October 22, 2003
The Society Of Singers To Present Celine Dion With The 13th Annual Ella Award
Five time Grammy Award recipient to be honored June 7th at the Beverly Hilton Hotel
Five time Grammy Award recipient Céline Dion, who has sold a combined total of over 160 million albums, has been selected to receive the 13th Annual ELLA Award at a star-studded dinner and show at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills, California, on June 7th 2004. The announcement was made by Society of Singers president and CEO Jerry F. Sharell.
The ELLA Award, named after its first recipient Ella Fitzgerald, is given to singers whose contribution to the music world is equaled by his/her dedication to humanitarian causes and community support. The non-profit organization Society of Singers (SOS) works within the entertainment community to advance the vocal arts through scholarships and offers comprehensive services to meet multiple financial needs of professional singers worldwide. Society of Singers was co-founded in 1984 by Chairman Emeritus Ginny (Mrs. Henry) Mancini. Previous ELLA Award recipients include Ella Fitzgerald, Placido Domingo, Dame Julie Andrews, Tony Bennett, Lena Horne, Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme, Frank Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney, Tony Martin, Joe Williams, Peggy Lee and Barry Manilow.
"We are thrilled to honor Ms. Céline Dion for her accomplishments as a performer and as extraordinary human being," stated Jerry F. Sharell. "She has also been actively involved with charities and humanitarian efforts around the world. There is no better person who typifies what the ELLA Award stands for than Céline."
Céline Dion stated, "I am honored to be chosen as the recipient of next year's ELLA Award. The amazing work that the Society of Singers does with helping performers in times of need, and also working with young people on vocal scholarships, truly gives back to the many people who dream of enhancing the world through music. Additionally, it's a great honor to receive this award named after Ella Fitzgerald, one of my favorite singers and performers."
During her spectacular career, Céline Dion has sold a combined total of over 160 million albums. She is a 5-time Grammy Award winner, including Album of the Year and Best Pop Album for "Falling Into You" (1996); and Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "My Heart Will Go On" (1998). Her recordings have won two Academy Awards: Best Original Song From A Film in 1992, for the title song of "Beauty and the Beast" (with Peabo Bryson), and Best Original Song from A Film in 1998, for "My Heart Will Go On" (From "Titanic"). She has earned three American Music Awards and, in her native Canada, she has won 20 Juno Awards and an astonishing 39 Felix Awards (Quebec). The viewers of VH1 made Céline Dion their Artist of The Year in 1996, and voted her Best Female Artist and Diva of The Year in 1998. Her hugely successful show, "A New Day...," an unparalleled combination of performance, passion, and theatrical innovation, has been the hottest ticket in Las Vegas, playing to sold-out audiences since its opening on March 25, 2003 at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
The Society of Singers (SOS) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization established in 1984 by Ginny Mancini. This human service agency offers comprehensive services to meet multiple financial needs of professional singers worldwide. Eligible applicants have earned their primary living as a singer for five years or more and represent all ages, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, locales and singing styles. The Society also works within the entertainment community to advance vocal arts through its scholarship programs. For more information please consult www.singers.org.
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