the group won three awards at the 34th Annual SPBGMA Bluegrass Music Awards held in Nashville: Instrumental Group of the Year (for the third consecutive year), Bluegrass Band of the Year (for the second consecutive year) and Mandolin Player of the Year (Danny Roberts’ second win in three years). The Grascals are the reigning International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Entertainers of the Year, having won the top honor for the second year in a row.

The Grascals recently entered into a sponsorship agreement with Mayberry’s Finest Brand Foods, a line of 35 Southern-seasoned stews, chilis, vegetables and baking mixes inspired by The Andy Griffith Show. During The Grascals’ St. Jude visit, Mayberry’s Finest Brand Foods, in keeping with the Mayberry spirit of friendship and generosity, donated some of their southern-seasoned fixings to the Target House, a home away from home for families with children receiving life-saving treatment at the hospital. For more information visit The Grascals online.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Founded by late entertainer Danny Thomas and based in Memphis, Tennessee, St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. No family ever pays for treatments not covered by insurance, and families without insurance are never asked to pay. St. Jude is financially supported by ALSAC, its fundraising organization. For more information, please visit http://www.stjude.org/.

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