(Rendering courtesy of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City)
The following is a press release from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City:
This weekend was a celebration of American icons for Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City as it held a grand opening ceremony and guitar smash for its $6.2 million expansion and welcomed Willie Nelson, along with thousands of fans, as the opening act for the 2017 Battery Park Concert Series.
On June 9, in lieu of a traditional ribbon cutting ceremony, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City hosted a grand opening guitar smash for its $6.2 million, nearly 8,000 square feet expansion. The expansion includes 60 new slot machines, two blackjack tables, a private lounge and a feature bar called the Wine Bar, offering 125 different labels and 20 wines by the glass.
“Every time I walk into this new space I’m amazed by how beautiful it is,” said Todd Moyer, general manager of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City. “I am proud that we were able to use local contractors and craftsman to build such a great space. The feedback from our guests has been extraordinary.”
Lining the walls of the newest addition are icons of American music. The entrance to the new space is highlighted by full ensembles from Tom Petty and Jon Bon Jovi. Memorabilia from other American legends, including Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, SLASH and Willie Nelson, are prominently displayed on the walls of the newest gaming space.
Unique to the property’s memorabilia collection is custom artwork from artists Jay Bonadio and Adam Orr. Jay Bonadio is an Orlando-based artist who specializes in “Neo-Mosaic pop art” or what some may simple describe as shattered glass art. His most recent work, a portrayal of Bruce Springsteen, is now housed at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City. San Diego artist Adam Orr’s work displays deep saturated colors with a very glossy, highly textured surface. Three of Adam’s original art pieces now reside at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City, including a portrait of Willie Nelson.
“When looking for the quintessential artist to perform at our grand opening, Willie Nelson immediately came to mind. His performance this weekend to celebrate this new space and to kick off the 2017 Battery Park Concert Series is truly a dream realized,” said Moyer. “We are all very excited to have Willie and other American musical icons identify this new space. Their music so often focused on the celebration of American pride and continues to inspire generations. They uniquely give the room its special vibe.”
Just over 4,000 fans are expected to attend the June 10 Willie Nelson & Family concert, the official kickoff to the 2017 Battery Park Concert Series. Additional shows for the outdoor summer concert series include Journey with Asia (June 30), Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City’s Country Music Festival with Billy Currington, Chase Rice, Whiskey Myers, Michael Tyler & Filmore (July 22), Bret Michaels with Great White & Slaughter (July 28), Alanis Morissette (August 26) and Five Finger Death Punch (September 1).
The Monterey International Pop Festival took place June 16 to June 18, 1967, at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in Monterey, California. It was considered the first major all-star rock festival and paved the way for 1969’s iconic Woodstock Festival and countless other star-studded music festivals. Here is a summary of how the 50th anniversary of the Monterey International Pop Festival is being celebrated.
Movie
“Monterey Pop” (Photo courtesy of Janus Films)
Janis Joplin in “Monterey Pop” (Photo courtesy of Janus Films)
“Monterey Pop” director D.A. Pennebaker (Photo courtesy of Janus Films)
Otis Redding in “Monterey Pop” (Photo courtesy of Janus Films)
The Who lead singer Roger Daltrey in “Monterey Pop” (Photo courtesy of Janus Films)
Jimi Hendrix in “Monterey Pop” (Photo courtesy of Janus Films)
The 78-minute documentary film “Monterey Pop,” directed by D.A. Pennebaker and originally released in 1968, has been digitally restored and will get a limited re-release in cinemas on June 16, 2017. In New York City, the film will be re-release on June 14, 2017. Janus Films is distributing the re-released film. The new digital restoration was undertaken by the Criterion Collection with L’Imagine Ritrovata and Metropolis Post. The original 16mm A/B reversal was scanned in 16-bit 4K resolution. The restoration was supported and approved by Pennebaker, Chris Hedegus and Frazer Pennebaker. The soundtrack was remastered by Eddie Kramer from the original analog 8-track tapes produced by Lou Adler and John Phillips.
