The Eric Nadel Birthday Benefit Concert returns for its 14th year, celebrating Eric’s 75th birthday with an unforgettable night of live music. This year’s lineup features two of Eric’s favorites: Brooklyn’s Sammy Rae & the Friends and Bay Area standout Chuck Prophet and His Cumbia Shoes.
Hosted by Rangers Hall of Fame broadcaster Eric Nadel, the evening includes live and silent auctions benefiting Grant Halliburton Foundation as it celebrates its 20th anniversary year — marking two decades of providing mental health education, resources, and support to teens and families across North Texas.
SAMMY RAE & THE FRIENDS
For as much as Sammy Rae & The Friends may be a band, this collective of dreamers and artists considers themselves a family first. That all-for-one and one-for-all camaraderie ignites their unforgettable and can’t-miss live shows, which serve as a catharsis for both the musicians and their fervent audience. Fronted by singer/songwriter Sammy Rae and honed through years of touring, the group is capable of flourishing in any spotlight thanks to its signature blend of palpable chemistry, deft virtuosity, and vocal fireworks.
Their sound, which has attracted new fans by the thousands in the past few years, is a unique mélange of Sammy’s influences: classic rock, folk and funk and sprinkled with soul and jazz.
CHUCK PROPHET AND HIS CUMBIA SHOES
Chuck Prophet’s streak of more than a dozen critically acclaimed solo records stretches all the way back to 1990, when the California native first shifted focus from his tenure with pioneering neo-psych band Green on Red to working under his own name. Since then, his songs have appeared in a slew of films and television shows, and his work has been covered by Bruce Springsteen, Solomon Burke, Heart, and a host of others. Rolling Stone dubbed him a “streetwise city kid with an eye for the country,” while Uncut proclaimed him a “renaissance-rocker,” and NPR declared that “no one can turn tales from the outer limits into catchy songs quite like Prophet does.”
LONGHORN BALLROOM
VENUE
Back for its second year at the iconic Longhorn Ballroom, the Eric Nadel Birthday Benefit Concert returns to one of Dallas’ most legendary music venues. Located in South Dallas at Corinth Street and South Riverfront Boulevard, the historic space sets the perfect stage for a high-energy night of music and celebration.
Longhorn Ballroom • 216 Corinth Street • Dallas
FREE PARKING
We strongly encourage using rideshare services (Uber, Lyft, Alto), which have a designated drop-off and pick-up area inside the courtyard, just steps from the venue entrance.
There are two self-parking lots adjacent to the Longhorn Ballroom and parking is free for this event. Limited street parking is also available along Rock Island Street.
SPONSOR VALET PARKING
Complimentary valet parking is reserved for sponsors and VIP guests only. A valet pass will be emailed Thursday morning—please have it ready to show upon arrival.
About Eric Nadel
Eric Nadel is in his 30th year as the lead voice of the Texas Rangers radio broadcasts. 2026 marks his 48th year of broadcasting Rangers baseball, the longest tenure of any announcer in franchise history.
At the 2014 National Baseball Hall of Fame Awards, Eric was honored with the prestigious Ford C. Frick Award. He's also an eight-time recipient of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Texas Sportscaster of the Year Award and was twice honored by the Associated Press for best play-by-play in Texas. In 2012, he was inducted as the 15th member of the Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of Fame.
Eric is involved in numerous mental health causes and has served as a spokesman for The Campaign to Change Direction and for Texas State of Mind. He hosts the annual Eric Nadel Birthday Benefit concert at The Kessler in Dallas to raise funds for local mental health organizations. Grant Halliburton Foundation is the 2025 beneficiary of the 13th annual event in May.
