SANTA MONICA, CA (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Seventeen-time Grammy winner Aretha Franklin will be honored at the 2008 MusiCares Person of the Year dinner and concert, MusiCares Foundation and Recording Academy President Neil Portnow announced today. Proceeds from the annual Grammy week gala, to be held Friday, February 8, 2008, in Los Angeles, provide essential support for the MusiCares Foundation.
Franklin is already the recipient of a 2005 Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a Grammy Living Legend Award and numerous other honors and accolades. The legendary diva will now be honored for her artistic achievements as well as her philanthropic efforts, which include Save the Children, Easter Seals and various churches and food banks in the Detroit metropolitan area.
“As we celebrate the milestones of 50 years for The Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Awards, it is most fitting that we honor one of the most influential and legendary talents in music – the incomparable Aretha Franklin,” said Portnow in a statement.
The evening will begin with a special reception and silent auction that will offer an unparalleled range of luxury items, VIP experiences and unique memorabilia. The auction will be followed by a gala dinner, an award presentation and a star-studded tribute concert. The event is being chaired by Clive Davis, Berry Gordy and The Recording Academy's 50th Celebration Ambassador Quincy Jones. The MusiCares Person of the Year tribute dinner is one of the most prestigious events held during GRAMMY Week, a celebration that culminates with the 50th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 10, 2008, from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles. The telecast will be broadcast on the CBS Television Network at 8 p.m. ET/PT. –by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
