New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ WFUV) An iconic trio of music, news and sports broadcasting legends will be honored on Monday, May 2, at WFUV Radio's Annual
Spring Gala 2011. The distinctive and eclectic Grammy Award-winning band Los Lobos will be feted as WFUV's "Artist of the Year" and receive the WFUV Sound & Vision Award; Tom Brokaw, NBC News's venerable Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist, will receive the Charles Osgood Lifetime Achievement Award in Broadcast Journalism; and former CBS and FOX Sports' football play-by-play and NFL great Pat Summerall will receive the Vin Scully Lifetime Achievement Award in Sports Broadcasting at the station's fourth annual
Spring Gala.
The benefit in support of New York's "Rock and Roots" public radio station, licensed to Fordham University, will be held at Three Sixty in Tribeca in New York City. An anticipated audience of more than 400 donors will be treated to a performance by the musically-rich Los Lobos in a mini-concert, including a performance of their critically acclaimed rendition of "La Bamba," which launched the band to stardom in 1987.
"We may be a band from East L.A., but we love New York, and we especially love WFUV," said David Hidalgo of Los Lobos. "They don't just play our music, they always make a home for it on the radio. No matter what we do, we know that WFUVand their listenerswill get what we're all about."
Lifetime Achievement Awards Named for Famed Station Alumni
In tribute to legendary broadcasters Charles Osgood and Vin Scully, both of whom started their careers at WFUV, the station established two annual Lifetime Achievement Awards in their names. Summerall and Brokaw were nominated and selected by well-known colleagues in their respective fields, many of whom also began their careers at WFUV.
Summerall is a member of the American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame. His broadcast career spanned six decades, and he played 10 years in the NFL for the Detroit Lions, Chicago Cardinals and the New York Giants. "I am very honored," said Summerall. "I've been an admirer of Vin Scully for a long time, and always thought he was outstanding at his craft."
One of the most respected and trusted journalists in America, Brokaw was the award-winning anchor and managing editor for NBC Nightly News for 21 years, and now serves the network as a special correspondent. In 1998, Brokaw became a best-selling author with the publication of The Greatest Generation.
"Charlie Osgood has long been a gentleman and a broadcaster I admire so much that I keep wondering whether I can claim him as a member of the family," said Brokaw. "I am honored to in some small way to be associated with his professionalism, erudition and civility."
Previous WFUV gala honorees include Paul Simon, Emmylou Harris, Levon Helm, Dick Enberg, the late Ernie Harwell, Jim Lehrer, Bob Schieffer, Scully and Osgood.
"These three honorees represent the finest traditions of WFUV - excellence in music, sports and broadcast journalism," said Ralph Jennings, WFUV's general manager. "The role that WFUV plays is now more important than ever to provide inspiring music by established and emerging artists, in-depth news and sports coverage, and a professional setting in which to train students to become the broadcasters of the future."
Gala Details and Tickets
The Gala will be held at Three Sixty, 10 Desbrosses Street in New York City. For more information about the event or to purchase tickets, please visit www.wfuv.org/gala, email [email protected] or call 212-930-8898.
