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6 Summer 2023 • sai-national.org Music Notes The Accordion Is Making A Comeback In Chicagoland The National Music Council of the United States is proud to announce it honored music visionaries Ray Chew and Vivian Scott Chew at the organization's 39th annual American Eagle Awards on Sunday, June 25, 2023, at the American Federation of Musicians Convention in Las Vegas. The honors are presented each year in recognition of those who have made career-long contributions to American musical culture, to promoting the ideal of music education for all children, and to supporting the protection of creators' rights both locally and internationally. This years' honored presenter was Academy Award and multi- Grammy-winning artist Regina Belle. Iconic Music Director, Producer and Composer Ray Chew's work has been celebrated for excellence both in front of the camera and behind the scenes over the course of decades, ranging from the most important special holiday broadcasts on NBC to award-winning shows including Dancing With the Stars, Showtime at the Apollo, and American Idol. Ray's uniquely-prized music direction talents have been further highlighted in prestigious musical specials and historic landmark events, including the Primetime Emmy Awards, the Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremonies, the 2008 Democratic National Convention, President Barack Obama's Inaugural Ball, the NAACP Image Awards, Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America and the BET Awards. Among the list of globally renown artists with whom Ray has worked include Rihanna, Carrie Underwood, Pharrell Williams, Justin Bieber, Aretha Franklin, Lenny Kravitz, Pitbull, Queen Latifah, James Taylor, Pastor Shirley Caesar, Jennifer Hudson and Quincy Jones. His reputation as one of the most sought-after collaborative talents in the global music industry is rivaled only by his commitment to passing along the benefits of his experiences to future generations of composers, arrangers, performers and producers. Vivian Scott Chew is an equally innovative figure in the global music and entertainment industry, with an accomplished history at ASCAP, Polygram Records and Sony Music, and as co-founder and principal of TimeZone International - the first U.S. based African- American owned company that provides recording artists with international marketing and promotion services in expanded regions. Ray and Vivian are likewise founding partners in Chew Entertainment - a premiere event production firm whose work includes the annually acclaimed "A Night of Inspiration" at Carnegie Hall, an all-star concert that promotes diversity and unity at the famed venue with a 64-piece orchestra and massive choir for notable artists from the gospel and secular communities. The couple similarly remains steadfast in their commitment to philanthropy through both the Power 2 Inspire Foundation, which they created to identify and nurture the future of music creators and industry leaders, and by fundraising efforts in partnership with the American Federation of Musicians to benefit out of work musicians affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. For more information, visit www.power2inspire.org and bit.ly/allthingschew. This year's honorees will join a "who's – who" of musical giants whose careers and works have been previously awarded the American Eagle, including Stephen Sondheim, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Clive Davis, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Morton Gould, Dave Brubeck, Marian Anderson, Max Roach, Lena Horne, Roy Clark, Crystal Gale, George Clinton, Ervin Drake, Theo Bikel, Vince Guaraldi, Roberta Peters, Odetta, Patti Smith, U.S. National Music Council to Honor Ray and Vivian Chew at 39 th Annual American Eagle Awards

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