Harvey Mason Jr., Donnie Simpson, Joi Brown & More Feted at Living Legends Foundation Gala

The Living Legends Foundation (LLF) celebrated its 33^rd anniversary with a star-studded slate of honorees and guests at its annual awards dinner and gala at Hollywood’s Taglyan Cultural Complex on Oct. 4. Leading the parade of honorees was Recording Academy and MusiCares CEO Harvey Mason jr., who was presented with the A.D. Washington Chairman Award.

Noting that “the room was filled with legends from celebrities to executives,” Living Legends Foundation chairman David C. Linton added, “On behalf of our board of directors, it’s an honor to bring together the music and entertainment industries for an important cause benefiting the executives that have poured so much into the industry and, more importantly, the culture. Congratulations to this year’s honorees. Thank you for making us proud.” 

Upon accepting his award from Linton later in the evening, Mason — who recently re-upped to serve four more years as CEO — said, “I’m proud of the work that we are doing at the Recording Academy because what you all see is the trophies … the celebration, the nominations. But what you don’t see is the work that goes on with the organization. The [award] show gives us the money; the money then comes back into our community. The one thing I recognized when I took on this role is that there’s more work needed to be done around the Black music community. So a lot of effort has gone into using the resources, platform and the ability of the [Recording] Academy to continue to help all genres of music, but specifically some of the underserved communities.” 

Longtime music executive Ed Eckstine was the recipient of the Ray Harris Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by LLF chairman emeritus Harris and singer/actress Vanessa Williams. Williams, who sent a video message, was one of the artists that Eckstine, son of legendary jazz vocalist Billy Eckstine, signed and mentored during his tenure as president of Mercury Records — the first African American to be appointed president of a major non-Black owned record company.

Paying tribute to mentors Quincy Jones and Clive Davis, Eckstine said in part, “I do not have the words to describe the charmed life properly or adequately I led under the guidance and tutelage of ‘Q’ [while serving as GM at Quincy Jones Productions]. He taught me so much about life, music, production, the chess game called the music business, global hustle, what and what not to do and say. My 20 months doing A&R … and working for Clive exposed me on a corporate level to activities and events I had not previously been privy to … After having attempted to grow and expand beneath the shadow of two very tall trees in Q and Clive, my life was forever changed.”

After being presented with the first-ever Impact Player Award from LLF board member Shannon A. Henderson, Joi Brown — founder/CEO of the organization Culture Creators and former record label senior executive — said, “We’re not just here to create culture; we’re here to shape the future … It is our responsibility to ensure we occupy space — not to rely solely on company policies or DEI initiatives to make room for us. We belong here. We must stand tall among giants, not as guests, but as equals.”

The evening’s additional honorees included: pioneering radio/television broadcaster Donnie Simpson (Jerry Boulding Radio Award); NorthStar Group chairperson/entertainment attorney L. Londell McMillan (Kendall A. Minter Entertainment Advocate Award); B. Lifted Up! Inc. founder/CEO Gwen Franklin (Mike Bernardo Female Executive Award); veteran label executive/radio broadcaster Mike Kelly (Music Executive Award) and The Chamber Group founder/CEO Chris Chambers (Media Executive Award). All of the honorees’ acceptance speeches can be viewed here.

Among the presenters and special guests spotted inside the Taglyan Cultural Complex were Epic Records chairman/CEO Sylvia Rhone, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, The Time’s Jerome Benton, Sugar Ray Leonard, artists Ray Parker Jr., Chanté Moore and Johnny Gill, legendary radio PD Melvin “Cookin’” Jones, MRC Live & Alternative exec. vp of creative Stephen Hill, playwright/filmmaker David E. Talbert and additional LLF dignitaries, including: general counsel Dr. Denise J. Brown, president Azim Rashid and board members Skip Dillard, Sheila Eldridge and Vivian Chew.

Radio personality Skip Cheatham of Dallas R&B outlet Majic 94.5 (KZMJ) hosted the gala, with entertainment provided by DJ Battlecat. Former LLF honorees Tracey J. Jordan and Lionel Ridenour served as this year’s dinner chairpersons. For additional information about the Living Legends Foundation, visit the website.