Gospel songbird, CeCe Winans, finds herself in the spotlight all this week as she prepares for two major events in two different states. The festivities starts off with a night of celebration honoring gospel icons, Edwin and Walter Hawkins, Sandy Patti and her four brothers who paved the way for an entire family to follow, The Winans. The 2008 Grammy Salute to Gospel Music will take place on Wednesday, June 18 at the Lincoln Theater in Washington, DC. One of the younger siblings of ten offsprings, Winans will be on hand as a presenter and applauder as and they gather in the State's capitol to pay tribute to some of Gospel 's finest. . Other guests includes: Richard Smallwood, Rance Allen, Patti LaBelle, Avalon, Kim Burrell, Natalie Grant, Maurette Brown Clark and Martha Munizzi will serve as the evening's host. All performances will be under the musical direction of GRAMMY-winning producer, Donald Lawrence. For more details regarding ticket availability log on to www.grammy.com , email ticketing@grammy.com or call (310) 314-8281. Saturday, June 21st, Winans will head to Atlanta to share the stage with soulful and pop icons Chaka Khan, Dionne Warwick, Queen Latifah, Patti Austin , Yolanda Adams ,Ann Nesby, Paris Bennett and others. The two-hour musical event entitled, "Songs of Soul and Inspiration" is directed by Golden Globe, Emmy and Tony award-winning producer and choreographer Debbie Allen- as part of AARP's 50th anniversary celebration. The gathering of some of the top pop. gospel, rhythm & blues, and soul singers will honor the musicals legacy of the African American church and the extraordinary voices that flowed from it into the worlds of popular music and film. For more information about event and/or to purchase tickets log on to www.aarp.org/50th and www.ticketmaster.com\aarp
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THE RECORDING ACADEMY® CELEBRATES GOSPEL ICONS EDWIN AND WALTER HAWKINS, SANDY PATTI AND THE WINANS AT 2008 GRAMMY SALUTE TO GOSPEL MUSIC® Event Sponsors SANTA MONICA, CA (April 15, 2008) -GRAMMY® winning artists Edwin and Walter Hawkins, five-time GRAMMY winner Sandi Patty, and five-time GRAMMY-winning group the Winans, will be recipients of the President's Merit Award at the 2008 GRAMMY Salute To Gospel Music® event in Washington, D.C., it was announced today by The Recording Academy®. In continuing with its tradition of honoring artistic excellence, The Recording Academy will spotlight the genre by celebrating members of the gospel community during the event, which will be held on Wed., June 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the historic Lincoln Theatre in Washington, D.C. The event will include performances from gospel, contemporary Christian and contemporary artists under the music direction of GRAMMY-winning producer Donald Lawrence. The President's Merit Award recognizes the contributions that key individuals have made in the music industry and the impact their efforts have had on music and the business of music. The award is an opportunity for The Recording Academy to acknowledge and honor the contributions of these outstanding individuals. The GRAMMY Salute To Gospel Music event began in 2004 during GRAMMY Week to honor those who have made significant contributions to gospel music, while supporting the history and cultural impact of the genre. Past honorees include Shirley Caesar, Andraé Crouch, Bill and Gloria Gaither, Bill Hearn, Billy Ray Hearn, Richard Smallwood, Albertina Walker, the Clark Sisters, Dr. Bobby Jones and Michael W. Smith
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