Musicares to honor Aretha Franklin

MUSIC LUMINARIES GATHER TO HONOR ARETHA FRANKLIN AS 2008 MUSICARES® PERSON OF THE YEAR

WHO: Performances by Patti Austin, Dan Aykroyd & Jim Belushi ("The Blues Brothers"), Shirley Caesar, Aretha Franklin, Anthony Hamilton, Herbie Hancock, Roy Hargrove, Faith Hill, Fantasia, Ledisi, Lil' Mama, John Legend, Jamia Simone Nash, Robin Thicke, and Bebe & CeCe Winans. Special appearances by Bill Cosby and Blair Underwood.

Attendees include MusiCares Foundation® President and President/CEO of The Recording Academy® Neil Portnow, and MusiCares Foundation Board Chairman John Branca, who also serve as dinner chairs. Other dinner chairs include music industry and entertainment industry executives: Clive Davis, Berry Gordy, and Quincy Jones. Past MusiCares Person of the Year honorees include Tony Bennett, Bono, Natalie Cole, Phil Collins, David Crosby, Gloria Estefan, Don Henley, Billy Joel, Elton John, Quincy Jones, Luciano Pavarotti, Bonnie Raitt, Paul Simon, Sting, James Taylor, Brian Wilson, and Stevie Wonder. In addition, a host of celebrities, along with prominent music industry and entertainment executives are scheduled to attend.

WHAT: Seventeen-time GRAMMY®-winning recording artist Aretha Franklin will be honored as the 2008 MusiCares Person of the Year at a special event celebrating her extraordinary musical achievements and her philanthropic commitments to children's and healthcare organizations and various churches and food banks in the Detroit metropolitan area.

GALA: The Person of the Year benefit begins with a cocktail reception and silent auction sponsored by AEG featuring art works, music and sports memorabilia, travel, hotel and spa packages and VIP concert experience packages. This year, the reception will feature a special live auction presented by Julien's Auctions and broadcast live on Auction Network.com with real-time interactive bidding technology. The live auction will offer an exclusive selection of celebrity memorabilia and VIP experiences and will be open to bidding from event guests as well as online and telephone bidders around the world. Featured items include: a pink Cadillac CTS Sedan inspired by Aretha Franklin's "Freeway Of Love"; a private painting lesson with Tony Bennett and renowned portrait painter Everett Raymond Kinstler; the guitar Elvis Presley used in his last show at the Las Vegas Hilton; a Bill Clinton signed saxophone; "Stairway To Heaven" sheet music autographed by Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones; an Indy 500 VIP experience; an Ultimate GRAMMY VIP experience; and wardrobe and/or instruments used by Ray Charles, Kurt Cobain, Peter Frampton, Elton John, John Lennon, Jerry Lee Lewis, Madonna, Slash, Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, and many more. A gala dinner sponsored by VeriSign will follow. The celebration is highlighted by an award presentation and star-studded tribute concert.

Proceeds from the annual Person of the Year tribute provide essential support for MusiCares, which ensures that music people have a place to turn in times of financial, medical and personal need. For more information, please visit www.musicares.com.

WHERE: Los Angeles Convention Center, West Hall
1201 S. Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, Calif. 90015
Parking: West Hall Lot, off Cherry Street

Cost: $12 (no valet available)

WHEN: Friday, Feb. 8, 2008
5:30 p.m. Red Carpet Arrivals, Cocktail Reception and Live and Silent Auction
7:30 p.m. Gala Dinner
9 p.m. Award Tribute & Concert