Harvey Mason Jr., Donnie Simpson, Joi Brown & More Feted at Living Legends Foundation Gala

The Dwelling Legends Bottom (LLF) celebrated its 33^rd annualannually with a star-studded slate of honorees and visitors at its annual awards dinner and gala at Hollywood’s Taglyan Cultural Complicated on Oct. 4. Important the parade of honorees was once Recording Academy and MusiCares CEO Harvey Mason jr., who was once offered with the A.D. Washington Chairman Award.

Noting that “the room was filled with legends from celebrities to executives,” Dwelling Legends Bottom chairman David C. Linton added, “On behalf of our board of directors, it’s an honor to bring together the music and entertainment industries for an important cause benefiting the executives that have poured so much into the industry and, more importantly, the culture. Congratulations to this year’s honorees. Thank you for making us proud.” 

Upon accepting his award from Linton next within the night time, Mason — who recently re-upped to grant 4 extra years as CEO — mentioned, “I’m proud of the work that we are doing at the Recording Academy because what you all see is the trophies … the celebration, the nominations. But what you don’t see is the work that goes on with the organization. The [award] show gives us the money; the money then comes back into our community. The one thing I recognized when I took on this role is that there’s more work needed to be done around the Black music community. So a lot of effort has gone into using the resources, platform and the ability of the [Recording] Academy to continue to help all genres of music, but specifically some of the underserved communities.” 

Longtime tune govt Ed Eckstine was once the recipient of the Ray Harris Lifetime Fulfillment Award, offered by way of LLF chairman emeritus Harris and singer/actress Vanessa Williams. Williams, who despatched a video message, was once some of the artists that Eckstine, son of mythical jazz vocalist Billy Eckstine, signed and mentored right through his tenure as president of Mercury Data — the 1st African American to be appointed president of a big non-Dim owned report corporate.

Paying tribute to mentors Quincy Jones and Clive Davis, Eckstine mentioned partially, “I do not have the words to describe the charmed life properly or adequately I led under the guidance and tutelage of ‘Q’ [while serving as GM at Quincy Jones Productions]. He taught me so much about life, music, production, the chess game called the music business, global hustle, what and what not to do and say. My 20 months doing A&R … and working for Clive exposed me on a corporate level to activities and events I had not previously been privy to … After having attempted to grow and expand beneath the shadow of two very tall trees in Q and Clive, my life was forever changed.”

Then being offered with the first-ever Have an effect on Participant Award from LLF board member Shannon A. Henderson, Joi Brown — founder/CEO of the group Tradition Creators and previous report label senior govt — mentioned, “We’re not just here to create culture; we’re here to shape the future … It is our responsibility to ensure we occupy space — not to rely solely on company policies or DEI initiatives to make room for us. We belong here. We must stand tall among giants, not as guests, but as equals.”

The night time’s extra honorees integrated: pioneering radio/tv broadcaster Donnie Simpson (Jerry Boulding Radio Award); NorthStar Crew chairperson/leisure legal professional L. Londell McMillan (Kendall A. Minter Leisure Recommend Award); B. Lifted Up! Inc. founder/CEO Gwen Franklin (Mike Bernardo Feminine Govt Award); veteran label govt/radio broadcaster Mike Kelly (Tune Govt Award) and The Chamber Crew founder/CEO Chris Chambers (Media Govt Award). The entire honorees’ acceptance speeches may also be considered here.

A few of the presenters and particular visitors noticed throughout the Taglyan Cultural Complicated had been Epic Data chairman/CEO Sylvia Rhone, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, The Era’s Jerome Benton, Sugar Ray Leonard, artists Ray Parker Jr., Chanté Moore and Johnny Gill, mythical radio PD Melvin “Cookin’” Jones, MRC Reside & Supplementary exec. vice chairman of ingenious Stephen Hill, playwright/filmmaker David E. Talbert and extra LLF dignitaries, together with: normal suggest Dr. Denise J. Brown, president Azim Rashid and board participants Skip Dillard, Sheila Eldridge and Vivian Chunk.

Radio persona Skip Cheatham of Dallas R&B outlet Majic 94.5 (KZMJ) hosted the gala, with leisure supplied by way of DJ Battlecat. Former LLF honorees Tracey J. Jordan and Lionel Ridenour served as this occasion’s dinner chairpersons. For extra details about the Dwelling Legends Bottom, discuss with the website.