Los Angeles, CA (Top40 Charts/ Peavey) Blues music icon and 15-time GRAMMY Award winner B.B. King joined Peavey Electronics, The Recording Academy and the
State of Mississippi in celebrating the musical legacy of the "Birthplace of America's Music" at the annual Mississippi GRAMMY Legacy Celebration and Peavey Awards at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino on June 7 in Biloxi.
The Mississippi GRAMMY Legacy Celebration is a Recording Academy-sanctioned event that honors the musical heritage of Mississippi through performances by the state's many GRAMMY winners and nominees. According to The Recording Academy, Mississippi has produced more GRAMMY winners and nominees per capita than any other state.
"It's an honor for Peavey Electronics to be part of the rich musical legacy of Mississippi," said Hartley Peavey, founder of Meridian, Miss.-based Peavey Electronics, one of the music-products and pro audio industry's leading innovators and largest manufacturers.
"I was fortunate to hit my teenage years during the early days of rock & roll, and the music of artists like B.B. King inspired me to learn how to play guitar. In fact, it was a 1957 Bo Diddley concert that gave me the creative spark to build the first Peavey amplifier. The history of Peavey Electronics and the music of Mississippi-blues, country and rock & roll-are forever intertwined."
B.B. King received the prestigious Peavey Award during the celebration. Established in 2007, the Peavey Award is named for Hartley Peavey and honors those who have played a major role in creating and promoting Mississippi's musical heritage. Previous honorees include Jerry Lee Lewis, Marty Stuart, Brandy, Paul Overstreet, Mavis Staples, Charley Pride, Pinetop Perkins, The North Mississippi Allstars, James Burton and more.
Jon Hornyak, Senior Executive Director of The Recording Academy's Memphis Chapter commented, "The incredible musical influence of Mississippi artists is undeniable, and it is safe to suggest that virtually every GRAMMY nominee and winner has used Peavey products on stages and in studios during their careers."
The evening also saw performances by North Mississippi Allstars' Luther and Cody Dickinson, who performed as a duo; conductor Benjamin Wright, whose credits include work with Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Barry White and The Temptations; Jimbo Mathus; Shannon McNally; and Jay Dean and the Tropical World of Tango.
Proceeds from the event benefit the Mississippi Blues Commission to support the Mississippi Blues Trail project. To date, the commission has placed more than 100 interpretive markers at notable historical sites to explain the significance, history and growth of blues music.
Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and First Lady Marsha Barbour hosted the event, while actress Joey Lauren Adams, star of hit movies Big Daddy, Dazed and Confused and The Break-Up, served as emcee.
