Los Angeles, CA. (Top40 Charts/ Recording Academy) - WHO: Artist/Creative Participants include: Current GRAMMY nominees Akon,
Howard Benson, Vikter Duplaix,
Glen Hansard and Marketa Inglova (Once), Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Tank, Trin-I-Tee 5:7 and The
Underdogs (Harvey
Mason Jr. and Damon Thomas). Additional participants include GRAMMY winners Lamont Dozier, Keb' Mo,' BoyzIIMen, Hugh Brown, Bob Carpenter (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band), Steve Vai and Allee Willis as well as past GRAMMY nominees Greg Adams, Stephen Bray, Dave Koz, Jennifer Pena,
Brenda Russell and Christian Scott. Joining the day are principal actor Jeannette Bayardelle ("The
Color Purple"), "American Idol" winner and Jive recording artist
Jordin Sparks and Swishahouse recording artist Paul Wall.
Industry Professionals include: Producer and radio personality Jason Bentley; Executive Vice President and Head of A&R, Concord Records, John Burk; Guns N' Roses and Aerosmith Producer Mike Clink; music supervisor Maureen Crowe; Vice President Business Affairs, A&R Administration/Sr. Business Executive Tanya Greig; Music Director Rob Lewis; Sr. Vice President, Film Music, Fox Music Mike Knobloch; Billboard Sr. Editor, R&B/Hip-Hop Gail Mitchell; Music Supervisor Becky Mancuso-Winding; Electronic Arts Worldwide Executive of Music and GRAMMY Foundation Board Chair Steve Schnur and Universal Music Publishing Creative Affairs Executive Vice President and LA Chapter President Tom Sturges.
In a new partnership, a team from Starkey Hearing Foundation, led by its founder, Bill Austin will join GRAMMY Career Day at USC. During Career Day, Starkey Hearing Foundation will donate approximately 300 hearing instruments with a retail value of more than $900,000 to an estimated 150 Los Angeles area children with hearing loss. Several members of the 2008 Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles will join two-time GRAMMY winner Kenny Loggins and actors Lou Ferrigno, Marlee Matlin and Kevin Sorbo to assist in the process of fitting these children with the devices during the "Hearing Mission." At the Ensembles' 1 p.m. concert, some of these children will join GRAMMY Career Day students and have a chance to hear music in a new and wonderful way.
WHAT: Top music industry professionals discuss the realities of the music business and careers in music with more than 800 Los Angeles area high school students at GRAMMY Career Day, an initiative of the GRAMMY in the Schools® program, sponsored by Gibson Foundation. GRAMMY Career Day conducts a variety of workshops focusing on various fields in the music industry, utilizing the entire USC campus.
WHERE: University of Southern California Los Angeles, Calif. 90089
WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 7, 2008, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
7:30 a.m. Press Check-In (The Vineyard Room at Davidson Conference Center)
8 a.m. Press Reception and Welcome
9:15 a.m. - 10:35 a.m. Career Workshops — Part 1 (Various Classrooms)
9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Starkey Hearing Mission, note celebrity one-on-ones begin at 11 a.m. (Founders Room, Galen Center)
10:45 a.m - 12:05 p.m. Career Workshops — Part 2 (Various Classrooms)
12:15 a.m.- 12:40 p.m. Lunch
12:50 a.m. - 1:45 p.m. Concerts
The Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Band
(Davidson Conference Center/Embassy Room)
The Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Combo and Choir
(Newman Auditorium)
USC Fusion Ensemble
(Booth Memorial Hall 100)
WHY: To encourage careers in the music business, GRAMMY Career Day provides high school students an opportunity to interact with music industry professionals in educational settings throughout the country.
The GRAMMY Foundation was established in 1989 to cultivate the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music to American culture — from the artistic and technical legends of the past to the still unimagined musical breakthroughs of future generations of music professionals. The Foundation accomplishes this mission through programs and activities that engage the music industry and cultural community as well as the general public. The Foundation works in partnership year-round with The Recording Academy to bring national attention to important issues such as the value and impact of music and arts education and the urgency of preserving our rich cultural heritage. For more information, please visit www.grammyintheschools.com.
Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. In its 50th year, The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com.
Gibson Foundation is the philanthropic division of Gibson Guitar Corp., the world's premiere musical instrument manufacturer and leader in music technology. The mission of Gibson Foundation is to make the world a better place for children by creating, developing and implementing programs as well as through its support of other nonprofit organizations that advance education, music and the arts, the environment and health and welfare causes. For more information please visit www.gibsonfoundation.org.
Since 1973, Starkey has been giving the gift of hearing to the world's underprivileged - especially children - through its internationally recognized mission program and its domestic program, Hear Now. With a mission to promote hearing health awareness and education, provide hearing instruments and personal listening devices to people in need, and to support and conduct research and education in hearing breakthroughs and technologies, the foundation has provided more than 50,000 hearing instruments over the last 12 months, both domestically and abroad. Since 2000, more than 240,000 hearing instruments have been distributed to persons in need worldwide. Please visit www.sotheworldmayhear.org to learn more.
