Giddy Up!

Cattle Baron's bows down to empress Shania Twain for iconic 50th Dallas ball

Shania Twain at the 65th Grammy Awards on February 5, 2023.

Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Let's go, girls. Cattle Baron’s Ball has landed its biggest star yet - Shania Twain - to headline its landmark anniversary 50th anniversary gala.

Dallas' ultimate Western-glitz party is headed back to Southfork Ranch for 2023, with superstar Twain entertaining on the Andrews Distributing Main Stage and Texas country-rock giant Randy Rogers Band playing the VIP party.

The ball — set for Saturday, October 14 — works out nicely with Twain's schedule; she'll be playing a show on her world tour at Fort Worth's Dickies Arena the night before. (She's also bringing the tour to Dallas' Dos Equis Pavilion on July 21, giving North Texas Shania fans three potential dates with their country empress in 2023.)

Cattle Baron's Ball Chairs Isabell Novakov Higginbotham and Andrea Cheek have picked the theme “Iconic” for the American Cancer Society's milestone-year fundraiser. Texas Oncology will again be the presenting sponsor, NBC 5 anchor Deborah Ferguson will return as mistress of ceremonies.

The announcements were made at a reveal party February 8 at The Village Country Club.

Recognized by Billboard Magazine as the best-selling female country artist of all time and the queen of country-pop, Twain has remained a star for nearly three decades thanks to three massive albums - 1995's The Woman in Me, 1997's Come On Over, and 2002's Up! - each of which sold over 11 million copies in the U.S. alone. She also has seven No. 1 hits and eight more top 10 hits from those three albums.

Twain is already on a roll in 2023, having released a new album, called Queen of Me, on February 3. Her first album since 2017, it is already aiming for the top of the Billboard charts in its first week.

Hailing from San Marcos, the Randy Rogers Band has spent 20 years bringing Texas country to fans around the world. They've produced nine studio albums and charted seven singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. In a fun local connection, frontman Randy Rogers is part-owner of the restaurant and live music venue ChopShop Live in Roanoke.

Cattle Baron’s Ball is the premier fundraiser for the American Cancer Society in North Texas, and has raised more than $93 million since its inception in 1974. The 2022 event alone raised $4,170,617.

The ball is the largest single-night fundraising event for cancer research in the world.

“Underwriters’ support of the Cattle Baron’s Ball will not only ensure the event’s success but will also help the committee raise critical funds for cancer research in the hopes of finding a cure for cancer in our lifetime,” says co-chair Cheek in a release.

Adds Higginbotham, "Such profound generosity, such as the lead taken by Texas Oncology, contributes to revolutionize cancer research in fields such as immunotherapy and breast cancer.”

For more information, underwriting, and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.cattlebaronsball.com.

American Cancer Society Cattle Baron's Ball Randy Rogers Band Shania Twain fundraisers galas

Park news

Dallas civic leader Calvert Collins-Bratton named Klyde Warren Park CEO

Photo courtesy of Klyde Warren Park

Calvert Collins-Bratton has been named the new executive director of Klyde Warren Park.

A respected figure in Dallas philanthropy and parks is stepping into a new leadership role: Calvert Collins-Bratton has been named the next president and CEO of Klyde Warren Park, beginning September 1.

Collins-Bratton succeeds Kit Sawers, who led the park for eight years; her final day in the role was July 20.

The transition comes as Klyde Warren enters its next phase, including a recently announced expansion that will add 1.7 acres over Woodall Rodgers Freeway.

Collins-Bratton most recently served as chief relationships officer at Communities Foundation of Texas, where she oversaw fundraising, donor engagement, corporate philanthropy, and community partnerships, a press release notes. Her ties to Klyde Warren Park stretch back more than a decade through her service as chair of the Dallas Park and Recreation Board, where she advocated for investments in public spaces. She's also been a longtime donor and supporter of the park.

"Few people understand the significance and potential of Klyde Warren Park as deeply as Calvert does," foundation board chairman Jody Grant says in the release. "She has been an advocate for public spaces throughout Dallas, a trusted philanthropic leader, and a longtime supporter of the Park. Her experience and expertise make her exceptionally qualified to lead Klyde Warren Park into the future."

Klyde Warren Park has recently announced an ambitious expansion project. Photo courtesy of Klyde Warren Park

Before joining Communities Foundation of Texas, Collins-Bratton was vice president of communications and strategic events for Methodist Health System Foundation. Earlier in her career, she spent more than a decade as a television reporter and anchor in Omaha, Las Vegas, and Dallas-Fort Worth.

She was selected following a national search led by former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, a member of the Klyde Warren Park Foundation board.

As president and CEO, Collins-Bratton will oversee the park's operations, programming, fundraising, strategic partnerships, and long-term vision as the 5.4-acre deck park continues to grow.

"Klyde Warren Park is one of Dallas' great success stories and one of the most beloved gathering places in our city," Collins-Bratton says. "I look forward to working with the Foundation's board, staff, donors, partners, and community supporters to build on its incredible momentum and ensure its impact continues to grow for generations to come."

In a separate, farewell note, Sawers announced she'll become CEO of the newly created SMU Dallas Office on August 3. She called leading Klyde Warren Park one of the greatest privileges of her career.

"I leave knowing the Park is exceptionally well positioned for the future. It has a talented and dedicated team, an engaged Board, strong community support and exciting opportunities ahead, including a 1.7-acre expansion," Sawers wrote. "The overwhelming response to this summer’s World Cup watch parties once again demonstrated the Park’s unique ability to bring our community together."

Since opening in 2012, Klyde Warren Park has become one of Dallas' signature public spaces, drawing more than 2 million visitors annually with free concerts, fitness classes, festivals, food trucks, and other community programming, they say. The park recently unveiled plans for a $175 million expansion that will nearly double its event lawn and add new green space, play areas, and pedestrian connections.

Collins-Bratton's appointment comes on the heels of another key Dallas leadership announcement: That of Ahava Silkey-Jones as executive director of the Dallas Arts District.

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