The following is a press release from the Monterey International Pop Festival Foundation:
Album
“Iconic Performances From The Monterey International Pop Festival” (Cover art courtesy of the Monterey International Pop Festival Foundation)
On June 9, 2017, the Monterey International Pop Festival Foundation released an anniversary edition CD / Digital Album, titled “Iconic Performances From The Monterey International Pop Festival”to celebrate Monterey International Pop Festival’s 50th anniversary. “Iconic Performances From The Monterey International Pop Festival” features previously unreleased performances by The Grateful Dead and Laura Nyro, as well as iconic performances of the festival by Jimi Hendrix, Otis Redding, Big Brother & The Holding Company featuring Janis Joplin, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Simon & Garfunkel, Buffalo Springfield, The Electric Flag, The Mamas & The Papas, and others. The album includes a new essay by NME journalist Keith Altham, who attended the festival in 1967, in addition to a reproduction of the original festival Artist pass, 16-page booklet, and a gold-foil package to mark the 50th anniversary of the festival.
Radio
On Beats 1, Apple Music’s global radio station, Lou Adler and Paul Tollett look ahead to the 50th anniversary of the Monterey International Pop Festival with Pharrell Williams and Scott Vener on OTHERtone. Tune in on Sunday, June 11, 2017, at 12pm PT/3pm ET at apple.co/beats1onair.
Beats 1 is also doing a 1-hour special, titled “Monterey Pop On Beats 1” which will be airing on June 15 at 7pm PT/10pm ET, June 16 at 6am PT/9am ET, and June 17 at 9pm PT/12am ET.
50th Anniversary Festival
Another Planet Entertainment, Goldenvoice, and TheMonterey International Pop Festival Foundationwill be presenting a 50th anniversary celebration festival from June 16 – 18, 2017, at the Monterey County Fairgrounds – the exact date and location it once took place 50 years ago. It will feature performances by Jack Johnson, Norah Jones, Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band, Booker T. Jones, Father John Misty, Jim James and more. 3-Day GA and VIP Tickets are currently on sale.
The Monterey International Pop Festival Foundation (MIPFF) is a non-profit charitable and educational foundation empowering music-related personal development, creativity, and mental and physical health. In the spirit of Monterey International Pop Festival, and on the behalf of the artists who took part, the Foundation awards grants to qualified organizations and individuals with identifiable needs in those areas.
The following is a press release from the Tony Awards:
An array of showstopping performances will be featured on the 71st Annual Tony Awards, live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Sunday, June 11 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network.
The high-energy evening will feature performances by the casts of the 2017 Tony-nominated shows “Bandstand,” “Come From Away,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Falsettos,” “Groundhog Day The Musical,” “Hello, Dolly!,” “Miss Saigon,” “Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812” and “War Paint,” with additional performances by Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr. and the Radio City Rockettes.
Oscar, Golden Globe and Tony Award-winning actor Kevin Spacey will host the awards show for the first time. As previously announced, Scott Bakula, Sara Bareilles, Orlando Bloom, Rachel Bloom, Glenn Close, Stephen Colbert, Brian d’Arcy James, Cynthia Erivo, Tina Fey, Sally Field, Sutton Foster, Josh Gad, Whoopi Goldberg, Josh Groban, Jonathan Groff, Mark Hamill, Taraji P. Henson, Chris Jackson, Allison Janney, Scarlett Johansson, Anna Kendrick, Keegan-Michael Key, Nick Kroll, John Legend, John Lithgow, Bette Midler, Patina Miller, Lin-Manuel Miranda, John Mulaney, David Oyelowo, Chaz Palminteri, Sarah Paulson, Ben Platt, Lea Salonga, Tom Sturridge, Tommy Tune and Olivia Wilde will also take part in Broadway’s biggest night.
This year marks the 71st anniversary of the Tony Awards, which were first held on April 6, 1947 at the Waldorf Astoria’s Grand Ballroom. The ceremony is presented by Tony Award Productions, which is a joint venture of the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing, which founded the Tonys.
Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss of White Cherry Entertainment will return as executive producers. Weiss will also serve as director for the 18th consecutive year.
With four awards, Keith Urban was the top winner of the fan-voted 2017 CMT Music Awards, which took place at Music City Center in Nashville on June 7. The show was hosted by “Nashville” co-star Charles Esten and televised live on CMT, Spike and TV Land. Urban won in all of the categories in which he was nominated: Video of the Year (for “Blue Ain’t Your Color”), Male Video of the Year (for “Blue Ain’t Your Color”), Collaboration Video of the Year (for “The Fighter” with Carrie Underwood) and Social Superstar of the Year. Urban and Underwood also performed “The Fighter” at the CMT Music Awards. Underwood won two awards, including Female Video of the Year (for “Church Bells”). She now holds the record for winning the most CMT Music Awards, with 17 total.
