Music Legend Stevie Wonder to Be Honored With National Artistic Achievement Award Live on PBS' a Capitol Fourth
Music Legend Stevie Wonder to Be Honored With National Artistic Achievement Award Live on PBS' a Capitol Fourth
To: National Desk, Entertainment Reporter, Photo Editor
Contact: Kristina Hallman, 202-537-5199 or khallman@starpower.net, Press website: http://www.pbs.org/pressroom, Ross Moonie, 917-690-5713 or rmoonie@gmail.com, Karen Baratz, 240-497-1811 or kbaratz@comcast.net
News Advisory:
-- Music Legend Stevie Wonder to Be Honored With National Artistic Achievement Award Live on PBS' a Capitol Fourth
-- America's National Independence Day Concert, Hosted by Jason Alexander, Features Cuba Gooding, Jr., Vanessa Williams, Michael Bolton, Sesame Street's Elmo, Jo Dee Messina and JoJo With the National Symphony Orchestra -
Multi-Grammy award winning musician and Motown legend Stevie Wonder will be presented with the National Artistic Achievement Award live on America's premier Independence Day holiday concert – the PBS extravaganza A Capitol Fourth 2006. The award will be presented by Academy award-winning actor Cuba Gooding, Jr., in recognition of Wonder's dedication to the arts and his contribution to enriching the national legacy of the performing arts. Offering an unrivaled evening of patriotic and uplifting music followed by a spectacular display of fireworks over the Washington Monument, the multi-award winning A Capitol Fourth 2006 will be broadcast live on PBS from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, July 4, 2006 from 8 to 9:30 p.m. ET (check local listings). This is only the third time the National Artistic Achievement Award has been presented. The first recipient was John Williams who was honored for his incomparable film scores; followed by husband and wife duo Gloria and Emilio Estefan in 2005. In addition to receiving the award, Wonder will perform a medley of his best-known hits showcasing the trademark sound that has made him a musical legend. One of the most prolific artists in music history, Wonder has delivered 35 U.S. albums with sales totaling more than 72 million units. He has scored more than 30 Top Ten Hits, 11 number one pop singles, winning 19 Grammy's and a Lifetime Achievement Grammy plus Billboard's 2004 Century Award. "We are honored to present Stevie Wonder, one of America's finest musical artists, with the National Artistic Achievement Award live at the U.S. Capitol in tribute to his remarkable 40- plus year career," said Jerry Colbert, the founder and executive producer of A Capitol Fourth. "From Motown prodigy to musical innovator, Wonder's songwriting legacy continues to bring joy to multiple generations of music fans." Hosted for the first time by Jason Alexander, the seven-time Emmy nominee, A Capitol Fourth will feature performances from some of the country's best known and award-winning musical artists including international superstar Michael Bolton; Sesame Street's Elmo who will join dazzling singer and actress Vanessa Williams for a patriotic medley; teen sensation JoJo; and multi- platinum country recording artist Jo Dee Messina performing with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Erich Kunzel. Capping off the show will be a rousing rendition of Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" complete with live cannon fire provided by the United States Army Presidential Salute Battery, an audience favorite and now A Capitol Fourth tradition. A Capitol Fourth can also be heard live in stereo over National Public Radio and is broadcast by American Forces Network to U.S. Armed Forces, Department of Defense civilian employees and their families stationed overseas in 176 countries and territories and aboard more than 200 U.S. Navy ships at sea. The program is viewed by millions at home and attended by more than half a million people at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. For A Capitol Fourth executive producer Jerry Colbert has lined up a production team that features the top Hollywood talent behind some of television's most prestigious entertainment awards shows. This includes Emmy award-winning producer Walter Miller, America's leading director and producer of live programs including the Grammy Awards and Country Music Awards; award- winning director Paul Miller whose credits include the Country Music Awards and Tony Awards, and Saturday Night Live; writer Jon Macks, whose credits include the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the Academy Awards and the Emmy Awards. The program is a co- production of Jerry Colbert of Capital Concerts and WETA, Washington, D.C. For more than two decades, Capital Concerts has produced the nation's two premier patriotic events at the U.S. Capitol. In 1981, Colbert presented the first PBS Fourth of July telecast with the National Symphony Orchestra and guest artists performing live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. In 1990, he introduced the National Memorial Day Concert. Since then, both holiday specials have become among the highest-rated performance programs on PBS. The programs have been honored with the New York Film Festival Award, the Telly Award, the Golden Cine Award, the Videographer Award, the National Education Association Award, the Christopher Award, the Communicator's Award, the AXIEM Award and the Omni Award. A Capitol Fourth 2006 is made possible by grants from Lockheed Martin Corporation, the National Park Service, the Department of the Army, National Endowment for the Arts, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PBS and public television stations nationwide. Air travel is provided by American Airlines. ------ PHOTO AVAILABLE: A high-resolution, publication-quality photo supporting this story is available for free editorial use at http://www.wirepix.com/newsphotos
