My Publicist Note Book

Celebrate Recovery, a nationwide addiction recovery program, is working with Richmond’s Hillcrest Baptist Church to bring Sheila Raye Charles, daughter of musician and songwriter Ray Charles, to the community Friday. John Bledsoe, associate pastor of HBC and minister leader for the location’s Celebration Recovery program, cannot wait for Friday’s event in the church sanctuary, saying it will be “an incredible program” and that “when people come, they will see that healing and recovery is possible.” Gil Alford, co-leader of the program, agrees, especially in regards to her testimony. Both spoke about the mission behind Celebrate Recovery, specifically regarding one part: “Help those struggling with hurts, hang-ups and habits by showing them the loving power of Jesus Christ through the recovery process.” “She is the perfect person to come speak to that message,” Alford said. Charles has a difficult past. As the daughter of a music legend, she felt she “couldn’t live...

Schedule will Feature an Entertaining and Inspiring Mix of Original and Groundbreaking Programming Oscar Nominee Laurence Fishburne, Comedian Jonathan Slocumb, Actor Omari Hardwick and..... ATLANTA , June 27, 2012   --ASPiRE, the new television network from Magic Johnson Enterprises, debuts today, Wednesday, June 27 at 8:00 pm EDT with a unique mix of original and groundbreaking programming aimed at African-American viewers. The network will launch with inaugural distribution partners Comcast and Time Warner Cable. At launch, ASPiRE will be available in approximately seven million homes and in 16 of the top 25 African-American markets including New York City , Atlanta , Chicago and Washington, DC . Check out the Promo Video here ASPiRE also will launch on FAVE TV and with five charter brand partners: The Chrysler Group, L'Oreal USA , Nationwide Insurance, Coca-Cola and Walmart. ASPiRE will celebrate its historic kickoff tonight with a private, star-studded eve...

Celebrate Recovery, a joint ministry of Catalyst and Alexandria Covenant churches, will host a concert by Sheila Raye Charles, daughter of legendary Ray Charles , on Monday, June 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Alexandria Covenant, 4005 Dakota Street. The concert is free, and the community is invited to attend. Charles creates her own sound while delivering her message of hope and love. Her story starts with sexual abuse as a child and includes a 20-year crack-cocaine addiction, losing custody of all five of her children, physical violence and three trips to federal prison. When she surrendered to God's will, she was at her lowest point and desperate for relief from the personal pain she had created. In her story, Charles shares the testimony of God's greatness. Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered, 12-step program that encourages people dealing with a variety of life issues to name the truth of their lives and find God's grace. It meets every Monday night at Alexa...

 Sheila Raye Charles, daughter of the legendary Ray Charles will deliver her message of HOPE at Celebrate Recovery (Alexandria Covenant Church, 2005 Dakota Street) on Monday, June 25th at 6:30 pm. The journey to new life and hope often takes a jagged path with many casualties. Sheila Raye’s story starts with sexual abuse as a child and ends in federal prison in Bryan, TX. It includes a 15-year crack-cocaine addiction, losing custody of all five of her children, and the depths of physical violence. Compounding all of this was the fact she is a daughter of Ray Charles, recently named #2 on the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone. Charles regularly shares her heart-warming stories and music at places of worship, recovery groups and prisons around the nation. Bring a friend and don’t miss this opportunity to be blessed! Everyone is welcome. Free of charge. A free will offering will be taken. Childcare is available.

