Daredevils' 40th anniversary concert to benefit veterans

The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, a Southern rock and country band that formed in Springfield, will hold a 40th anniversary concert Nov. 11 at Drury University's O'Reilly Family Event Center. Proceeds will benefit the Ozarks Honor Flight program.

The band now comprises John Dillon, Steve Cash, Michael Granda, Ron Gremp, Dave Painter, Kelly Brown, Bill Jones, Ruell Chappell and Nick Sibley, according to the band's Web site.

“It’s only fitting that the Daredevils are coming home to Drury to celebrate their 40th anniversary," Drury President Todd Parnell said in a news release. "John Dillon and Bill Jones are alums and Steve Cash first played live here at Drury."

Springfield band Big Smith and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band also will be celebrating their 15th and 45th anniversaries, respectively, by playing alongside the Daredevils at the concert.

A portion of the Veterans Day show's proceeds - 10 percent of merchandise sales - will be donated to Ozarks Honor Flight, a nonprofit organization that allows veterans to travel to Washington, D.C., to view war memorials and other commemorative sites at no cost.

On Tuesday, event sponsor Peoples Bank of the Ozarks donated $2,500 to the veterans program.

"We were excited about the prospect of sponsoring this event when we heard about it being the 40th anniversary for the Daredevils, and we became committed to sponsoring it when we heard about the opportunity to bring attention and support to the Ozarks Honor Flight program," Peoples Bank President Jim Huff said in the release.[[In-content Ad]]