Merle Haggard to be honored at Autry benefit gala

Autry National Center
4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027
323.667.2000, http://www.theautry.org/

Autry Honors Merle Haggard at its 23rd Annual Gala
The Electric West
Saturday, October 2, 2010
6:00 p.m. Silent Auction and Reception 8:00 p.m. Live Auction and Dinner
10:00 p.m. The Electric After-Party with dancing in the Plaza


The Autry National Center celebrates the grand American West, which has sparked the imagination and fueled the innovation of generations of people, at its 23rd annual gala themed The Electric West. This year’s honoree is California country music legend Merle Haggard for his distinguished career and accomplishments as a singer and songwriter.

The black-tie or Western attire event is cochaired by Autry Trustees Marian and Ted Craver who will welcome guests as they enjoy the presentation of the Spirit of the West Award to Haggard; a cocktail reception; silent and live auctions featuring art, jewelry, travel, and collectibles; an elegant dinner by Wolfgang Puck Catering; and live entertainment by the 2009 America’s Got Talent winners, the Texas Tenors. POKO Event Productions has designed a gala that will take guests down Route 66 and into the Electric West. Large-formatted projections of Southern California Edison images will adorn the perimeter walls as electric-guitar chandeliers with colorful lights add to the festive environment. Western-neon and floral-accented centerpieces will highlight each of the guest tables.

“We are delighted to serve as chairs of this electrifying Gala and to pay tribute to country legend Merle Haggard for his distinguished career as a singer and songwriter,” said Mr. and Mrs. Craver. “The ‘Electric West’ theme speaks to the dynamism and vibrancy that has always been associated with the West and to the diverse stories illuminated in the Autry’s exhibitions and programs. It also speaks to the contemporary West, a place of innovation, bold ideas, and energy.”

Live auction items include a one-of-a-kind Bohlin belt buckle, a painting by Autry Masters artist Robert Peters, a weeklong stay in a Scottish Castle, and a Santa Fe weekend for two. The silent auction will feature original works of art; designer jewelry by Miriam Haskell and Federico; clothing and accessories by Bob Mackie, Roberta Roller, Cynthia Rowley, and Scully; Gene Autry collectibles; dinner parties by Wolfgang Puck Catering and Thyme Catering; winery tours and tastings; tickets to sporting events, including a Lakers suite for twelve; plus travel to destinations such as Sun Valley, Idaho, Natchez, Mississippi, and Cache Creek Casino in Brooks, California. The Electric West Gala will conclude with a high-energy after-party that will crackle with fun and excitement, featuring the band Caught Red Handed.

The Spirit of the West Award recognizes individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to the art, culture, and legacy of our American West. With a fifty-years-plus career that has taken him from a drastically misspent criminal youth to solitary confinement in San Quentin to the Country Music Hall of Fame, Haggard—with no less than 40 number one hits—is equally at ease blending elements of jazz, rock, blues, and folk music while staying true to the tradition of country music.

Tickets are $1,000 per person with proceeds from the Gala supporting important education and outreach programs serving tens of thousands of children, their families, teachers, and scholars each year, as well as the Autry’s art and artifact acquisition fund. For reservations, please contact Janet Reilly at 323.667.2000, ext. 316, or jreilly@theautry.org.

About the Annual Gala
For 23 years, the Autry’s Annual Gala has produced one Los Angeles’s most exciting social events and is one of the biggest fundraisers for the Autry. The black-tie or fancy Western attire evening includes the presentation of the Spirit of the West Award, a cocktail reception, silent and live auctions, an elegant dinner, and entertainment by top performers. Past honorees include Clint Eastwood, Johnny Cash, Melissa Gilbert, Robert Wagner, N. Scott Momaday, Kirk Douglas, Sergio Leone, James Stewart, the National Park Service, and other distinguished individuals and foundations.

Celebrity sightings abound over the years, with attendance by the likes of John Forsythe, Burt Reynolds, Dick Clark, James Arness, Clint Eastwood, Angie Dickinson, Angie Everhart, Hugh O’Brien, Anne Jeffreys, Antonio Sabato Jr., Hopalong Cassidy’s widow Grace Boyd, and Gene Autry’s first on-screen kiss, Ann Rutherford, among many others. Top-notch performers have graced the Gala stage, including Willie Nelson, Glen Campbell, Rosemary Clooney, Rich Little, Randy Travis, Alan Jackson, Norm Crosby, Joe Pesci, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, and Rat Pack trio Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra.

About the Autry National Center
The Autry National Center is an intercultural history center dedicated to exploring and sharing the stories, experiences, and perceptions of the diverse peoples of the American West. Located in Griffith Park, the Autry includes the collections of the Museum of the American West, the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, and the Autry Institute’s two research libraries: the Braun Research Library and the Autry Library. Exhibitions, public programs, K–12 educational services, and publications are designed to examine critical issues of society, offering insights into solutions and the contemporary human condition through the Western historical experience.
Weekday hours of operation for the Autry National Center’s museum at its Griffith Park location are Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Autry Store’s weekday hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and the Golden Spur Cafe is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday hours for the museum and the Autry Store are 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The museum, the Autry Store, and the cafe are closed on Mondays. The libraries are open to researchers by appointment.

Museum admission is $9 for adults, $5 for students and seniors 60+, $3 for children 3–12, and free for Autry members, veterans, and children 2 and under. Admission is free on the second Tuesday of every month.