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Dolly Parton Named MusiCares 2019 Person Of The Year
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, file – Dolly Parton
23rd annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles.
Dolly Parton will be honored at the 2019 MusiCares Person of the Year Tribute Feb. 8 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, with proceeds of the 29th annual benefit gala going to the charity.
“Dolly Parton has always been and continues to be a courageous trailblazer and indomitable inspiration for creators and artists – so for us to have the opportunity to honor her at our annual MusiCares Per-son of the Year gala is to pay tribute to a true pillar of strength and someone who we all look up to and cherish,” said president/CEO of MusiCares and the Recording Academy Neil Portnow. “Dolly also knows the power of philanthropy and she has used her stardom to contribute to a wide range of caus-es from natural disasters to education and literacy programs.” MusiCares was founded by the Recording Academy and ensures music people have a place to turn in times of financial, medical, and personal need.
The eight-time Grammy winner is the first artist from the Nashville music community to be honored by the organization and is being recognized for her considerable creative accomplishments and longtime support of a number of causes through her Dollywood Foundation, including the Imagination Library, which since 1996 has provided more than 100 million books to children from birth to five years of age in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the U.K.
Parton’s manager, Danny Nozell, CEO of CTK Management, said, “I couldn’t think of anyone more de-serving to be the first MusiCares Person of the Year representing the Nashville music community. It’s been a privilege to witness her generous heart firsthand for the last 14 years.”
The MusiCares Person of the Year tribute takes place during Grammy Week, with the The Person of the Year gala beginning with a reception and silent auction offering an exclusive selection of luxury items, VIP experiences and one-of-a-kind celebrity memorabilia for bidding guests. The evening also includes a gala dinner sponsored by AEG; a live auction; a tribute concert fea-turing renowned musicians and other artists; and the award presentation.
The celebration culminates with the 61st Annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles Feb. 10.
The telecast will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
Established in 1989 by the Recording Academy, MusiCares offers health and human services and pro-grams to members of the music community, including emergency financial assistance for basic living expenses such as rent, utilities, and car payments and medical expenses.
In March, it was announced that Parton had been signed for North American representation by WME after ending her relationship with APA’s Steve Martin in 2016. She remains with longtime overseas agent Neil Warnock for international representation.
Parton remains a major touring force and in 2016 was No. 34 on Pollstar’s year-end Top 200 North American tours chart, grossing $31 million on 62 shows.