Clive Davis And The Recording Academy® Present The Pre-GRAMMY® Gala

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Clive Davis and The Recording Academy^® will present the annual Pre-GRAMMY^® Gala on Saturday, Jan. 25,  2014, at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif., the evening before the 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards^® (#GRAMMYs). Sponsored by JBL, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Hyundai, and MasterCard Worldwide, this exclusive, star-studded celebration will feature special musical performances and will be attended by the world's most renowned artists and top industry VIPs in music, film, television and new media. For updates and breaking news, please visit The Recording Academy's social networks on Twitter and Facebook.  

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As part of the evening's celebration, the 2014 GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons^® will honor Universal Music Group's (UMG) Chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge, CBE. The Recording Academy will present Grainge with the President's Merit Award in recognition of his significant contributions to the music industry and the impact his efforts have had on music and the business of music. Past recipients include Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, Sir Richard Branson, Clive Davis, Ahmet Ertegun, David Geffen, Berry Gordy, Doug Morris, Antonio "L.A." Reid, and Mo Ostin.

"As we enter our sixth year of collaborating with Clive Davis, this legendary gala continues to be one of GRAMMY Week's most prestigious events complete with unique one-of-a-kind performances," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "We are delighted and proud to pay tribute to Lucian Grainge, whose ability to spot talent and his impeccable business sense has made him one of today's most successful leaders and a visionary Industry Icon."

With a career that spans more than three decades, Grainge has signed or worked with some of the most talented musicians in the industry including ABBA, JAY Z, Justin Bieber, Elton John, Eminem, Metallica, Katy Perry, Rihanna, U2, and Amy Winehouse. Additionally, through the course of his impressive career, he has pioneered new approaches to the signing and development of artists, as well as successfully built new and innovative business models and partnerships with a range of technology and media partners around the world, such as Apple, Google, Spotify, and YouTube.

In 1986 Grainge joined Universal Music, and subsequently launched PolyGram Music Publishing in the UK. In 2005 he was named chairman and chief executive of Universal Music Group International and by 2011, he was named chairman and chief executive officer of Universal Music Group. During his tenure at Universal, he has led the acquisition of EMI's recorded music operations, revitalized the iconic Capitol Records and in the process, further strengthened UMG's position as a global leader. His inspiring leadership in music publishing and recorded music as well as in the convergence of music and technology has been recognized as having laid the foundation for a return growth in recent years of an industry that had been suffering more than a decade of decline. Since becoming CEO in 2011, Grainge dramatically improved the financial performance of UMG by significantly increasing the company's revenues and profitability. At the same time the company set numerous creative records including being the first music company with nine of the top 10 songs on Billboard's Digital Songs chart and the first music company to score all 10 of the top 10 spots on the Billboard Hot 100.

Throughout the years, Grainge has been recognized with many accolades, including topping Billboard magazine's Power 100 list as the most powerful executive in the industry. In 2010 he was recognized in Britain's New Year Honors and awarded the Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire and in 2011. He has been awarded the prestigious Music Industry Trusts' Award as one of the most influential and successful executives in global entertainment. Grainge was appointed by Prime Minister David Cameron as a UK Business Ambassador with special remit on global media and entertainment. Recently, he was named a trustee of the American Friends of the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. Currently, he serves on the board of directors of Dreamworks Animation and the board of trustees of Northeastern University in Boston, MA.

Clive Davis began his career at Columbia Records where he was appointed president in 1967 and signed such legendary rock artists as Janis Joplin, Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and Earth, Wind & Fire. In 1974 Davis co-founded Arista Records where he signed Barry Manilow, Patti Smith and Whitney Houston and further developed the careers of the Kinks, the Grateful Dead, Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin. His business ventures include forming LaFace Records in 1989 with Babyface and L.A. Reid, and creating Bad Boy Records in 1994 with Sean "Diddy" Combs. In 2000 J Records was born (in partnership with BMG) and emerged as a dominant force, producing the works of Alicia Keys and Maroon 5. Davis was then appointed chairman/CEO of BMG U.S. Label Group where he oversaw an expanded RCA Music Group, including J Records, RCA Records and Arista Records. After BMG and Sony Music merged, in 2008 Davis was appointed chief creative officer, Sony Music Worldwide, where he continues to nurture and develop talent. In 2000 Davis received the Trustees Award from The Recording Academy and was recognized with the President's Merit Awards at the 2009 GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons.  As a humanitarian, Davis has made tireless efforts in the battle against AIDS, spearheading donations of millions of dollars for AIDS research. In 2002 the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music was created at his undergraduate alma mater, New York University. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School.

Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, songwriters, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @TheGRAMMYs on Twitter, like "The GRAMMYs" on Facebook, and join The GRAMMYs' social communities on Foursquare, GetGlue, Google +, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, and YouTube.

SOURCE The Recording Academy

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