Ans
May-14-2007, 16:34 GMT
IP:
Netherlands
 | An article about the event:
http://www.wearefamilyfoundation.org/PDFs/PR_PostB
enefit07.pdf
And from Fox news April 24, 2007:
Paul Simon Accepts Award, Asks for Presenter
Paul Simon, in rare form, accepted an award last night from the We Are Family Foundation. Then he asked if the blond presenter came with it, too.
The answer was no. But Simon´s unscripted comment did get laughs at the Hammerstein Ballroom, where he was honored along with Dionne Warwick and Mercantile Exchange´s Richard Schaeffer.
Among the other guests and presenters were Tony Bennett, Katie Couric, Clive Davis and Micky Dolenz of the Monkees. Couric told the crowd that she was so excited about Dolenz being there she had downloaded the Monkees´ hit "Daydream Believer" the night before.
We Are Family Foundation was started in September 2001 by Nile Rodgers, the famous music producer and leader of Chic, and Nancy Hunt.
Since then, they have raised millions of dollars and built schools in South Africa and South America. It´s pretty impressive stuff. Last night, they raised more than $1 million.
Of course, the annual fundraiser is all about music. Dionne Warwick was in fine voice. She sang "I´ll Never Love This Way Again" and "What the World Needs Now" with such gusto that her lasso-like tremolo easily overcame the hall´s shaky acoustics.
She also performed "That´s What Friends Are For" with her ever-talented 12-year-Old granddaughter, Cheyenne Elliott.
That girl, whom I have written about before, just gets better and better. Warwick also brought along her sister, the great R&B singer Dee Dee Warwick, who scored many hits in the 1960s.
Paul Simon, though, stole the show with renditions of "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover," "Late In The Evening" and "You Can Call Me Al." He was backed by his own band plus Rodgers and Chic. Not bad.
Afterward, Chic turned the night into a dance party with "Le Freak," "Good Times" and "We Are Family."
Through it all, Clive Davis ` who came to present Warwick with her award, but also worked with Simon 40 years ago ` stayed and enjoyed the music.
This is kind of amazing, since I have been to shows lately where the execs from labels don´t come at all to support their talent. Davis really is the last of his kind. |
