JUNE 26 I THE NATIONAL MUSIC COUNCIL I EVENT
American Eagle Awards to Honor Jazz Legends

Jazz legends Chick Corea and The Manhattan Transfer will be honored at The National Music Council's 35th annual American Eagle Awards beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 28.

"At this year's event, we are honoring the artists who bring life and imagination to one of our country's most revered and treasured genres of music: jazz," said David Sanders, director of the National Music Council. "The time has come to celebrate the enduring legacies and versatility of Chick Corea and all the members of The Manhattan Transfer. Each has set an extraordinary standard for ongoing contribution to American musical culture and heritage and will rightly serve as a mentor or role model for aspiring jazz artists for years to come."

Photo courtesy of Chick Corea Productions

Recognized as one of music's most influential stylists, Corea has reached iconic status as a keyboardist, composer and bandleader. Corea is the fourth-most nominated artist in Grammy Awards history with 64 nods and 22 wins, in addition to a number of Latin Grammys. From straight-ahead to avant-garde, bebop to jazz-rock fusion, children's songs to chamber and symphonic works, Corea has accessed an impressive repertoire of musical genres in the past 50 years since first performing with several Miles Davis bands in the late '60s and early '70s.

Photo by John Abbott

A cornerstone for pop and jazz hits, The Manhattan Transfer has built a legacy that began with their first recording 43 years ago. The legendary quartet of Alan Paul, Cheryl Bentyne, Janis Siegel and the late Tim Hauser has been awarded 8 Grammy Awards of 13 nominations and has been inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame. With sold-out world tours and worldwide record sales in the millions, The Manhattan Transfer continues to bring melodic and jazz-infused vocals to audiences.

The new American Eagle honorees will join a "who's who" list of cultural giants including Stephen Sondheim, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Clive Davis, Van Cliburn, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Morton Gould, Dave Brubeck, Marian Anderson, Max Roach, Lena Horne, Roy Clark, Elliott Carter, Ervin Drake, Theodore Bikel, Roberta Peters, Odetta, Leonard Slatkin, Sesame Street, Hard Rock Café and VH1's Save the Music Foundation. In 2017, the NMC also recognized the contributions of songwriter/poet, Patti Smith, country legend Crystal Gale, and comedian, musician and actor, Harry Shearer.

This year's award ceremony is open to industry members and Summer NAMM attendees. Tickets for this event are also available to the general public.

musiccouncil.org