Friday, Aug. 15, 2008 | 10:33 a.m.
Some of Las Vegas’ most outstanding performers, musicians and producers will be honored Saturday night at the third annual Las Vegas Black Music Awards.
Rick Warren, president and founder of the BMA show, says the gala affair will be like “attending the Dove Awards and the Grammy's in one night. The only difference is that we are honoring the stars of Las Vegas, America's entertainment capital of the world. These are the people who have earned Vegas' this coveted title."
Among the many guests, celebrities and local honorees will be singer Jeffrey Osborne, who will receive the Las Vegas Black Music Hall of Fame Award. Joining Osborne as recipients of the award will be The Manhattans and the Dells, both internationally known recording groups.
Awards will be given in more than a dozen categories, among them gospel, jazz, blues, R&B, hip hop, spoken word, and stage performance.
The Entertainer of the Year finalists are Darcus, Marc "Treasure" Brown, Jason Tenner, Paris Red, Phil Flowers, T Fox & Fox City Revue, Dwayne McCoy and the Gastons. More than 100 performers are in the running for the awards, including Ronnie Foster, Woody Woods, David Van Such, Skip Martin, Ronnie Rather, Ron Brown, Ronnie Rose, Paul Stubblefield and Genevieve. A complete list of nominees is attached to this blog.
"If you were to take all the stars we have in Las Vegas and place them on stage at one time, you would have the greatest assemblage of talent anywhere in the world," says Warren says.
A special tribute will be given to Jackie Wilson, who will receive the posthumous award of honor. The BMA will also give a special award to Darcus, who will be named as the official "Las Vegas' First Lady Of Soul."
"All these people are a testament to the great heritage of black music in America,” says Warren.
The BMA also has chapers in Oakland/San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles, and similar ceremonies are held in those cities each year.
Details: Third Annual Black Music Awards; Saturday night, red carpet at 7 p.m., award ceremony at 8 p.m. ; Cashman Theater, 850 N. Las Vegas Blvd.; $20 to $65; 574-3811 or go to americanblackmusicawards.com
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