My Publicist Note Book

It's in the mail: Ray Charles on a 'Forever' stamp! The late great entertainer extraordinaire Ray Charles will be honored with a Ray Charles Forever postage stamp on Monday September 23rd which would have been his 83rd birthday. As part of its Music Icons Forever series, the U.S. Postal Service will be unveiling the stamp hosted by the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. Charles’ daughter Raenee Robinson-McClellan says, “I think I speak for all of our family that we are very grateful for the U.S. Postal service honoring Dad in such a way.” The limited-edition stamp will be made available for purchase the same day. Concord Records will toast the occasion with the release of Ray Charles Forever, a CD/DVD collection due Sept. 24.  The CD will feature 12 tracks, including covers of such memorable tunes as “A Song for You,” “Come Rain or Come Shine,” “Imagine” and “America the Beautiful.” The DVD will offer 20 minutes’ worth of footage, including rare concert performanc...

New York New York New York New York ! African Leadership Magazine Presents The African Investment & Development Awards September. 18, 2013 - MANHATTAN, N.Y. --United Kingdom based, African Leadership Magazine  will present in New York City USA, a conceptual forum entitled- “ The African Investment & Development Awards " Our Key Note for the evening is Senator Steen Miles! As Africa's attractiveness as an investment destination continues to soar, the African Leadership Magazine looks forward to welcoming participants, to join the Vice President of the Republic of Seychelles, Danny Faure, on behalf of the President of the Republic of Seychelles, His Excellency, Colonel James Alix Michel, as one of our confirmed guest speakers for the 2nd  African Investment & Development Awards holding on 25 September 2013, at the  St. Regis Hotel , New York city, on the margins of the  High-level meeting  at the Unit...

Kenneth Howard Norton Sr.,   an American former heavyweight boxer and former WBC world Heavyweight Champion  who fought three memorable fights with Muhammad Ali, breaking his jaw in winning their first bout, then losing twice, and went on to become the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, died Wednesday in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson. He was 70.   His death was confirmed by his son Ken Jr., an assistant coach with the N.F.L.’s Seattle Seahawks and a pro linebacker for 13 seasons, The Associated Press said. Norton had been in poor health for several years after sustaining a series of strokes. Norton had led a checkered and unusual life. Born in Jacksonville, Illinois, Norton grew up in the central Illinois town wanting to get out. Boxing was no where on the horizon for him. Football and track were if he could make it to adulthood. He was kind of a wild kid, not delinquent wild but wild in a way that made it seem he would never live to grow up. One day when h...

Sep. 18, 2013  -  MANHATTAN, N.Y.  --  United Kingdom based, African Leadership Magazine will present in New York City USA, a conceptual forum entitled- “The African Investment & Development Awards" As Africa's attractiveness as an investment destination continues to soar, the African Leadership Magazine looks forward to welcoming participants, to join the Vice President of the Republic of Seychelles, Danny Faure, on behalf of thePresident of the Republic of Seychelles, His Excellency James Michel, as one of our confirmed guest speakers for the 2nd African Investment & Development Awards holding  on 25 September 2013, at the St Regis Hotel, New York city, on the margins of the  High-level meeting at the United Nations General Assembly's 67th session in New York City. This event will honor Dr. Paul Orhii, Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) - Nigeria. The African Leadership Magazine wil...

THAT'S RIGHT.  THE KING OF THE BLUES B.B KING TURNS 88 TODAY! Memphis music legend, BB King, is celebrating his 88th birthday on Monday and the public is asked to join a social media effort to wish him a good birthday. According to Rolling Stone Magazine, Memphis blues legend BB King is number three on the List of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. King is among the iconic musicians whose pictures are hanging at the Memphis Music Hall of Fame .  After serving in World War II, Riley B. King, better known as B.B. King, became a disc jockey in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was dubbed "the Beale Street Blues Boy." That nickname was shortened to "B.B.," and the guitarist cut his first record in 1949. He spent the next decades recording and touring, playing more than 300 shows a year. King has worked with artists from rock, pop and country backgrounds. He won his 14th Grammy Award in 2006. Damn Straight, Fred! BB King Calls This One...

Velvety voiced Grammy winner Barry White -- whose distinctive bass set the mood for romance, received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last Thursday morning. The two-time Grammy Award winner, who died at the age of 58 in 2003, received the 2,506 star in the 6900 block of Hollywood Boulevard, across the street from the Dolby Theatre. White was known for his bass voice and romantic image, with hit songs such as “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe,” and “Never, Never Gonna Give Ya Up”.  White was born in Texas, but grew up in South Los Angeles. The self-taught pianist was member of a Baptist church choir, but it was White's smooth bass voice that made him world-renowned as a romantic crooner who provided the playlist for couples "in the mood." In a 1990 Ebony magazine interview, White described the morning he woke up to realize his voice had dropped from the high pitch of a pre-adolescent's to a rumbling canyon-deep bass. "It sc...

Miss New York crowned Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri becomes the first contestant of Indian heritage and the second consecutive contestant from New York to win the Miss America pageant.   Moments after winning the 2014 Miss America crown, Nina Davuluri described how delighted she is that the nearly century-old pageant sees beauty and talent of all kinds. The 24-year-old Miss New York is the first contestant of Indian heritage to become Miss America; her talent routine was a Bollywood fusion dance.   Miss New York; exhibited her talent routine, a Bollywood fusion dance.  Miss New York Nina Davuluri walks down the runway after winning the the Miss America 2014 pageant. "I'm so happy this organization has embraced diversity," she said in her first press conference after winning the crown in Atlantic City, N.J.'s Boardwalk Hall. "I'm thankful there are children watching at home who can finally relate to a new Miss America." H...

It was the second major celebrity wedding of the weekend—superstar couple LeBron James and Savannah Brinson tied the knot in San Diego, California Saturday! Savannah patiently waited 10 years but finally got her Man!   NBA superstar LeBron James married his longtime girlfriend and high-school sweetheart Savannah Brinson Saturday. The couple exchanged vows in a top security event at the Grand Del Mar resort in San Diego, California. Nearly 200 people were in attendance including Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Dwyane Wade, Gabrielle Union, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and several others. Despite the star-studded guest list, no one shared photos, per the invite banning phones from the ceremony . Guests were ushered into the wedding areas under the cover of tents, and television footage taken by news helicopters showed that even umbrellas were used to protect the identity of those arriving. Heat owner Micky Arison, coach Erik Spoelstra and many of James' teammates includi...