Other performances at the 2017 CMT Music Awards, as described in a CMT press release:
The show kicked off with a celebration of the life and music of the late Gregg Allman. Jason Aldean, Darius Rucker and Charles Kelley wowed the audience with an acapella version of “Midnight Rider” before seguing into a full on jam featuring former Allman Brothers band member Derek Trucks, while images of Allman filled Music City Center, earning a standing ovation.
Rock icon Peter Frampton and Brothers Osborne owned the CMT outdoor stage with a gritty, guitar-fueled performance of “It Ain’t My Fault.”
Miranda Lambert celebrated the power of pink plastic with the world premiere performance of “Pink Sunglasses” in front of thousands of fans adorning their own beloved pink shades.
Backed by a sexy squad of dancers, Thomas Rhett got the audience on their feet with his hit “Craving You.”
With thousands of fans lining the streets, The Chainsmokers and Florida Georgia Line performed an EDM/country mash-up of “Last Day Alive” for the first time anywhere from a rooftop high a top the Nashville skyline.
Blake Shelton sang of yesteryear with his hit “Every Time I Hear That Song.”
Brett Eldredge brought the beat and an entire drumline for “Somethin’ I’m Good At.”
Little Big Town delivered an emotionally charged world premiere performance of “When Someone Stops Loving You.”
Jason Derulo and Luke Bryan continued their budding bromance and showed why they were winners of the “CMT Performance of the Year” award with their electrifying mash-up of “Strip it Down” and “Want to Want Me.”
Earth Wind & Fire closed out the show with Lady Antebellum with a country funk mash-up of “You Look Good” and “September.”
This year, the CMT Music Awards featured a second concert stage sponsored by Firestone that included performances from some of country’s hottest new artists including Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Lauren Alaina, Midland and Chris Lane.
Presenters included Ashton Kutcher, Clare Bowen, Danny Masterson, Dustin Lynch, Hoda Kotb, Jada Pinkett Smith, Johnny Galecki, Josh Henderson, Katherine Heigl, Kathie Lee Gifford, Kid Rock, Rachel Bilson, RaeLynn, Reba McEntire, Bobby Bones, Cody Alan and Katie Cook.
Here is the complete list of winners and nominees for the 2017 CMT Music Awards:
* = winner
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration) and the video director. Final nominees announced during live telecast, with final voting held online at CMT.com during the show.
Artists of Then, Now & Forever – “Forever Country”
Brad Paisley – “Today”
Brett Eldredge –“Wanna Be That Song”
Carrie Underwood – “Church Bells”
Cole Swindell –“Middle Of A Memory”
Dierks Bentley feat. Elle King – “Different For Girls”
Florida Georgia Line –“H.O.L.Y.”
Jon Pardi – “Dirt On My Boots”
Keith Urban – “Blue Ain’t Your Color”*
Kelsea Ballerini – “Peter Pan”
Little Big Town – “Better Man”
Luke Bryan – “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day”
Miranda Lambert – “Vice”
Thomas Rhett – “Star Of The Show”
MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist
Blake Shelton – “Came Here To Forget”
Eric Church – “Record Year”
Jason Aldean – “Lights Come On”
Keith Urban – “Blue Ain’t Your Color”*
Luke Bryan – “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day”
Thomas Rhett – “Star Of The Show”
FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist
Carrie Underwood – “Church Bells”*
Kelsea Ballerini – “Peter Pan”
Lauren Alaina – “Road Less Traveled”
Maren Morris – “80s Mercedes”
Miranda Lambert – “Vice”
Reba McEntire – “Back To God”
DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a duo; awarded to the artists
Big & Rich feat. Tim McGraw – “Lovin’ Lately”
Brothers Osborne – “21 Summer”
Dan + Shay – “How Not To”
Florida Georgia Line – “H.O.L.Y.”*
LoCash – “I Know Somebody”
GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a group; awarded to the artists
Eli Young Band – “Saltwater Gospel”
Lady Antebellum – “You Look Good”
Little Big Town – “Better Man”*
Midland – “Drinkin’ Problem”
Old Dominion – “Song For Another Time”
BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from an artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist (male, female or group/duo)
Brett Young – “In Case You Didn’t Know”
Jon Pardi – “Dirt On My Boots”
Kane Brown – “Used To Love You Sober”
Lauren Alaina – “Road Less Traveled”*
Luke Combs – “Hurricane”
RaeLynn – “Love Triangle”
COLLABORATION VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from a collaboration; awarded to the artists
