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March 09, 2012

Ben Folds to play annual charity concert benefiting the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation and Nationwide Children's Hospital alliance

Dublin, Ohio - March 9, 2012 - Officials of the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance announced today the details of its 2012 benefit concert. IGS Energy Evening with Ben Folds presented by City of Dublin will benefit the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation and Nationwide Children's Hospital alliance in support of the Memorial Tournament Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Nationwide Children's. The concert will be held Friday, May 18, 2012, at The LC - Lifestyles Community Pavilion in Columbus. Doors open at 7:00pm and Ben Folds takes the stage at 9:00pm.

Widely known for his prowess as a pianist, Ben Folds began his career in music as a drummer, and he is also adept at guitar and bass. Ben Folds is known as a solo artist and as the front-man and pianist of Ben Folds Five, celebrated for a compositional style and unique playing technique, combining elements of the 'singer/songwriter' genre, jazz, and power rock. Indeed, Ben Folds' music evokes the essence of classic pop while adding an idiosyncratic infusion of energy and wit.

Now a solo artist and consistently touring, Ben Folds has earned a reputation for his intellect, musicality and charismatic, energetic live shows and for his involvement in developing technologies and trends. Ben was one of the earliest supporters of iTunes and received much attention for being one of the first artists to support and participate in Second Life, an internet-based virtual world. In 2009 Apple unveiled their new GarageBand Lessons series and included Ben Folds in their initial round of artist lessons. He has been an early supporter of MySpace as well, being tapped in 2006 as their first artist to perform a live performance webcast on the portal (Ben Folds Live at Myspace), and then again in 2008 for their then brand new "Front to Back" program for which a seminal and influential artist performs his/her own classic album live in the album's original sequence in front of an audience. For this event and taping, Ben Folds reunited Ben Folds Five to perform their last album together, The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, in their home state of North Carolina.

In June of 2010 a new charitable alliance was announced among the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance, Nationwide Children's Hospital and Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation. The relationship brings to life the alliance between Nationwide Children's Hospital and Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation for the benefit and advancement of pediatric care. With this aligned vision, all proceeds of the concert will directly benefit the young patients served each day by the Memorial Tournament Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Nationwide Children's Hospital. The goal is to not only support but also provide opportunity to advance the incredible care given in the most needed areas.

Advancing pediatric care in the Memorial Tournament NICU is already evident with its family-centered environment that provides the finest medical care for premature and sick infants. The NICU is one of the largest neonatal networks in the country and was ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of "America's Best" in Neonatal Care and Services. Rigorously trained neonatologists, advanced practice nurses and therapists utilize an interdisciplinary care approach to diagnose and treat patients suffering from complex birth defects, respiratory distress and metabolic diseases. This combined expertise makes the Memorial Tournament NICU one of the finest in the nation.

VIP tickets for the benefit concert go on sale today and are $175 per person or $350 per couple. All proceeds benefit the Memorial Tournament NICU at Nationwide Children's Hospital through an alliance with the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation. Since it began in 2007, the annual benefit concert has raised more than $375,000. For more information please visit www.mtbenefitconcert.com or call (614) 355-0888.

General admission tickets for Ben Folds go on sale March 30th. For more information on general admission visit www.PromoWestLive.com.