UPDATE (5.28.13, 7 p.m. EST): A limited number of additional tickets will be released Wednesday at 10 a.m. for Healing in the Heartland, the Chesapeake Energy Arena confirmed Tuesday afternoon. The $25 tickets will be available only through Ticketmaster.com, will be limited to four per person and limited to residents of Oklahoma. (Scalpers across multiple states previously snatched up tickets early this past Saturday, subsequently reselling tickets for hundreds of dollars.)
Note: We will be streaming the event online on our website Wednesday night.
UPDATE (5.28.13, 3 p.m. EST): We can confirm exclusively that Adam Levine/Maroon 5 will not be performing during tomorrow's benefit concert. As we previously reported, he had been approached about it, but according to his rep, it came down to scheduling. Levine's camp tried to pre-tape, but it apparently wouldn't work for the show's format, much of which is still in the works.
UPDATE (5.27.13, 9 p.m. EST): We can confirm that both Usher and Darius Rucker have been added to Wednesday's benefit concert.
UPDATE (5.26.13, 2 a.m. EST): There have been reports on Saturday (throughout the week as well, but specifically on May 25) that Garth Brooks and Toby Keith may be performing on Wednesday. Both singers have received many requests over social media for their participation, given their strong ties to Oklahoma. While we know both have been approached, at press time, neither has been confirmed.
UPDATE (5.25.13, 11 p.m. EST): We can confirm that Luke Bryan, Rascal Flatts and One Republic's Ryan Tedder (who hails from Tulsa, Okla.) have been added to Wednesday's lineup. We understand many people have questions about other Oklahoma natives and if they will participate (or why not), but there are a lot of schedules currently being adjusted, and there are many people involved trying to make this happen. We know that Carrie Underwood, Adam Levine and Usher are likely to be involved, but at press time, discussions are still underway and they have not yet been confirmed by NBC.
Earlier Saturday, we confirmed that tickets for Healing in the Heartland sold out in 30 seconds. Granted, many of those tickets were snatched up by scalpers and bots, and they've been springing up on Craigslist, eBay, etc.
UPDATE (5.24.13, 1 p.m. EST): Grammy Award-winning artists Miranda Lambert, Reba and Vince Gill will perform, in addition to Blake Shelton (host). More performers to be announced. Lineup was originally expected earlier Friday. The concert will be televised live at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. It will also air on cable networks Style, G4, Bravo, E! and CMT.
Tickets will go on sale May 25 at 10 a.m. CT. Individual tickets are $25, with a limit of eight per person. Tickets can be purchased at the Chesapeake Energy Arena box office, all Ticketmaster locations, by phone at (800) 745-3000 and online at Ticketmaster.com.
UPDATE (5.23.13, 10:30 p.m. EST): We've confirmed with organizers the event will be called Healing in the Heartland, and it WILL air live on Wednesday (May 29) from Oklahoma City's Chesapeake Energy Arena (known to many as the home of the Thunder). Still expecting details (including ticket information) early Friday.
UPDATE (5.23.13, 8 p.m. EST): NBC has confirmed with us that they are in the process of finalizing the lineup. We're told part of the delay (if you can even call it that, given the limited timeframe they're working with) is because organizers have really been trying to hold the event in Oklahoma. We'll have the full lineup early Friday (May 24).
UPDATE (5.21.13, 7 p.m. EST): We've learned that Shelton and NBC are also planning a full benefit concert for victims of this week's tornadoes. A representative for the network confirmed that further details should be available within the next 24 hours, although cautioning that this yet-to-be-announced event will likely be very fluid because of the lack of time to coordinate.
NBC previously held a benefit concert shortly after Hurricane Sandy hit the Northeast last year.
While Shelton's event will probably include performers from across the country, there are a great number of acts all native to Oklahoma, many of whom would likely take part if given the opportunity: Vince Gill, The Flaming Lips, The All American Rejects, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Aqueduct, Shiny Toy Guns, Toby Keith, Hanson, JD McPherson, Kings of Leon, OneRepublic, Garth Brooks and more. We'd love to see some of them participate, given their strong connections to the 46th state.
Oklahoma native Blake Shelton and his wife Miranda Lambert will perform a tribute to the former's homestate on tonight's episode of The Voice. The performance is slated for the opening segment of the show, which kicks off at 9 p.m. EST. NBC confirmed with Variance that a number for the American Red Cross will appear onscreen, although they offered few other details.
NBC will also air a news special hosted by Brian Williams, who will be broadcasting live from Oklahoma. That broadcast is slated to air before The Voice.
Check this space later for new information.