The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) celebrated six acclaimed honorees and a foundational music label on August 18, 2016 in Nashville at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. Celebrate the Soul: Black Music Honors, NMAAM’s first branded show of this caliber, was a television taping co-hosted by GRAMMY award winner, Malcolm Jamal-Warner and GRAMMY nominated R&B Singer, Ledisi. The new program is designed to honor music legends in Music City through tribute and song.
This star-studded celebration honored music legends Pastor Shirley Caesar, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Big Daddy Kane, Dionne Warwick, Clarence Avant, and Stax Records. (See the photos from the Red Carpet on our People Page, page 8B.) WTVF, Nashville’s NewsChannel 5, has scheduled an airing of the program for Sunday, September 4 from 3-5pm. Other cable/satellite channels and BOUNCE TV will broadcast the program later in the fall.
A release by NMAAM said, “Presented by NMAAM and Central City Productions, Black Music Honors was held Thursday night in Nashville … this event was truly one for the books! Please make sure to follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for more images, updates and exclusives! As always, thank you for truly supporting NMAAM and our mission! And remember “My Music Matters!”
Look forward to this sequence as we watch the show as it airs: Hosts Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Ledisi will open the 2016 Black Music Honors. Christian comedian Akintunde will get the crowd laughing between sets. Big Daddy Kane, his wife Shawnette, and their son will watch enjoying a performance. Ledisi will perform her new single Bravo for the audience. Kathy Sledge of Sister Sledge will present honoree Dionne Warwick with her Lifetime Achievement Award. Kool Moe Dee and Chubb Rock will perform a tribute to Big Daddy Kane.
Music Director Big Jim Wright will present Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis with their Music Innovators award. Tina Campbell will perform Jesus, I Love Calling Your Name during her tribute to Pastor Shirley Caesar.
Clarence Avant will receive his award from longtime friend Eddie Levert. Al Bell and Lori Stewart, daughter of Jim Stewart,will accept the honor for STAX Records from NMAAM President & CEO, H. Beecher Hicks, III. The S.O.S. Band will give a tribute performance to Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Gerald Alston, Dennis Edwards and Eddie Levert will close out the show with a memorable performance.
The night was filled with live, tribute performances featuring GRAMMY winning recording artists Eddie Levert, Tina Campbell, Ann Nesby, Deborah Cox, and Andra Day as well as Chubb Rock, Cherelle, Gerald Alston and Stokley Williams. Legendary, GRAMMY winning groups, The Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards and The SOS Band also performed. Presenters included Kirk Franklin, “Big Jim” Wright, Monie Love, Kathy Sledge, Ethiopia Habtemaziam (president of urban music/co-head of creative at Universal Music Publishing) and H. Beecher Hicks, III (president and CEO of NMAAM), along with several others.”
To see more photos, click HERE.
