 Burt Bacharach
Photo credit: Jordan Strauss/WireImage.com© 2008 |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 14, 2008) — Saturday, July 12, the GRAMMY Foundation's annual signature gala Starry Night honored Recording Academy Trustees Award recipient Sir George Martin. Several Yamaha artists were on hand to honor this six-time GRAMMY Award winner, producer, arranger, composer and author, and Yamaha Corporate Artist Affairs, Inc. provided an
MPC7 grand MIDI piano for the event.
"We were certainly honored that the GRAMMY Foundation continues to rely on Yamaha pianos and that they asked us to be a part of this special tribute concert for the legendary Sir George Martin," comments Chris Gero, vice president of Yamaha Corporate Artist Affairs, Inc.
 Michael McDonald
Photo credit: Jordan Strauss/WireImage.com© 2008 |
The event was held at the University of Southern California in McCarthy Quad in Los Angeles and featured performances by some of the most celebrated artists in the world. Yamaha artist and multi-GRAMMY Award winning producer
David Foster served as the evening's musical director. Acclaimed pianist and singer/songwriter and recent Yamaha endorsee
A Fine Frenzy performed, as did Yamaha artists
Natalie Cole,
Michael McDonald,
William Joseph and
Burt Bacharach. America, Jeff Beck, Chris Botti, Kurt Ellin, Dave Grusin, Tom Jones, Naomi Sommers and Jimmy Webb also performed.
The intimate dinner and concert benefited the GRAMMY Foundation, which provides programs that foster future generations of music professionals and helps preserve our nation's musical heritage.
Knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1996, Martin is listed in the Guinness World Records as the most successful producer ever, with more than 50 No. 1 hit records over five decades in the United States and Great Britain alone. The recordings he has produced have collectively sold more than 1 billion units worldwide. His award-winning work across every conceivable recording genre and style is unmatched. It includes classical, comedy, jazz, pop, country, R&B, rock and roll, film scores, television scores and more, producing the longest run of No. 1 hits songs in history – more than 36 years.
As mentor and creative collaborator, Martin helped steward and bring to the world the Beatles – one of the most original, successful, and influential music phenomenons in popular music history. Best known as the Beatles' producer, he signed them and subsequently produced and arranged nearly all the Beatles' records, even playing on many of the most memorable John Lennon/Paul McCartney songs.