Artists of Then, Now & Forever – “Forever Country”
Chris Young feat. Vince Gill – “Sober Saturday Night”
Dierks Bentley feat. Elle King – “Different For Girls”
Florida Georgia Line feat. Tim McGraw – “May We All”
Keith Urban feat. Carrie Underwood – “The Fighter”*
Kenny Chesney with P!nk – “Setting The World On Fire”
CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo)
Jason Aldean – “Hicktown” (From CMT Concert of the Summer)
Jason Derulo and Luke Bryan – “Want To Want Me” (From CMT Crossroads)*
John Mellencamp and Darius Rucker – “Pink Houses” (From CMT Crossroads)
The following is a press release from the Songwriters Hall of Fame:
Irving Azoff, Benny Blanco, Jon Bon Jovi, Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff, Johnny Gill, Whoopi Goldberg, John Leguizamo, Pat Monahan, Kelli O’Hara , Usher and Cassandra Wilson will either present and/or perform at the 48th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner slated for Thursday, June 15th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.
Inductees at this year’s event include Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Berry Gordy, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Robert Lamm & James Pankow p/k/a “Chicago,” Max Martin, and Shawn “Jay Z” Carter. Caroline Bienstock will receive the Abe Oleman Publishing Award, Alan Menken will be honored with the Johnny Mercer Award, Pitbull will be the inaugural recipient of the Global Ambassador Award and Ed Sheeran will be awarded with the Hal David Starlight Award.
About The Songwriters Hall of Fame:
The Songwriters Hall of Fame celebrates songwriters, educates the public with regard to their achievements, and produces a spectrum of professional programs devoted to the development of new songwriting talent through workshops, showcases and scholarships. To qualify for induction into the SHOF, a songwriter must be a published writer for a minimum of 20 years. Out of the tens of thousands of songwriters of our era, there are approximately 400 inductees who make up the impressive roster enshrined in the Hall of Fame. The list includes Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil, Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller, Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier & Brian Holland, Smokey Robinson, Albert Hammond, Desmond Child, Paul Williams, Hal David & Burt Bacharach, John Fogerty, Bob Dylan, Isaac Hayes & David Porter, Carole King, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi & Richie Sambora, Elton John & Bernie Taupin, Brian Wilson, James Taylor, Don Schlitz, Bruce Springsteen, Phil Collins, Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Loretta Lynn, Jimmy Webb, Van Morrison, Kris Kristofferson, Dolly Parton, Diane Warren, Paul Anka, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Bill Withers, Neil Diamond, Steven Tyler & Joe Perry, Leonard Cohen, Ray Davies, Donovan, Cyndi Lauper, Mick Jones & Lou Gramm, Chip Taylor, Elvis Costello, Marvin Gaye, Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards and Tom Petty among many others.
Full biographies and a complete list of inductees are available at the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s Virtual Museum at http://songwritershalloffame.org/. Joining online is quick and easy: http://songhall.org/join
Ticket Information:
Tickets for the Songwriters Hall of Fame event begin at $1,250 each, and are available through Buckley Hall Events, 914-579-1000. Net proceeds from the event will go toward the Songwriters Hall of Fame programs. Songwriters Hall of Fame is a 501(c)3 organization. The non-deductible portion of each ticket is $170. Contributions, for which no goods or services are received in exchange, are fully tax-deductible as provided by law.
Major Lazer members Walshy Fire, Jillionaire, and Diplo at BACARDÍ x Major Lazer Present the Sound of Rum “Spirit Up” at Virginia Key, Key Biscayne in Miami on May 26, 2017. (Photo courtesy of BFA)
The following is a press release from Bacardi:
Bacardi and Major Lazer have launched Music Liberates Music, a program designed to support the island music that inspires them by providing up-and-coming artists a chance to share their music with the world. Every time fans play Major Lazer’s new track ‘Front of the Line’ (feat. Machel Montano & Konshens) on Spotify, Bacardi will donate studio time for aspiring Caribbean artists. To listen to the just released ‘Front of the Line’ track and view the current tally of studio time, go to www.MusicLiberatesMusic.com.
