International opera star Clifton Forbis and singers and musicians from Columbus State University will perform a variety of songs and music at the Springer Opera House in April to help the American Red Cross raise money.
By Christopher Quinn, Communications Volunteer
A couple of Texas friends of international opera star Clifton Forbis will probably never know of their positive impact on the Southwest Georgia Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Thanks in part to them, Forbis is headed to Georgia to sing in Voices of Hope, a Red Cross benefit concert in Columbus on April 25.
The idea for the concert took root with Forbis’ former Belmont University classmate, Johnny Williams -- now the Executive Director of the American Red Cross Southwest Georgia Chapter. He was brainstorming ideas in late 2025 to raise money for new emergency vehicles. He thought, why not call his old friend Forbis and ask him to come sing?
When he did, Forbis answered immediately. He knows the reputation of the Red Cross.
“I told him, I’d be delighted to help,” Forbis said by phone from his Dallas-area home.
“I have some friends who volunteer (for the Red Cross in Texas), and sometimes they’ll be gone for a week or 10 days, doing cleanup or gutting houses that have been flooded. When tornadoes come through, they jump in their vehicles and take off with their chainsaws and go down and try and help folks find some comfort.”
“We’ve all needed help at one time or another. And when we have the opportunity to provide our talents to create that help, then I think it is important to do so.”
When Forbis said yes, it thrilled Williams and at the same moment created a whole new problem for him.
“It’s not like he could just travel with a piano and whole orchestra, right?” Williams said. “So we're going to have to figure out, okay, how are we going to accompany him and pull this concert off?”
Williams took a quick drive to Columbus State University’s Joyce and Henry Schwob School of Music. He walked in, unannounced.
“It was my lucky day. I mean, I came in cold turkey, and when I walked through the door, I ran right into Dr. Joshua May, the professor of opera,” he said.
May recalled seeing Williams in the lobby and asking him, “Can I help you?” Boy, could he.
As Williams’ idea spilled out, May told him, “You met the right person.” He knew of Forbis and his reputation. Forbis has sung some of the most challenging dramatic roles in the finest opera houses from Vienna to Tokyo. And May knew the music department had the staff and students to support him. He took Williams into the office of the head of the school, who agreed it was a great idea.
They began planning a show in Columbus’ 155-year-old Springer Opera House, which has acoustics that should lend themselves to Forbis’s powerful tenor voice. And it won’t be Forbis alone, or just opera. May, also a tenor, will sing and others will perform as well.
“We are going to have a lot of different pieces of music,” Forbis said. “And just because I am an opera singer doesn’t mean I have to sing just opera.”
There will be some operatic gems, but the show will include a variety of musical styles and collaborations.
Johnny Williams, the Executive Director of the American Red Cross Southwest Georgia Chapter, was brainstorming ideas for a fundraiser for the organization when he decided to call on old friend and former college classmate Clifton Forbis for help. Forbis, who rose after their college days to become an internationally known tenor, was "delighted" to come to Columbus and sing as part of a Red Cross fundraiser.
Sponsors are stepping up to cover the costs associated with the concert, and Williams hopes others will buy tickets for themselves or which can be distributed to students who don’t often have the chance to hear a visiting world class tenor. Tickets start at $63 and may be purchased at redcross.org/georgia under the events page or on this ticket link at Voices of Hope tickets.
Williams hopes the concert will raise at least $35,000 for a Toyota RAV4 that the Southwest Georgia Chapter can use during emergencies, for rendering aid or for Red Cross programming. Those who wish to help can contact him at the Southwest Georgia main office at 706-323-5614.
The Voices of Hope benefit concert will feature Clifton Forbis, Joshua May and the Columbus State University Schwob School of Music on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at 5 p.m. at the Springer Opera House, 103 10th St., Columbus, Georgia.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.
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