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NEWS
Presidential Medal of Freedom
12/11/2006 4:56:06 PM
- by geffen
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release December 7, 2006
STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY
Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipients
President George W. Bush today announced the recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation's highest civil award. Established by Executive Order 11085 in 1963, the Medal may be awarded by the President "to any person who has made an especially meritorious contribution to (1) the security or national interests of the United States, or (2) world peace, or (3) cultural or other significant public or private endeavors." President Bush will honor these recipients at a White House ceremony on Friday, December 15, 2006.
Ruth Johnson Colvin has dedicated her life to helping the less fortunate gain the reading and language skills they need to succeed. She has worked to bring communities together to tear down the barriers of illiteracy and traveled the globe to promote the importance of literacy.
Norman C. Francis has served as President of Xavier University of Louisiana for nearly 40 years, demonstrating a steadfast dedication to education, equality, and service to others. As Chairman of the Louisiana Recovery Authority, he has played a vital role in helping the people of the Gulf Coast rebuild their lives in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Paul Johnson is a brilliant historian and journalist whose powerful writings have captivated and educated people around the world. A citizen of the United Kingdom, he holds America in special regard, calling the creation of our Nation “the greatest of all human adventures.”
Riley “B.B.” King is one of the greatest blues singers and guitarists of all time. For more than half a century, the “King of the Blues” and his guitar “Lucille” have thrilled audiences, influenced generations of guitarists, and helped give the blues its special place in the American musical tradition.
Joshua Lederberg was awarded a Nobel Prize for his work in bacterial genetics and has devoted his life to the advancement of human knowledge. He has also helped develop advanced computer technology, worked with NASA in the search for life on Mars, and served as a distinguished scientific advisor to our Nation’s policymakers.
David McCullough is one of our Nation’s most distinguished and honored historians. His books have earned him the respect of general audiences and scholars alike, and he is one of our foremost experts on the American Presidency.
Norman Y. Mineta has served his fellow Americans as a mayor, congressman, and Cabinet Secretary under two Presidents. The longest-serving Secretary of Transportation, he worked to improve the security of our transportation system and restore our confidence in air travel after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
John “Buck” O’Neil represented excellence and determination both on and off the baseball field. He was a talented player and manager in the Negro Leagues, became Major League Baseball’s first African-American coach, and was a co-founder of and inspiration for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri.
William Safire has distinguished himself as one of our country's most talented writers and commentators. Using the power of prose, he has educated our citizenry, polished our language, and elevated debate on issues of the day.
Natan Sharansky was imprisoned in the gulag by the Soviet regime for his work to advance religious liberty and human rights. He remained steadfast in his defiance of tyranny and has continued to champion the principles that all people deserve to live iiiiiin freedom and that the advance of liberty is critical to peace and security around the world.
MUSIC LEGEND B.B. KING WINS 14th GRAMMY®
2/10/2006 10:25:42 AM
- by UMeHayes
(Los Angeles, Calif., Feb. 8, 2006)---Blues legend B.B. King (www.bbking.com), who recently turned 80, has won his 14th GRAMMY® Award.
King, who won his first GRAMMY® in 1970, again won the "Best Traditional Blues Album" prize at today's Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles for his "BB King & Friends-80" (UME/Geffen).
This is the ninth time that the "King of the Blues" has landed a GRAMMY® in the "Best Traditional Blues Album" category.
His "Live At The Regal" album was also inducted this year into the Grammy® Hall of Fame.
"The thrill isn't gone when you win an honor like this," said King, as he learned of the award while on his way to an engagement in St. Louis.
"Every time my peers recognize the work, it's an honor, a reason to go on.
"In my lifetime, blues music has certainly grown in its universal appeal and I'm forever grateful for that."
In honor of his 80th birthday last September 16, King celebrated the occasion with a few of his musical compatriots on the new studio album of duets.
Featuring some of today’s biggest stars--from Eric Clapton, Elton John, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, and Gloria Estefan to Roger Daltrey, Glenn Frey, Mark Knopfler, Billy Gibbons, Bobby Bland, and Daryl Hall—B.B. King & Friends - 80 is yet another landmark in the career of one of the most influential guitarists of the 20th Century and the blues’ greatest ambassador.
In 1987, King received a “Lifetime Achievement Award” from NARAS, which produces the GRAMMY® Awards, and the veteran showman, who got his first break as a musician on a radio show in Memphis in 1948, last received a GRAMMY® Award in 2002 for “Best Pop Instrumental Performance.”
Among his many classics are “The Thrill Is Gone,” “Payin’ The Cost To Be The Boss,” “Everyday I Have The Blues,” “You Don’t Know Me” and “Why I Sing The Blues.”
He’s preparing to headline an international tour, starting on March 29 with a swing through the UK, concluding with a concert at the famed Wembley Arena.
Long known for his prolific performance schedule, one time numbering as many as 250 stops in a year, King plans to make a "big swing” around the globe beginning this year.
King’s 2006 domestic tour gets going in earnest on Feb. 16 when he headlines a two night sold-out stand at the House of Blues in Chicago, amazingly, a venue in which he’s never before performed.
After so many years, live performances remain close to his heart.
B.B. King 80th Birthday Tour Auctions!
1/12/2006 12:00:00 PM
- by UMeHayes
Now is your opportunity to see B.B. King live in concert and meet the highly acclaimed Grammy Award winner in person after the show! These auctions also benefit several charities, so you'll be able to see B.B. King live and help out some worthy charities in the process!
The B.B. King 80th Birthday Tour Auction Package includes:
Two (2) tickets for the B.B. King 80th Birthday Celebration Tour
Opportunity for two (2) to meet and greet B.B. King
Bid now for a chance to meet the King of the Blues!
The reviews for '80' are rolling in!
10/5/2005 2:52:09 PM
- by UMeHayes
There are so many great reviews of B.B. newest CD '80' and news stories about what he's been up to lately, that we thought we'd put them all in one place for you.
Enjoy!
Rolling Stone
Orlando Sentinel
Blogcritics.org
NPR.org
Daily Chronicle
St. Louis Post Dispatch
Hampton Roads Daily Press
Reuters/Yahoo!
Win a guitar signed by B.B. King!
10/5/2005 1:56:20 PM
- by UMeHayes
Now is your chance to be entered to win a Black Epiphone Dot Studio Archtop Collection Guitar Autographed by The King of the Blues - B.B. King!Epiphone Dot Studio Guitar - Part of the Gibson family of brands, autographed by B.B. King features:
*Black body binding
*Black hardware
*No fingerboard inlay
*Die-case machine heads and open-coil Alnico-V humbucking pickups
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