VH1 Save The Music Foundation to Honor John Legend at The 2010 Gala Presented by LG Mobile Phones

NEW YORK, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- On Monday, November 8th, The VH1 Save The Music Foundation will honor six-time Grammy Award winner John Legend and feature a special performance by Natasha Bedingfield, a member of the VH1 Save The Music Alumni Ambassador Group. The evening's program will also include appearances by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and television and feature film actor, Billy Burke. The 2010 Gala celebration will mark thirteen years of restoring music education programs in America's public schools. Presented by LG Mobile Phones, the event will celebrate music as a universal language that shapes and moves all of our lives.

Throughout the evening there will be performances, as well as a special tribute to the 45th Anniversary of Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound Of Music. In addition, a group of current students and alumni from the VH1 Save The Music Foundation's first grant recipient school, the P.S. 58/Carroll School will play together for the first time as a 40-member chamber orchestra, demonstrating the impact of the Foundation's programs. In addition to LG Mobile Phones, the evening's sponsors include Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Anheuser-Busch, GREY GOOSE® Vodka, HP, JetBlue Airways, and is supported by The James New York Hotel, DJ Vice, Skam Artist Entertainment, Mr. Boddington's Studio and Yak Pak. The night will celebrate the Foundation's ongoing commitment to ensuring that all students in America's public schools are getting a complete education that includes the benefits of music and develops the whole child.

All honorees join an esteemed group of past honorees that include Former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hilary Rodham Clinton, Grammy award- winning superstar, Mariah Carey, NAMM, the International Music Products Association, and Founder and Vice Chairman of the VH1 Save The Music Foundation John Sykes.

Multi-platinum recording artist John Legend has served as an advocate and philanthropist of youth arts & music programs throughout his career. An alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania, Legend is most known for his charity work on behalf of the Show Me Campaign, which he established in 2007 to break the cycle of poverty using solutions that have been proven to improve people's lives and to give them the opportunity to survive, thrive and succeed. A Grammy-Award winning musician who has collaborated with artists such as Kanye West, Jay-Z, and Alicia Keys, John Legend is also a vocal advocate for education reform to ensure that all kids have access to a quality education.  His support of VH1 Save The Music began when he performed at the Save The Music Concert in 2005 and in 2006 he taped a public service announcement for the Foundation where he spoke of the critical need for music in school. He recently agreed to join the Foundation's 3rd Ambassador class beginning in January 2011.

NYC Mayor Bloomberg will also be a part of the evening's celebration. As a long-time supporter of the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, Mayor Bloomberg has been an outspoken advocate for providing students with a sound education and the tools to succeed inside and outside the classroom.

A member of the VH1 Save The Music's alumni Ambassador group, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Natasha Bedingfield, joins the event line-up having previously performed at a Foundation event at P.S. 180 in Harlem and served as Host at the Foundation's Third Annual Big Shopping Day.  Billy Burke is a compelling and critically acclaimed actor whose credits span both television and feature films.  Best known for his role in the "Twilight" series, as Kristen Stewart's devoted father ('Charlie Swan'), Burke continues to expand his professional portfolio, while committing himself to his passion for music. Billy is an accomplished musician with expertise both in the guitar and the piano and his latest solo album, "Removed" benefits the Foundation.

"VH1 Save The Music is delighted to be honoring John Legend, John Mayer, and The ASCAP Foundation, all have given generously of their time, talent, and money to advance the Foundation's mission. To have such great people supporting our work in providing each child with a complete, well-rounded education that includes the benefits of instrumental music study, speaks to the importance and urgent need to invest in our nation's youth," says Paul Cothran, Executive Director of The VH1 Save The Music Foundation.

For opportunities on how to participate in the Gala or to purchase tickets, please visit www.vh1savethemusic.com/gala2010.

About The VH1 Save the Music Foundation:

The VH1 Save The Music Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring instrumental music education programs in America's public schools, and raising awareness about the importance of music as part of each child's complete education.  To date, VH1 Save The Music has provided more than $45 million in new musical instruments to 1,700 public schools in more than 100 cities around the country, impacting the lives of over 1.4 million children.  With the support of people across the country and the 2010-2011 Ambassador Class including: OneRepublic, Chrisette Michele, Nick Lachey, Mandy Moore, Kelly Clarkson, Jason Mraz, Fall Out Boy, Colbie Caillat, it is The Foundation's renewed commitment to donate one hundred million dollars worth of new musical instruments to ensure that even a greater number of students receive a comprehensive music education in the coming decade. Get involved and learn more at www.vh1savethemusic.com.

About John Legend

Music superstar, advocate and philanthropist, John Legend is the recipient of six Grammy Awards, whose three albums have all hit Number one on the Billboard R&B charts. He has collaborated with such artists as Kanye West, Jay- Z, Alicia Keys and in 2007 he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.  An alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania, Legend is known for his charity work on behalf of the Show Me Campaign, which he established in 2007 to break the cycle of poverty using solutions that have been proven to improve people's lives and to give them the opportunities to survive, thrive and succeed. A world- renowned artist, John Legend is also a vocal advocate for education reform to ensure that all kids have access to a quality education.

About Natasha Bedingfield

Since the release of her massive debut album, Unwritten, in 2006, Natasha Bedingfield has sold more than 10 million singles and albums worldwide and earned a Grammy® nomination for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance."   Working towards fulfilling another passion, supporting arts education, Natasha is proud to be able to use her gift for songwriting to ensure that every child has the opportunity to have music in his or her life.  As an Artist Ambassador, Natasha has had the chance to directly impact the lives of children by performing at schools across the globe, including P.S. 180 in Harlem and by hosting events like Save The Music's "Third Annual BIG Shopping Day."  Natasha has just completed work on her third studio album, Strip Me, which is due out November 9th on Phonogenic/Epic Records.

SOURCE VH1

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