On Sunday December 2, 2001, the Kennedy Center will celebrate the careers of
five performing arts legends at the annual gala event, the Kennedy Center
Honors. Recipients to be honored at this 24th annual black-tie affair are:
music producer and composer Quincy Jones, actress Julie Andrews, pianist Van
Cliburn, actor Jack Nicholson and singer Luciano Pavarotti.
Quincy Jones has had a dazzling career as a musician, arranger, composer,
conductor, producer, publisher, and media mogul. In fact he has found success
in every genre of American popular music.
Jones grew up poor on Chicago's South Side and was raised by his father after
his mentally ill mother was hospitalized. Music, he says, saved his life. He
began playing the piano at a recreation center and while still a teenager,
played backup with Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington and toured with Lionel
Hampton and Count Basie.
He went on to make a name for himself in Hollywood, scoring film and TV hits
such as "In Cold Blood" and "Ironside," co-producing and scoring the film
"The Color Purple" with Steven Spielberg, and discovering the acting talent
of Oprah Winfrey. His legendary accomplishments in the recording studio have
earned him 77 Grammy nominations-and 26 Grammy Awards! His career also
includes arranging for Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, and Sarah Vaughan; teaming
with Michael Jackson to make the best-selling album "Thriller;" and producing
the 1993 Presidential Inauguration and the 1996 Academy Awards show.
The upcoming PBS documentary "American Masters: Quincy," premieres on
November *****. You can also learn more about the man and his music in his
new book, "Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones," along with the CD boxed set
"Q: The Musical Biography of Quincy Jones" (Rhino Records).
The Honors Gala, which will include attendance by the President and the First
Lady, will be broadcast on CBS at 9 p.m. EST on December 26, 2001. To comment on this or any other story email editor@metroconnection.info. |