Grammy Award-Winning Artist Sheryl Crow will Auction her 1959 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster in Pebble Beach to Benefit the Community Foundation of the Ozarks’ Joplin Schools Recovery Fund

Gooding & Company, a leading auction house for collectors of rare and exceptional cars, is honored to announce that Sheryl Crow will auction her personal 1959 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster in Pebble Beach this August to benefit the community of Joplin, following a devastating tornado that swept through this southwest Missouri city earlier this summer. An exciting opportunity for both car collectors and Sheryl Crow fans, the artist’s classic Mercedes-Benz will be presented for sale without reserve at Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach Auction on Sunday, August 21, immediately following the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Proceeds from the sale of the car will benefit the Joplin Schools Recovery Fund, created by the nationally-recognized Community Foundation of the Ozarks and its Joplin-based affiliate, the Community Foundation of Southwest Missouri, Inc. The Foundation has established a number of charitable funds dedicated to ensuring a long-term recovery for the resilient community, including its severely damaged schools.

“After the tornado in Joplin I was moved to help rebuild a city so close to where I grew up in Missouri,” says Sheryl Crow. “My hope is that the auction of my 1959 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster will bring in funds to help rebuild the schools in the area.”

“This is a very heartfelt donation to auction an item that has such special meaning to Sheryl and her family,” CFO President Brian Fogle said. “We very much appreciate how committed she is to her Missouri roots.”

“We’re honored that Sheryl approached us with this opportunity to auction her Mercedes-Benz to benefit the people of Joplin, Missouri,” says President and founder David Gooding. “Over the years, we’ve sold more than $25 million in collector cars for charity at our Pebble Beach Auctions, which has generated a considerable amount of money for various causes and foundations. We’re delighted to be providing the same platform to Sheryl Crow and hope the excitement of her car generates a sizeable donation for this worthy cause.”

Sheryl Crow’s 1959 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster will be presented without reserve at Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach Auctions, August 20 & 21 to benefit the Joplin Schools Recovery Fund. An iconic, grand-touring convertible, the stylish 190 SL being offered is white with a white hard top, optional black soft top and sport whitewall tires. Following a comprehensive restoration completed in 2005, the car now has fresh brakes, suspension, a reconditioned Becker Mexico radio with speaker and a new interior of black leather upholstery. Originally acquired by Sheryl Crow in 2005, the 190 SL has since become the artist’s and her family’s personal favorite. The 1959 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL has an estimate of $50,000 – $80,000 and will be presented without reserve at Gooding & Company’s Sunday Auction on August 21.

Gooding & Company’s 2011 Pebble Beach Auctions will take place on Saturday and Sunday, August 20 & 21 at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center, located at the corner of Portola Road and Stevenson Drive. Preview days will start on Wednesday, August 17 continuing through Sunday, August 21. The auctions will commence at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and 6:00 p.m. on Sunday. Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach Auctions catalogues are available for $100 and admit two to the viewing and the auctions. General admission tickets to the viewing and auctions may be purchased on site for $40. Auctions are broadcast live from Gooding & Company’s website on www.goodingco.com/auction. Bidder registration forms, press credentials and additional auction information are also available on http://www.goodingco.com or by calling (310) 899-1960. For additional vehicle information and up-to-the-minute results, follow Gooding & Company on Facebook and Twitter @GoodingCompany.

About Gooding & Company
Gooding & Company, internationally celebrated for its world-class automotive auctions, provides unparalleled service in the collector car market, offering a wide range of services including private and estate sales, appraisals and collection management. At its Scottsdale and Amelia Island collector car auctions earlier this year, Gooding & Company realized more than $52.85 million in combined auction sales while achieving 18 world records from 191 sold lots of 214 presented. In 2010, Gooding & Company was responsible for selling the world’s top three most valuable cars at auction that year and setting ten world records. www.goodingco.com.

About Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow is an accomplished singer, songwriter, activist, environmentalist, and breast cancer survivor. The nine-time Grammy winner has released seven studio albums, two compilations, and a live album, selling over 35 million albums worldwide.  She has performed with the Rolling Stones and has sung duets with Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, Eric Clapton, Sting, and countless others. Her latest album, 100 Miles from Memphis, was released July 2010 and in early 2011 Crow, along with Chef Chuck White, released “If It Makes You Healthy,” a cookbook inspired by the seasons featuring vitamin-rich recipes. Crow is touring the states with Kid Rock this summer.  Crow is a passionate supporter of a variety of environmental and health-related charities, including The NRDC, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and The World Food Program.  Last year saw the opening of the Sheryl Crow Imaging Center in the Pink Lotus Breast Center in Los Angeles.  For more information, please visit http://www.sherylcrow.com/

About Community Foundation of the Ozarks
Since the May 22 tornado, the Community Foundation of the Ozarks and Joplin-based affiliate, the Community Foundation of Southwest Missouri, Inc., have established a number of funds to assist with Joplin’s tornado recovery. The CFO’s philosophy is based on decision making at the local level, where leaders are best positioned to understand the needs of the community. The largest of the CFO’s 43 affiliate foundations, the Community Foundation of Southwest Missouri, Inc., has served Barton, Jasper, Newton and McDonald counties since 1999. The CFO maintains one of its two regional offices in Joplin with a staff associate working directly with the Community Foundation of Southwest Missouri, Inc. In recognition of the enormity of this disaster, the CFO and CFSWMO have pledged to direct 100 percent of the recovery funds raised into Joplin’s community redevelopment efforts, waiving the normal administrative fee. With assets of $180 million and nearly 2,000 funds supporting varied donor interests, 43 affiliates, about 400 non-profit agencies and more than 100 schools and educational foundations, the Community Foundation of the Ozarks has an established record of building stronger communities since 1973. http://www.cfozarks.org/