Barcadi and Major Lazer will join forces to encourage fan participation—the more listens, the more studio time will be provided to these emerging artists, from now through the end of the month. Approximately every 50 plays equals one second of studio time—this will quickly add up, considering Major Lazer is known for chart-topping hits with 40+ million plays.
Bacardi and Major Lazer have similar roots and ambitions. The Sound of Rum concept behind their collaboration began in January as a way to connect the brand’s 150-year history of island roots to modern music but it’s become more than just music. It’s a cultural and creative collaboration that provides the perfect intersection of music and rum—a movement of sound that blurs the lines between reggae, dancehall, hip-hop and electronic music to bring people of different genres together.
The Caribbean is the heartland of The Sound of Rum. The budding artists, who are featured as part of the Music Liberates Music program, truly embody this movement. Bacardi and Major Lazer are thrilled to be giving them a voice, providing much-needed studio time and allowing them to achieve recognition outside of the conventional path to success.
BET Networks revealed iconic R&B group New Edition will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2017 “BET Awards”. In addition, multi–Grammy Award winning hip-hop artist and singer-songwriter Chance the Rapper will receive the evening’s Humanitarian Award presented by Walmart. This year’s broadcast marks 17 years of unexpected performances, trailblazing moments, super dope talent, and entertainment’s most provocative players. The iconic show continues to be a cultural rule breaker steeped in reinvention with some of the most memorable moments in Award show history. The “BET Awards” has set the standard for one of the most intently unconventional, news-provoking broadcasts. The 2017 “BET Awards” will air LIVE on Sunday, June 25 at 8 pm ET from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, CA on BET.
New Edition is a legendary R&B group consisting of members Bobby Brown, Michael Bivins, Ralph Tresvant, Ronnie DeVoe, Ricky Bell and Johnny Gill. Throughout the course of their extensive musical career, New Edition released several chart-topping hits including “Candy Girl”, “Cool It Now”, and “Mr. Telephone Man” – for which they received multiple Soul Train Awards and American Music Award wins. In January 2017, BET launched The New Edition Story, a three-part miniseries that was also BET’s first scripted music-focused program. The show profiled the New Edition journey from the little-known boy band from the Orchard Park Projects of Roxbury, Massachusetts, to one of the most successful adult acts ever in the music industry. To date, New Edition has sold over 20 million records world-wide.
Chance the Rapper is a hip-hop artist, singer-songwriter and philanthropist who rose to popularity with his highly awarded and recognized mixtapes “Acid Rap” and “Coloring Book.” Chance has consistently used his musical platform to support a number of impactful educational, social and political initiatives – positively impacting both local and national communities. In 2016, Chance worked closely with President Obama on My Brother’s Keeper Challenge, an initiative of the United States Federal Government to promote intervention by civic leaders in the lives of young men of color – working to address their unique challenges and to promote racial justice. Chance has also activity fought gun violence, leading social campaigns in his home-town Chicago. Most recently, Chance the Rapper pledged to donate $1 million to in-need Chicago Public Schools in an effort to offset the lack of government funding provided to the area.
Hosted by Leslie Jones, the “BET Awards” 2017 will include performances by Bruno Mars, Future, Migos, Trey Songz and Tamar Braxton. The start power continues as Yara Shahidi, Cardi B, Issa Rae, Jamie Foxx, La La Anthony, the cast of Universal Pictures’ “Girls Trip” (Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish, with Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah), Trevor Noah, Robin Thede, Cari Champion and Demetrius Shipp Jr. and manyothers will take the stage as presenters during the 17th anniversary of the annual highly-anticipated televised event.
A full list of the 2017 “BET Awards” nominees is now available here.
The 2017 “BET Awards” will premiere around the world on BET’s international networks. It will air in the UK on Tuesday, June 27th at 9:00pm BST, in Africa on Tuesday, June 27th at 8:00pm CAT, and in France on Wednesday, June 28th at 8:00pm CEST. Internationally, fans in 100 countries can also stream the 2017 “BET Awards” live with BET Play, BET International’s subscription video on demand application. The iOS and Android app, which also features current and classic BET television series, documentaries, standup comedy and legendary musical performances, will carry a live feed of the red carpet and the Awards, and is available for download now in the iTunes and Google Play stores for $3.99 a month following a seven-day free trial.
Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment serves as Executive Producer. Connie Orlando, BET’s Interim Head of Programming serves as Executive Producer for BET Networks.
The “BET Awards” will take place along with the BET Experience at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles from June 22-25, 2017. BET.com/betawards is the official site for the “BET Awards” and will have all the latest news and updates about this year’s show. VIP Packages for the 5th year of the BET Experience weekend are better than ever and now on-sale. In addition to VIP amenities throughout the weekend and incredible seats for STAPLES Center shows, three levels of BETX VIP Packages offer guests the only opportunity to purchase tickets to the highly-anticipated BET Awards, broadcast live from Microsoft Theater. Last year the in-demand VIP Packages sold out, so guests are encouraged to purchase now before the allotment is depleted. Full package amenities and pricing for the Diamond, Platinum and Gold VIP Packages can be found by visiting BETExperience.com or by calling (877) 234-8425.
General tickets for the BET Experience at L.A. LIVE presented by Coca-Cola® are on sale now at http://www.axs.com/betexperience.
Download the BETX ’17 app powered by AT&T, the #1 source for everything BETX, including real-time event updates, full schedules, BET Fan Fest wristbands, daily prizes, ticket giveaways, live streams and much more.
Follow the BET Experience on Twitter @betexperience for the latest and greatest and join the hottest conversation by using #BETX. Feel free to also check us out online at http://www.betexperience.com.
Bestselling author, entrepreneur, and renowned pastor Bishop T.D. Jakes hosts the third biennial MegaFest in Dallas from June 28 – July 1, 2017, at the famed Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas. The internationally-acclaimed four-day faith, film and family festival is returning to Dallas for its third year. With the family favorite festival’s continued growth and popularity, this year’s event estimates to draw over 100,000 attendees from all 50 states to attend panels, workshops, special screenings, performances, activations, and competitions among a variety of engaging events.
“MegaFest is uniquely spectacular,” Bishop Jakes said. “It fills so many needs in people’s lives today — whether getting over your past or claiming your future ahead. It’s healing, it’s inspiring, it’s exciting, it’s entertaining — it’s an experience with something for everyone.”
Recognized as the world’s largest multi-day family festival, the event attracts a diverse collection of influencers, professionals and experts in their respective fields ranging from TV/film, Sports, Music, Ministry, Authors and Business.
Some of this year’s featured motivators, speakers, panelists and moderators include: Bishop T.D. Jakes & Serita Jakes, DeVon Franklin, Cicely L. Tyson, Brian White, Romeo Miller, John Singleton, Angela Simmons, Laz Alonso, Blair Underwood, Kim Fields, Monique Coleman, and Wanda Durant, mother of NBA All-Star Kevin Durant.
The full list of featured participants and speakers can be found here.
Joining MegaFest’s beloved four core program tracks (MegaInspiration: Woman Thou Are Loosed, MegaYouth, Fire Code, MegaKidz Destiny World, Alive Dance/Mime Conference, MegaEntertainment: A Time to Laugh Comedy Show, International Faith & Family Film Festival, Celebrity Meet & Greets, MegaEmpowerment: Business Talk, Financial Talk, Health Talk, Tech Talk and more, and MegaCommunity: Career Corner, MegaFit, College Corner, Fashion Show, Health & Wellness) this year include:
The LEGENDS Awards – This invitation-only luncheon recognizes a Hollywood legend that has been victorious, purposeful, and impactful in their career and industry. This year’s recipient of the inaugural LEGENDS Award is award-winning actress, advocate and humanitarian Cicely L. Tyson.
MegaFutures – In collaboration with the University of North Texas and inspired by the Emmy Award-winning TV show “Shark Tank,” this competition is open to forward-thinking students in grades 6 through 12 to flex their entrepreneurship skills by giving them the opportunity to pitch their ideas for any prize sum up to $50,000 while simultaneously making like-minded friends and receiving feedback and guidance from a expert panel of judges. MegaFest is accepting online submissions until the end of business day on Monday, June 12, 2017. For more information on eligibility requirements and submissions please visit: http://megafutures.org/megafutures-at-megafest-entry-form/
Youth Robotic Exhibition & Engagement – Attendees are invited to witness live demos of the latest robots in action, build and program their own working robot and attend motivating sessions covering topics such as saving, investing and wealth creation.
