PRESS RELEASE
Date: 12/07/2010
Stevie Wonder Invites 10-Year-Old OLIVER RICHMAN to Perform at His 15th Annual House Full Of Toys Benefit Concert on Dec. 18
STEVIE WONDER INVITES
10-YEAR-OLD OLIVER RICHMAN
TO PERFORM ‘ONE LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE’
AT STEVIE’S 15TH ANNUAL
HOUSE FULL OF TOYS BENEFIT CONCERT,
SATURDAY DECEMBER 18
AT THE NOKIA THEATRE
***
The Annual Event Raises Money To Provide Toys
For Thousands of Children Who Are In Orphanages,
Hospitals And Shelters All Over The Country
Legendary Motown songwriter Ron Miller passed away in 2007, but his musical spirit will be very much in the house at Stevie Wonder’s 15th Annual House Full of Toys Benefit Concert on Saturday, December 18 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.
His grandson, 10-year-old triple threat prodigy Oliver Richman, will perform Miller’s “One Little Christmas Tree” which was originally recorded by Stevie Wonder in 1967 as well as the songwriter’s classic, “Someday At Christmas” from Wonder’s only Christmas album of the same title. Miller wrote some of Wonder’s biggest early hits such as “For Once In My Life,” “Heaven Help Us All,” “A Place In The Sun” and “Yester-me, Yester-you, Yesterday.”
Richman’s newly released remake of “One Little Christmas Tree” made its debut on YouTube and his website (www.oliverrichman.com) November 15. Earlier this fall, Oliver created major industry buzz with his release of “Defying Gravity,” which has been viewed on YouTube over 22,300 times.
Wonder invited Oliver to perform at the star-studded charity event after hearing his recording of “One Little Christmas Tree.”
In addition, Lisa Dawn Miller, Ron Miller’s daughter and Oliver’s mother, will perform the poignant “If I Could,” another much recorded standard from her father’s catalog.
The family connections don’t stop there. Oliver’s stepfather and Lisa’s husband is writer/producer/actor Sandy Hackett, son of legendary comedian Buddy Hackett, who starred in “Muscle Beach Party”—the 1964 Annette Funicello-Frankie Avalon romp which marked the film debut of none other than “Little Stevie Wonder.”
Sandy and Lisa are also producers of “Sandy Hackett’s Rat Pack Show,” which performs six nights a week at the Riviera Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. The show will have two companies performing as it launches its national tour for the 2011-2012 theater season.
Oliver’s upcoming appearances include singing the National Anthem for the L.A. Derby Dolls on December 4 and “One Little Christmas Tree” on Las Vegas’ Fox 5’s “The MORE Show” (KVVU-TV) on December 8, along with a special performance at Sam’s Town Live - Las Vegas with Sandy Hackett, Steve Rossi and Lisa Dawn Miller.
Produced by Wonder Productions, Inc., Stevie’s 15th Annual House Full of Toys Benefit Concert also features special guests Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Eric Benet, Melanie Fiona and Janelle Monae…with more “Wondermagic” to come.
Tickets are on sale now at TicketMaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000. Donations may be made to the We Are You Foundation.