For immediate release:
Thursday April 7, 2002
Contact: Gloria Powers, Executive Director

Join us, and sit among the stars, have a great dinner, and enjoy an open bar and NINE live performances by the top talents in New Orleans. The doors open at 6 pm in the Grand Ballroom of Hilton's New Orleans Riverside on Monday evening April 22, 2002. Get there early, the dinner buffet begins a 6:30 pm, the awards gala promptly at 7 pm.

Sam Butera is flying in for the night to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award in Music. A special award is being given to Clarence "Frogman" Henry (Music Heritage Award), Loyola's Fr. Ernest Ferlita will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award in Theatre, and Mayor Elect Ray Nagin of media sponsor Cox Communications, will give out the Entertainer of the Year award to Nicholas Payton.

The live entertainment is great! Unusual combinations you will ONLY see at this event. Chris Thomas King with Spencer Bohren, Phillip Manuel performing with the top three nominated female artists, Topsy Chapman, Teedy Boutte, and Leah Chase, a hot rock number by Supagroup, along with a very special Tribute To Sam Butera.

The incomparable Becky Allen is featured in a number from the nominated musical Nighttime Naughties, the cast of Le Petit Theatre's production of George M, with the coup de resistance being Flynn de Marco performing from Hedwig & The Angry Inch. Plus other surprises! A don't miss show!

Vance De Generes and Harry Shearer provide the humor as Masters of Ceremonies. Local celebrity favorites give out the awards. Honorary Chairmen Kidd Jordan and Al Salzer are joined by Aaron Neville, Irma Thomas, Theresa Andersson, WWOZ's Mike Gourrier, Wanda Rouzan, John Jay, Liz Argus, Cox's Louisiana Jukebox star Nikki Reyes, Karen Hebert, Louisiana Music Commission Executive Director Bernie Cyrus, NARAS (the Grammy folks) Exec. Dir. Jon Hornyak, Le Chat Noir's Barbara Motley, Neighborhood Gallery's Sandra Berry, Le Petit Theatre Director and Orpheus Krewe Captain Sonny Borey, Gambit Editor Michael Tisserand, Sam Butera & Louis Prima's ex manager restaurateur (1179 Annunciation), the new House of Blues GM Dan Smith, previous winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award in Theatre Lyla Hay Owen, and Kelder Summers of radio sponsor 102.9 Old School.

Gambit Publishers Margo and Clancy DuBos will give this year's Business Recognition Award to Sandy Shilstone and Lenwood Sloan for the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation's Louisiana Living History Project that puts historic characters in authentic costumes in the French Quarter each Christmas season.

The awards gala at the Hilton ends with the Lil Rascals Brass Band leading the audience to Harrah's for a Celebration Bash in their Mansion Ballroom with live music to dance to by Kermit Ruffins!

Such a night! Come hang with the New Orleans stars! Join us to celebrate the wonderful performers of our city. Remember, proceeds support the Foundation for Entertainment Development & Education funding projects that nurture the future talent of New Orleans.

This year's gala is brought to you by media sponsors Gambit Communications, Cox Communications, Cable Rep Advertsing, and 102.9 Old School Radio. Sponsors include Absolut, John Jay, Ccs Coffee, Adler's, and Abita Beer.

Tickets $125 each include reserved seating at the Hilton, dinner buffet, open bar and admission to Harrah's Celebration Bash after the awards. A limited number of Tables for Ten are available for $1,000. Major credit cards accepted.

MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES
for accomplishment in calendar year 2001

TRADITIONAL JAZZ
Doreen Ketchens
Tom McDermott
Dr. Michael White

COMTEMPORARY JAZZ
Donald Harrison, Jr.
Los Hombres Calientes
Nicholas Payton

TRADITIONAL BRASS
Olympia Brass Band
Storyville Stompers
Treme Brass Band

CONTEMPORARY BRASS
Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Lil’ Rascals Brass Band
ReBirth Brass Band

GOSPEL CHOIR
Beacon Light Baptist Church Choir
Franklin Avenue Baptist Church Mass Choir
Greater St. Stephens Full Gospel Baptist Church Choir

GOSPEL GROUP/INDIVIDUAL
Paulette Wright Davis
One-A-Chord
Trin-i-Tee 5:7

FUNK
funky Meters
Galactic
Papa Grows Funk

R & B
Eddie Bo
Dr. John
James Rivers

RAP/HIP-HOP
Lil’ Romeo
Mystikal
UNLV

BLUES
Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown
Henry Gray
Chris Thomas King

ROCK
Daydreams & Curry
Morning 40 Federation
Supagroup

ROOTS ROCK
Bluerunners
Egg Yolk Jubilee
Anders Osborne

ZYDECO
Sean Ardoin
Buckwheat Zydeco
Rosie Ledet

CAJUN
BeauSoleil
Bruce Daigrepont
Steve Riley

COUNTRY/FOLK
Spencer Bohren
Jim McCormick
New Orleans Klezmer Allstars

LATIN
Los Babies
Los Vecinos
Fredy Omar

WORLD/REGGAE
Bamboula 2000
Revealers
Zion

MALE
Dr. John
Chris Thomas King
Phillip Manuel
Kermit Ruffins

FEMALE
Topsy Chapman
Leah Chase
Sista Teedy

EMERGING GROUP
Rob Wagner Trio
Matt Lemmler
Joe Stark

BEST ALBUM 

Bluerunners - Le Grand Bleu
Louisiana Red Hot Records - produced by Mark Meaux
recorded at La Louisianne Studios

Dr. John - Creole Moon
EMI-Blue Note Records - produced by Mac Rebennack
recorded at Dockside Studios

Los Hombres Calientes – Vol.3: New Congo Square
Basin Street Records - produced by Delfeayo Marsalis, Irvin Mayfield, Bill Summers
recorded at Mama Yvette Studios, UltraSonic Studios, Adbala Studios,
African Symbol Studio, and the streets of the Dominican Republic

Papa Grows Funk – Doin’ It
Independent - produced by Tracey Freeman
recorded at UltraSonic Studios