Big Boy, Troy Carter make music history, living legends honorees

The Living Legends Foundation,^® Inc. 19^th Annual Awards Dinner and Gala Is Huge Success with Strong Celebrity and Music Industry Turnout

City of Los Angeles City Council Honors the LLF and its Honorees

On Friday, October 9, 2015 the Living Legends Foundation,® Inc. (LLF) held its 19th Living Legends Awards Dinner and Gala at the Taglyan Cultural Complex in Hollywood.

This year’s gala honored eleven distinguished individuals and one radio broadcast company. The Living Legends Foundation’s officers, board and advisory board members presented to the following honorees.

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Ruben Rodriguez, CEO of Ruben Rodriguez Entertainment, presented by board member Miller London.
• Chairman’s Award: Kendall Minter, Esq., CEO of Minter & Associates, LLC, presented by LLF Chairman David Linton.
• Entrepreneur Award: Troy Carter, CEO and founder of Atom Factory, presented by Jon Platt, recently named the new CEO of Warner Chappell Music Publishing Company.
• Music Label Executive Award: Jeffrey Harleston, general counsel and executive vice-president of Universal Music Group, presented by Motown Records’ president Ethiopia Habtemariam.
• Gospel Music Executive Award (new award): Vicki Mack Lataillade and Claude Lataillade, founders of Gospo Centric and B-Rite Music, who were called away on a missionary trip to Haiti; their award was accepted by their daughter, Shamael Lataillade, presented by the host, “Jammin” Jay Michaels.
• Vanguard Award: Dr. Logan H. Westbrooks, author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, for his humanitarian efforts, presented by Brenda Andrews.
• Entertainment Advocate Award: James Leach, vice president of Writer/Publisher Relations, SESAC, presented by Marcus Grant.
• Media Award: Gwendolyn Quinn, founder and President of Gwendolyn Quinn Public Relations and founder of the African American Public Relations Collective (AAPRC), presented by Jacqueline “Jackie” Rhinehart.
• Jerry Boulding, Radio Executive/Personality Award: Big Boy, host of Big Boy in the Morning on Real 92.3 (Los Angeles’s KKRL-FM), presented by Tony Gray.
• Digital Visionary Award: Don Cody, CEO of Moses Media, by Kathi Moore.
• Broadcasting Icon Award: The Carter Broadcast Group and accepted by President Michael Carter, presented by Sam Weaver.

Cecelia Evans, co-founder of the LLF was presented with a surprise special award for her long-standing commitment and dedication to the organization.

This year’s chairpersons for the Living Legends Awards Dinner and Gala were Jon Platt and Brenda Andrews. The LLF and guests at the gala celebrated Platt’s historic appointment as Warner Chappell Music Publishing Company CEO. Pat Shields, Partner of Black Dot, served as event committee chairperson of the event.

Special guest performances included music by Motown recording artist Stacy Barthe, Hidden Beach’s Angie Fisher and Reed Shannon of the hit musical, Motown The Musical.” Singer/songwriter, Barthe performed an acoustic set featuring music from her debut album, BEcoming. Fisher performed her hit song, “I.R.S.,” which reached the Top 20 on Billboard’s R&B Songs chart. And newcomer Shannon, who starred as Michael Jackson in Motown The Musical production, opened the show with “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Veteran radio personality “Jammin” Jay Michaels served as host.

Several celebrities, VIPs and former honorees attended this year’s ceremony, including Robert “Kool” Bell of Kool & The Gang, actor Ro Brooks of the hit television series “The Haves and the Have Nots,” actress Paula Newsone of “NCIS,” Jay King of Club Nouveau, music industry executives Michael Mauldin and Herb Trawick, and national news anchor Rolonda Watts. Former honorees who attended include Brenda Andrews, Cecil Holmes, Larkin Arnold, George Daniels, Ernie Singleton, Doc Wynter, Skip Dillard, Lee Bailey, and Gail Mitchell.

On the morning of the awards dinner and gala, the City of Los Angeles’ City Council President Herb Wesson and City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson of the 8th District presented the Living Legends Foundation with a Certificate of Appreciation during the City of Los Angeles City Council Meeting in Van Nuys, CA. Councilmember Harris-Dawson, with the assistance of Dina Andrews, office manager/scheduler of the City Council office, spearheaded the efforts to honor the organization. All the LLF honorees received a Congratulatory Certificate. The presentation was made to the LLF founders Ray Harris and Cecelia Evans; Officers David Linton and Varnell Johnson; honorees Dr. Logan Westbrooks, Kendall Minter, and James Leach; and co-chairperson of this year’s gala, Brenda Andrews. Linton addressed the City Council thanking them for recognizing the importance and the impact the LLF has made in the music and entertainment industries internationally, nationally and in the City of Los Angeles. The other LLF honorees received their recognition at the evening awards gala.

Sponsors for the Living Legends included Warner Chappell Music, iHeart Media, SESAC, Universal Music Group, All Access Music Group and Logan Westbrooks. Complimentary tasting was provided by The Macallan Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Media partners included Café Mocha, EURWEB.com, Moses Media, Music Industry Quarterly, Radio Facts, The Urban Buzz and UGospel/Urban Roundup.

Gifting for the honorees and guests was provided by AARP, African Ancestry, All Access Music Group, ASCAP, Ascent Publishing, Atria Books, BE YOU, GURU, Beauty MARKED Cosmetics, BLINGED B B, Byron Lars Beauty Mark, Chaka’s Khana Sutra Candles, Chaka’s Papillon Fan, Chico’s, Cocotique, Concord Music Group, eOne Records, Fairweather Faces, Hachette Book Group, Hidden Beach Records, Hollywood Faces, Kendall Minter, Esq., KenyaMJ Music, Lyn Frances Millinery, Milk + Brookies, Motown Gospel, Motown Records, Music Industry Quarterly, On This Rock Jewelry, Positively Perfect, RCA Records, Rhino Records, SESAC, Sheila Gray, Simply Nia Design, The Macallan Single Malt Scotch Whisky, The Sitota Collection, Thompkins Marketing & Promotions, US Bank, Verve Records, and WeTV.

For additional information on the Living Legends Foundation, please visit www.livinglegendsfoundation.com.