Featuring performances from Chrisette Michele, Akon, Natalie Cole, Ledisi, Johnny Gill and more, the UNCF helmed ‘An Evening of Stars’ has received an official air date. Taped late 2009, ‘An Evening of Stars’ honored legendary R&B/soul singer Lionel Richie with the UNCF Award of Excellence. “This year’s An Evening of Stars® program is special because in honoring the great Lionel Richie, we are for the first time honoring a graduate of a UNCF member institution, Tuskegee University,” said Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D., UNCF president and CEO. “The show is filled with high energy and ballad performances of Lionel Richie hits like Endless Love, Truly, I Call It Love and many more from his extensive song book, as we celebrate not only his contribution to the music industry but his dedication to minority education. We are grateful for the support of all of our celebrities, sponsors and supporters, who enable UNCF to help promising students get the college degrees they need and our nation needs them to have.” UNCFâthe United Negro College Fundâ will broadcast its An Evening of Stars® Tribute to Lionel Richie nationally on more than 35 stations in major markets, and on WGN at 11 p.m. CT on Saturday, January 23rd and BET Networks on Sunday, January 24th at 10 p.m. ET. STAR POWER, UNCF’s online giving campaign also celebrates minority education. A complete list of stations and background information can be found online at www.aneveningofstars.org. This year’s roster of performers also includes Jesse McCartney, Boney James, Katharine McPhee, James Ingram, Brian McKnight, Mary Mary’s Erica Campbell and 25-time Grammy Award winner Stevie Wonder. Special taped presentations by Will.i.am, Ne-Yo, Nicole Richie, Quincy Jones, Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy will also be seen, for the first time, during the broadcast. Presenters include syndicated radio host and HBCU fundraiser Tom Joyner; Shemar Moore from Criminal Minds; Terrence Howard of Iron Man; USC basketball star Romeo; Cedric The Entertainer, whose foundation grants more than a dozen UNCF scholarships each year; Justin Chambers of Grey’s Anatomy; Bobb’e J. Thompson of Role Models; Gina Ravera ofThe Closer; Tracie Thoms of Cold Case; Regina King of Our Family Wedding; Dexter’s Lauren Velez; Paige Hurd ofEverybody Hates Chris; Terri Crews of Gamer; former Motown executive Suzanne de Passe; WGN’s Merri Dee; Extra’s AJ Calloway and Access Hollywood’s Shaun Robinson. Six-time Emmy Award winner Louis J. Horvitz is executive producer and director of An Evening of Stars®. An Evening of Stars® Tribute to Lionel Richie will airs on WGN at 11 p.m. CT on Saturday, January 23rd and BET Sunday, January 24th at 10 p.m. ET.
Since 2005, Singersroom has been the voice of R&B around the world. Connect with us via social media below.
