Guitar Center Music Foundation to Host 'An Evening with Ray Kennedy and Friends' Featuring Macy Gray, Hugh Laurie and Others

Press release
Source: Rogers and Cowan

The Guitar Center Music Foundation is proud to announce that it will host its first charity concert and silent auction on Tuesday, March 14, at Avalon Hollywood, 1735 Hollywood Blvd. "An Evening with Ray Kennedy and Friends" will feature performances by Macy Gray, The Dave Mason Band, The Syn, California Transit Authority, the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, Gia Ciambotti and celebrity band 16:9.

The event, which will be filmed for the pilot of a television show, "In One Room with Ray Kennedy," features the legendary musician/songwriter who has worked with many great recording artists including The Babies, The Beach Boys, and many more. Kennedy will be performing with his band and will also host a meet and greet with many of the featured musicians and select VIP guests.

Kennedy will share the stage with some of the most respected musicians in the industry including the following. Two-time GRAMMY nominee Macy Gray was nominated in 1999 for Best New Artist and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Her album "On How Life Is" has been certified quadruple platinum. Dave Mason of The Dave Mason Band is one of the founding members of the legendary group Traffic and went on to have a successful solo career with his "Alone Together" album certified gold. The Syn, formed in 1965, showcases the talents of Chris Squire and Alan White of Yes, Steve Nardelli, Gerard Johnson and Shane Theriot. CTA features Danny Seraphine, one of the world's most highly respected rock drummers. A founding member of the multi-million selling, GRAMMY Award winning band Chicago, Danny played on and produced 18 gold and 13 platinum albums, 50 Top 40 hits, including 5 number ones. The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet is recognized as one of America's premier instrumental ensembles and won a 2005 GRAMMY Award for Best Classical Crossover Album with "Guitar Heroes." Vocalist and songwriter Gia Ciambotti has worked extensively with artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Rod Stewart, Badly Drawn Boy, Moby and Natalie Cole and she recently opened for Lucinda Williams. Her debut solo CD will be released soon. Celebrity band 16:9 brings together some of television's biggest stars: House's Hugh Laurie, Alias and Felicity's Greg Grunberg, Desperate Housewives' James Denton, The Bachelor's Bob Guiney and many special guests.

General admission $100 tickets are on sale now through the Guitar Center Music Foundation, the Avalon Hollywood box office or online through groovetickets.com. VIP tickets priced at $200 are only available through the Guitar Center Music Foundation and will include a hosted bar in the VIP section. Prior to the 8 p.m. show there will be a silent auction of signed memorabilia at 7 p.m. All proceeds of the evening will benefit The Guitar Center Music Foundation.

The Guitar Center Music Foundation is a nonprofit organization that is committed to supporting music education in our schools and music learning for everyone. Through media initiatives and by providing financial and in-kind resources for organizations that support common goals, the foundation strives for the benefits of making music to be available to everyone in the communities that Guitar Center serves. For the past year, the Guitar Center Music Foundation has donated instruments, equipment and money to deserving music organizations. They also spearheaded the national campaign, Music Rising. Created by U2's The Edge and corporate partners Gibson Guitar® and The GRAMMY® Foundation, Music Rising raises funds to replace the lost instruments of the musicians affected by the hurricanes that have devastated the gulf coast this past year. For more information about the concert or The Guitar Center Music Foundation, call 818-735-8800 x2112 or visit www.guitarcentermusicfoundation.org.