http://www.usnewswire.com/
To: National Desk, Entertainment Reporter, Photo Editor
Contact: Kristina Hallman, 202-537-5199 or khallman@starpower.net, Press website: http://www.pbs.org/pressroom, Ross Moonie, 917-690-5713 or rmoonie@gmail.com, Karen Baratz, 240-497-1811 or kbaratz@comcast.net
News Advisory:
-- Music Legend Stevie Wonder to Be Honored With National Artistic Achievement Award Live on PBS' a Capitol Fourth
-- America's National Independence Day Concert, Hosted by Jason Alexander, Features Cuba Gooding, Jr., Vanessa Williams, Michael Bolton, Sesame Street's Elmo, Jo Dee Messina and JoJo With the National Symphony Orchestra -
Multi-Grammy award winning musician and Motown legend Stevie Wonder will be presented with the National Artistic Achievement Award live on America's premier Independence Day holiday concert – the PBS extravaganza A Capitol Fourth 2006. The award will be presented by Academy award-winning actor Cuba Gooding, Jr., in recognition of Wonder's dedication to the arts and his contribution to enriching the national legacy of the performing arts. Offering an unrivaled evening of patriotic and uplifting music followed by a spectacular display of fireworks over the Washington Monument, the multi-award winning A Capitol Fourth 2006 will be broadcast live on PBS from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, July 4, 2006 from 8 to 9:30 p.m. ET (check local listings). This is only the third time the National Artistic Achievement Award has been presented. The first recipient was John Williams who was honored for his incomparable film scores; followed by husband and wife duo Gloria and Emilio Estefan in 2005. In addition to receiving the award, Wonder will perform a medley of his best-known hits showcasing the trademark sound that has made him a musical legend. One of the most prolific artists in music history, Wonder has delivered 35 U.S. albums with sales totaling more than 72 million units. He has scored more than 30 Top Ten Hits, 11 number one pop singles, winning 19 Grammy's and a Lifetime Achievement Grammy plus Billboard's 2004 Century Award. "We are honored to present Stevie Wonder, one of America's finest musical artists, with the National Artistic Achievement Award live at the U.S. Capitol in tribute to his remarkable 40- plus year career," said Jerry Colbert, the founder and executive producer of A Capitol Fourth. "From Motown prodigy to musical innovator, Wonder's songwriting legacy continues to bring joy to multiple generations of music fans." Hosted for the first time by Jason Alexander, the seven-time Emmy nominee, A Capitol Fourth will feature performances from some of the country's best known and award-winning musical artists including international superstar Michael Bolton; Sesame Street's Elmo who will join dazzling singer and actress Vanessa Williams for a patriotic medley; teen sensation JoJo; and multi- platinum country recording artist Jo Dee Messina performing with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Erich Kunzel. Capping off the show will be a rousing rendition of Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" complete with live cannon fire provided by the United States Army Presidential Salute Battery, an audience favorite and now A Capitol Fourth tradition. A Capitol Fourth can also be heard live in stereo over National Public Radio and is broadcast by American Forces Network to U.S. Armed Forces, Department of Defense civilian employees and their families stationed overseas in 176 countries and territories and aboard more than 200 U.S. Navy ships at sea. The program is viewed by millions at home and attended by more than half a million people at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. For A Capitol Fourth executive producer Jerry Colbert has lined up a production team that features the top Hollywood talent behind some of television's most prestigious entertainment awards shows. This includes Emmy award-winning producer Walter Miller, America's leading director and producer of live programs including the Grammy Awards and Country Music Awards; award- winning director Paul Miller whose credits include the Country Music Awards and Tony Awards, and Saturday Night Live; writer Jon Macks, whose credits include the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the Academy Awards and the Emmy Awards. The program is a co- production of Jerry Colbert of Capital Concerts and WETA, Washington, D.C. For more than two decades, Capital Concerts has produced the nation's two premier patriotic events at the U.S. Capitol. In 1981, Colbert presented the first PBS Fourth of July telecast with the National Symphony Orchestra and guest artists performing live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. In 1990, he introduced the National Memorial Day Concert. Since then, both holiday specials have become among the highest-rated performance programs on PBS. The programs have been honored with the New York Film Festival Award, the Telly Award, the Golden Cine Award, the Videographer Award, the National Education Association Award, the Christopher Award, the Communicator's Award, the AXIEM Award and the Omni Award. A Capitol Fourth 2006 is made possible by grants from Lockheed Martin Corporation, the National Park Service, the Department of the Army, National Endowment for the Arts, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PBS and public television stations nationwide. Air travel is provided by American Airlines. ------ PHOTO AVAILABLE: A high-resolution, publication-quality photo supporting this story is available for free editorial use at http://www.wirepix.com/newsphotos
http://www.usnewswire.com/
Comments
Post a Comment