The MegaFest Choir Experience – Local church choirs from the Dallas-Fort Worth area perform on stage for one of the biggest audiences in the country during the worship portion of the conferences for Woman Thou Art Loosed (WTAL) and ManPower (MP).
MegaFest Anthem Challenge – This is an opportunity for all choirs, singers, gospel rappers and spoken word artists to perform on the main stage during MegaFest 2017.
MegaCrawl – The Cedars neighborhood has teamed up with MegaFest and will be keeping its local restaurants, bars and coffee shops open late night for all attending the festival. For a list of participating businesses visit: http://www.mega-fest.org/megacrawl/
MegaFest 2015 brought over 91,000 visitors to the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex with an estimated economic impact of more than $59 million.
Brothers Osborne on at the 52nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on April 2, 2017. (Photo by Francis Specker/CBS)
Jason Derulo at the 24th Annual Billboard Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on May 21, 2017 (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images via ABC)
The following is a press release from CMT:
CMT announced today that after teaming up for a legendary “CMT Crossroads” event, Jason Derulo and Luke Bryan are set to reunite at the “2017 CMT Music Awards.” Rock icon Peter Frampton and all-star country duo Brothers Osborne will perform together for the first time anywhere live from Nashville on Wednesday, June 7th at 8:00pm ET/PT.
CMT also revealed an impressive list of country’s hottest new talent to perform at the Firestone Stage. They include “Breakthrough Video of the Year” nominees Brett Young, Jon Pardi and Lauren Alaina, “Group Video of the Year” nominee Midland, as well as chart-topper Chris Lane.
Guitarist Derek Trucks, a former member of the Allman Brothers Band and bandleader of the Tedeschi Trucks Band, will be joining the previously announced celebration of the life of Gregg Allman. Country superstars Jason Aldean, Darius Rucker and Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley will perform in honor of Allman’s everlasting impact on American music.
They join a growing list of performers including a first time television performance by The Chainsmokers and Florida Georgia Line, a duet from country legends Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood, a historic collaboration from Earth, Wind & Fire and Lady Antebellum, not to mention superstar performances from Blake Shelton, Brett Eldredge, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert and Thomas Rhett. Presenters to be announced later this week.
For the first time ever, the “CMT Music Awards” Red Carpet Special will stream live on Facebook at 7:00pm ET on Wednesday, June 7. Hosted by CMT’s Cody Alan and Katie Cook, the star-studded, action-packed pre-show will be based around fan questions. To submit a question for your favorite artist, log into CMT’s Facebook and hashtag #CMTawards.
Follow @CMT on Twitter and Instagram, use hashtag #CMTawards and like the CMT Music Awards on Facebook.
Last year’s CMT Music Awards once again exceeded expectations, attracting nearly 4 million fans, its biggest to date, across a three network simulcast (CMT, TV Land and Nick@Nite) up +20% from the prior year. The awards also lit up social media with #CMTawards trending worldwide for 5 hours to rank as the #1 Series/Special on Nielsen Twitter TV Ratings for the day.
Ariana Grande was among the star performers at her One Love Manchester concert, which took place on June 4, 2017, at Old Trafford cricket ground in Manchester, England. According to several published reports, the concert raised about $3 million to $12 million through ticket sales and donations. About 50,000 people attended the show, which also included performances by Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Coldplay, Pharrell Williams, Niall Horan of One Direction , Robbie Williams, Black Eyed Peas, Miley Cyrus, former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher, Little Mix, Marcus Mumford, Imogen Heap, Mac Miller and Take That. Proceeds from the show will go to the Red Cross’ Manchester fund, to benefit victims and their families of the suicide bombing that killed 22 people and injured about 59 people after Grande’s Manchester Arena concert on May 22, 2017. Those who were at Grande’s May 22 concert were eligible for free admission. The show was telecast in the U.S. on Freeform. ABC showed highlights of the concert. MTV and the Red Cross had live webcasts of the show on their respective websites. BBC had a live telecast of the concert in the U.K.
Salman Abedi, a 22-year-old resident of Manchester, is reported to have been the suicide bomber. Several of his associates have been arrested in relation to the mass murder. The remaining dates of Grande’s tour have been postponed or cancelled until further notice.
