NASHVILLE, TN. (Webster PR) - Country music legends
Vince Gill and The Oak Ridge Boys will receive the Humanitarian Award and Living Legend Award, respectively, during this year's International Entertainment Buyers Association's (ieba) annual conference iebaLIVE! The 35th iebaLIVE! will be held in Nashville, October 2-4, 2005 at the Hilton Suites-Downtown Nashville. Ieba board member Joe Guercio will be the recipient of ieba's Founders Award.
ABOUT VINCE GILL
After his time at RCA, Vince Gill's 1989 debut album for MCA, When I Call Your Name, sold 1 million copies. His breakthrough at radio came with the title track that featured Patty Loveless on guest vocals. It went on to win single of the year honors at the CMA Awards. Gill's subsequent albums in the '90s were huge hits, too, providing a string of No. 1 singles including "I Still Believe in You," "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away," "The Heart Won't Lie" (with Reba McEntire), "One More Last Chance" and "Tryin' to Get Over You." Gill's most recent project with MCA Records is Next Big Thing. With 18 CMA Awards, 15 Grammy Awards, and 22 million in album sales, Gill stands as one of the most successful artists in the history of country music.
For additional information, visit www.mca-nashville.com/vincegill.
ABOUT THE OAK RIDGE BOYS
The Oak Ridge Boys represent a tradition that extends back to 1943, before Hank Williams had a career. The original group, based in Knoxville, TN, began performing country and gospel music in nearby Oak Ridge where the atomic bomb was being developed. They called themselves the Oak Ridge Quartet, and they began regular Grand Ole Opry appearances in the fall of '45. In the mid-'50s, they were featured in Time magazine as one of the top drawing gospel groups in the nation. The four-part harmonies and upbeat songs of The Oak Ridge Boys have spawned dozens of country hits and a No 1 pop smash, earned them Grammy, Dove, CMA and ACM awards, and garnered a host of other industry and fan accolades. Every time they step before an audience, they bring 15 years of hits and 50 years of tradition to the stage.
For more information on The Oak Ridge Boys, visit www.oakridgeboys.com.
ABOUT JOE GUERCIO
Joe Guercio has enjoyed a prolific career, but he is probably best known and admired for his work with Elvis Presley. He was musical director and conductor for Elvis' concert shows from the summer of 1970 to the summer of 1977 when Elvis made his last concert appearance. Guercio was musical director for the International Hotel in Las Vegas when the work with Elvis began. Along with the obvious contributions he made to Elvis' shows, including many of the triumphs of Elvis' "concert era", it was Joe Guercio who created the now almost iconic six-note theme for Elvis' stage entrances and bows. It was also Guercio who suggested that Elvis' shows open with the theme from 2001 - A Space Odyssey (Also Sprach Zarathustra). The inspiration came when Guercio and his late first wife saw the now-classic science fiction movie in a theater, for when the music began Mrs.Guercio whispered to her husband, "You'd think Elvis was about to enter."
Joe Guercio first left his native Buffalo, NY as an accompanist for Patti Paige. He has lived in Las Vegas since 1967 and has been a musical director for Diana Ross, Jim Nabors, Florence Henderson, Diahann Carroll, Ann Margaret, and Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, among others. His arrangement of the medley Sweet Inspiration/Where You Lead was a 1972 hit for Barbra Streisand, and his arrangement of The Way We Were/Try to Remember was a 1975 hit for Gladys Knight. Guercio's work with Natalie Cole to reunite her on stage in duet with her late father, Nat King Cole, pre-dated her famous early 1990's duet recordings and videos with Mr. Cole. Guercio accompanied blues legend B.B. King to Rome to meet Pope John Paul II and perform in the Vatican's fifth Christmas concert.
Joe has been instrumental in helping ieba move forward lending his talents to the iebaLIVE! Showcases and has been a long time Board Member. iebaLIVE! REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Register early! Members-$275 / Non-Members-$375 (August 31 deadline!)
Effective September 1—Member-$325 / Non-Members-$425
Registration includes:
APA Opening Reception * Monterey Peninsula Artists Breakfast * Clear Channel / CMT Breakfast * CAA Luncheon * ACM Coffee Breaks * Awards Banquet * NATD Breakfast * WMA Luncheon * Panel Sessions * Membership Meeting * BLA Birthday Bash
The initiative of the 35th annual event is to bring ieba members together in an interactive and educational forum.
For additional information on iebaLIVE!, visit www.ieba.org.
