Star-Studded Tributes, Performances Benefit United Negro College Fund
WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- For more than four decades, Patti LaBelle has thrilled millions worldwide with her exquisite performances and unique talents in music, television, movies and publishing. Black Entertainment Television (BET) has honored Ms. LaBelle with the bestowing of its 2001 BET Walk of Fame Award. Ms. LaBelle joins previous honorees Michael Jackson (1995), Whitney Houston (1996), Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds (1997), Boyz II Men (1998), Diana Ross (1999) and Luther Vandross (2000) as the recipient of this prestigious honor. The SEVENTH ANNUAL BET WALK OF FAME special, taped October 20 at BET's Washington headquarters, premieres Tuesday, October 30 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. A Walk of Fame Post Show wrap-up telecast will follow at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT.
(Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20011025/DCTH082 )
With a "who's who" from the world of R&B music joining in the celebration, Ms. LaBelle is honored in a night of tribute and reflection co-produced by BET with famed Grammy Awards producers Cossette Productions. Featured artists at the 2001 special include a hot mix of new talent along with tried and true veterans -- Luther Vandross, Jill Scott, Brian McKnight, Faith Evans, City High, Musiq Soulchild, India.Arie and Gerald Levert. Highlighting the evening is a reunion performance of Ms. LaBelle and the former members of Labelle, Sarah Dash and Nona Hendryx, and a surprise appearance by Mariah Carey. The gala benefits The College Fund/UNCF (United Negro College Fund) and to date has raised more than $1.5 million for the organization.
"Patti LaBelle is truly one of the most anointed, talented and versatile entertainers in the music industry," said Debra Lee, President and Chief Operating Officer of BET. "Each year, we are privileged to honor a different icon with a thrilling televised special, produced here at our corporate headquarters. As we proudly welcome Patti LaBelle into BET's Walk of Fame, we are equally excited about the list of celebrities and talented artists that made this year's special celebration so exciting."
LaBelle's adoring fans, peers and the media were first introduced to her potent performance style in 1961 when she led The Bluebells to a platinum selling hit with "I Sold My Heart To The Junkman." Since then, the Philadelphia native has been a record chart staple through a multitude of hits with the trio, LaBelle, and later as a stunning solo artist with over thirty charted singles.
With two Grammy awards, seven NAACP Image Awards, three Emmy nominations, two American Music Awards, the 1997 Soul Train Lifetime Achievement Award and two best-selling books, Ms. LaBelle has proven her versatility in entertaining audiences. An active humanitarian, she has served as a spokesperson for the American Diabetes Association, the National Minority AIDS Council and the National Cancer Institute. Her foundation, the Patti LaBelle Medical Education Scholarship Fund, is administered through the National Medical Association. A mother of three sons and two children of her late sister Jackie, Ms. LaBelle's life has been filled with triumph and challenges, making her accomplishments even more special.
ABOUT THE BET WALK OF FAME AWARD
The BET Walk of Fame Award honorees are saluted at an annual awards gala benefiting The College Fund/UNCF. Following the awards ceremony, the honoree is enshrined with a plaque installed on the network's "Walk of Fame," located in front of BET's corporate headquarters in Washington, DC. The Walk of Fame galas have generated more than $1.5 million for The College Fund/UNCF, with more than $350,000 raised in 2001.
ABOUT BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION
Black Entertainment Television (BET), a subsidiary of Viacom, is the nation's leading 24-hour television network providing quality programming targeted toward the African-American audience. BET reaches more than 70.2 million households according to Nielsen media research.
NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20011025/DCTH082SOURCE: Black Entertainment Television
Contact: Michael Lewellen, +1-202-608-2003, michael.lewellen@bet.net, or
Greg King, +1-202-608-2373, gregory.king@bet.net, both of Black Entertainment
Television; or Bobbi Marcus, +1-310-889-9200, BMarcusPR@aol.com, for Black
Entertainment Television
Website: http://www.bet.com/