Beloved Houston Gala Goes Country With Alabama — Houston Children’s Charity Changes Things Up With a Super Lawyer Assist

The Houston Rodeo is over but you don’t have to wait until 2026 to pull out your beloved Miron Crosbys, Stetsons and suedes — at least with a touch of bling. Houston Children’s Charity is taking a detour from its traditional retro rock band entertainment for its multi-million dollar gala on October 18 and is going full on country with veteran country crooners Alabama.

We can’t be sure if gala honorees Frances Moody Buzbee and super lawyer Tony Buzbee will go cowboy/cowgirl chic in their attire, but rest assured that this duo will be in hog heaven. For it was Tony Buzbee who had suggested the country twist and Alabama, we are told, is his favorite country band. The Buzbees have been longtime, big-time supporters of the Houston Children’s Charity, year after year ponying up serious dollars in support of the nonprofit.

As Houston Children’s Charity CEO Laura Ward notes of the entertainment: “This is the first leap into country music in  our 28 year history.” Bands such as Pitbull, Foreigner, Chicago, Cyndi Lauper and the like hit the stage in previous years.

The Buzbees shared cost of the band with the nonprofit earning the couple the title of Entertainment Underwriters for the gala that in 2024 raised a record $6.2 million. Could 2025 even top that?

For the evening’s attire at the Post Oak Hotel, Ward suggests that Houston Children’s Charity gala attendees consider “high noon haute couture where bold black and white sophistication meets Western bright. Think diamonds, bling and high-style ranch royalty.” This makes the fashion possibilities limitless and quite fun.

Making the Houston Children’s Charity’s always interesting live auction all the more exciting this year is the outright donation of a Porsche vehicle (exact car to be revealed in the summer) by philanthropic minded Sonic Automotive. The upcoming gala marks the 17th year that Sonic has contributed a car to the nonprofit’s auction. For 15 years, the gem on wheels was a BMW. This year’s Porsche comes compliments of Maria Moncada Alaoui, Porsche Brand VP/Sonic Automotive; Robert Dale, GM of Porsche River Oaks; and Marianna Brasel, GM of Porsche of West Houston.

Tickets and information on the gala are available here..