Foreigner - Mick Jones (lead guitar), Kelly Hansen (lead vocals), Jeff Pilson (bass, vocals), Michael Bluestein (keyboards), Tom Gimbel (rhythm guitar, sax, vocals), Bruce Watson (guitar) and Chris Frazier (drums) - is universally hailed as one of the world’s most popular rock acts with a formidable arsenal of hit songs that continue to propel sold-out tours and album chart action. Now they will perform and record their forthcoming album, The Hits Unplugged And Live, at a private event benefitting JDRF (formally known as Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) on August 24th at The Ford Motor Company Conference and Event Center in Dearborn, Michigan.

Limited tickets to this event are available by contacting ford@jdrf.org or 313-248-1655. Foreigner is donating their performance that evening, and their royalties from the record to JDRF, a charity close to the band’s heart. This new collection of never-before heard live acoustic recordings will be available on Sony in early 2016.

The evening’s one-hour set will feature some of rock’s best-known hits including “Feels Like The First Time,” “Cold As Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Juke Box Hero,” “Waiting For A Girl Like You,” and Foreigner’s iconic ballad, “I Want To Know What Love Is.” The show will be opened by an acapella performance by beloved Detroit student choir, Mosaic, who will also join Foreigner on stage for “I Want To Know What Love Is.” Guests will enjoy a strolling dinner that will feature select menu items curated by Foreigner frontman and celebrated foodie Kelly Hansen prior to the performance. Also taking place that night will be a charity event featuring significant Foreigner memorabilia.

JDRF is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. JDRF’s goal is to progressively remove the impact of T1D from people’s lives until they achieve a world without T1D. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners and is the only organization with the scientific resources, policy influence and a working plan to bring life-changing therapies from the lab to the community. As the largest charitable supporter of T1D research, JDRF has invested nearly $2B in research over the past 45 years and is sponsoring scientific research in 17 countries worldwide.

“We are so pleased to be collaborating with JDRF for such a meaningful program,” says Foreigner founder/lead guitarist, Mick Jones, Songwriters Hall Of Fame member who either wrote or co-wrote every Foreigner song. “Type 1 diabetes is a cause close to our heart, as our longtime tour manager’s daughter was diagnosed with T1D in 2003 when she was 4 years old. There is tremendous anticipation around our first ever live acoustic album, and we’re glad we could donate our performance fees and royalties to benefit such an important cause.”

“We are thrilled to have Ford Motor Company as a partner who brings opportunities like the iconic band Foreigner to help raise awareness for type 1 diabetes,” said Margo K. Lucero, JDRF’s senior vice president, corporate and international development. “JDRF's mission is to accelerate life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications, and we are so grateful to Ford and Foreigner for the support in helping us move closer to our goal to create a world without T1D.”

This is just one of the Mick Jones's philanthropic efforts, which also include a longtime partnership with The Grammy Foundation’s effort to support music in schools. Foreigner invites a local high school to join them on stage at each concert they play, providing these choir’s the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform #1 hit “I Want To Know What Love Is” live with the band. Foreigner makes a direct donation to each school’s high school music program, as well as donating a portion of the evening’s CD sales to the Grammy Foundation. Over the years, Foreigner has raised well into the six-figures through this program, inviting more than 220 high school choirs to join the band on stage, allowing more than 6,000 students, teachers and parents to enjoy this life changing experience.

With ten multi-platinum albums and sixteen Top 30 hits, Foreigner has defied all odds of a heritage band with continued Billboard chart action and album sales, now exceeding 75 million. Foreigner has experienced a true renaissance in recent years, thanks in part to their legendary songs being featured in films like Anchorman 2, Magic Mike and Orange Is The New Black.

(Photo - Babs Marks)