Ms. Claudette "The Bluz Queen" King will headline at Back Stage Atlanta, Sunday, June 17th, 2012. The "BLUZ QUEEN" will be performing hit songs such as "Walk Me To My Car" and  "playing With My Friends". Located @ 2505 Godby Road  Atlanta, GA 30349. www.claudetteking.com  ###

"When you follow God's instruction to "admit your faults to one another," when you risk honesty with another person, all of a sudden, a wonderful feeling of freedom comes into your life. You begin to realize everybody has problems, and many have the same ones you do. There is something therapeutic about admitting your faults to another person. It's God's way of freeing you." SHEILA RAYE CHARLES to " Celebrate Recovery " June 19 th 2012~ 7PM  Revival Vision Church of God 154 Durham Drive Maynardville, TN

The National Center for Civil and Human Rights will be a world-class cultural institution in the heart of Downtown Atlanta devoted to human rights exploration   Mission To continue the universal search for a secure human existence in a way that inspires vigilance and leadership among future generations.   The National Center for Civil and Human Rights is proud to celebrate our groundbreaking with supporters and allies, June 26-June27, 2012. This two day, three event occasion marks the beginning of our construction process, and the countdown to opening day which will be in summer 2014. Years of effort, support and creativity have converged to create this moment. We will mark it with the following celebrations, and then move immediately in to the construction and pre-opening phase.   Speak Truth To Power: Voices From Beyond the Dark A play by Ariel Dorfman based on the book by Kerry Kennedy June 26, 2012 7:00 pm Rialto Center for the Arts at G...

  PITCH THE SHARK Daymond John is coming to Atlanta!!! Got a Business Idea ??? Atlanta, here is your chance to    Pitch The Shark Who is Daymond John... Friday, August 31, 2012 7am - 11am W Hotel - Midtown 188 14th St NE, Atlanta 30361 Click here for TICKETS Checkout Daymond's Sizzle Reel by clicking here Presents: A Real Chance To " Pitch The Shark ” Submissions due by July 31, 2012 The Black Latino Council, ProNetworker and The Wilson Group will be giving Atlanta’s Entrepreneur and Small Business Owners a real chance to pitch a shark, On August 31, 2012, Daymond John of “Shark Tank” will be in Atlanta. Six business owner or Entrepreneur with a high-quality business concept and a realistic possibility for business growth will be selected to pitch a panel of proven business professionals.   The requirements to compete for A Real Chance To...

Saturday, June 23: A benefit for the children of Justin Gustafson will be held from 4 p.m. to midnight at Captain’s on Long Lake in Isanti. Gustafson died in a car accident on Dec. 24, 2011, and left behind a son, Dominick and newborn daughter Justina, who was born two weeks after his death. The benefit will feature special guest Sheila Raye Charles (daughter of Ray Charles), as well as bands Surgeon Generals, Soup Bones, News Getting Old and Troy Castellano. It will also include a silent auction, raffle and dinner. $20 donation includes the music and food, and raffle tickets are $5 per ticket or 5/$20. For more info visit http://troycastellano.com/JustinGustafson.htm .

There's a saying people use to explain the difference between advertising and PR: "Advertising you pay for, PR you pray for." That's at the heart of the difference between the two closely related industries.  When a client goes to an advertising agency, he's expecting the agency to put together a campaign to make people aware of his product or service. The work includes some creative effort along with a strategy for exposing it to as many people as possible - and he's willing to purchase media space to place the ads. When a client goes to a Publicist firm, he is also looking to communicate with the public. However, as opposed to an advertising representative, a Publicist agent has to convince a journalist to feature the client - without paying the journalist. And in the cases where a journalist has already decided to feature the client, the Publicist agent's job is to ensure that the client is portrayed in as positive a light as po...

Celebrate Recovery’s minister of music, Megan W., said, as she took the front of the room with her guitar. “I’m not used to this! The group I usually sing to is about one-tenth this size!” Joseph Pratt | Daily Times Stephanie Wright prays with Sheila Raye Charles during her visit to Portsmouth’s Celebrate Recovery group. The group leaders of Celebrate Recovery were all surprised by how many people showed up to their weekly support meeting. It definitely helps to spread awareness when you have the daughter of a legendary performer singing and giving her testimony of addiction. “The best part of our program is that people come into a church setting during our weekly meetings. There are other 12-step programs that are wonderful, but this one is different,” Rhonda D., team leader for women with chemical dependency, said. “We announce Jesus Christ as our higher power and weave religion into our 12 steps. What I really like about our program is that it gets people...