Marlton, NJ (Top40 Charts/ Jaybird Communications) NARM, the music business association, announced today that it will honor the legendary producer-songwriter duo Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff with the 2011 Outstanding Achievement Award for Musical Collaboration. The presentation will take place during the Awards Dinner Finale at NARM's 53rd Annual Convention on
Thursday evening, May 12 at the Los Angeles Hyatt Regency Century Plaza.
"This year marks the 40th anniversary of Gamble and Huff's iconic Philadelphia International Records label, and next year will be the 50th anniversary of their incredible musical partnership," said Jim Donio, NARM President. "There seemed no better time to honor these two creative visionaries, who brought the world countless songs and sounds that defined a generation."
Recognized by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) with the Trustees Award in 1999 and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008 as the first recipients of the then newly-created Ahmet Ertegun Award, the world-renowned pioneering music impresarios created "The Sound of Philadelphia," one of the most enduring brands of Soul music anywhere. They created a massive catalog of 3,000 songs together, including Pop and R&B No. 1 hits, 100 gold and platinum records, GRAMMY winners and BMI songwriters' award nominees. They have recorded with a galaxy of stars including Michael Jackson and The Jacksons, Elton John, Lou Rawls, Teddy Pendergrass, Patti LaBelle, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Aretha Franklin, the Spinners, the Stylistics, the Delfonics, Dusty Springfield, Jerry Butler, Wilson Pickett, Laura Nyro, and many, many more. Their classic songs such as "Love Train," "Me & Mrs. Jones" and "If You Don't Know Me by Now" have been covered by no less than Elvis Presley and the Rolling Stones, among thousands of artists.
Past recipients of the NARM Outstanding Achievement Award for Musical Collaboration are Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson (2009) and Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller (2010).
All registrants of the 2011 NARM Convention are invited to attend the Awards Dinner Finale. Other honorees at the event will include American Idol with an Outstanding Achievement Award celebrating the show's 10th season; John Marmaduke, Chairman of the Board, President & CEO of Hastings Entertainment with the Presidential Award for Sustained Executive Achievement; and Rachelle and Joe Friedman, founders of New York retail icon J&R Music & Computer World, with the Independent Spirit Award. Additional award recipients will be announced in the coming weeks.
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