Woody Guthrie Prize To Honor Norman Lear Annual award recognizes artists who embody the spirit of Woody Guthrie Lear to be honored at special GRAMMY Museum event May 12 in Los Angeles featuring a Q&A with Executive Director Bob Santelli and special performance by singer/songwriter Joel Rafael
Television producer, writer and activist Norman Lear has been named the fourth recipient of the annual Woody Guthrie Prize. Throughout his work bringing diverse voices to television as well as his personal fight for social justice causes, Lear has embodied the spirit and mission of Woody Guthrie. Lear will be recognized and presented with the award at an event on May 12, 2017, at the GRAMMY Museum® at L.A. LIVE.
The Woody Guthrie Prize is given annually to an artist who best exemplifies the spirit and life work of Woody Guthrie by speaking for the less fortunate through music, film, literature, dance or other art forms and serving as a positive force for social change in America. Lear is the first recipient of the Woody Guthrie Prize whose work is in a medium other than music.
"Norman Lear's work as a television writer and producer broke barriers and challenged accepted social norms," said Deana McCloud, Executive Director of the Tulsa, Okla.-based Woody Guthrie Center. "An outspoken supporter of the First Amendment, his work as a political activist follows in Woody's footsteps by promoting diversity and equality. We are proud to be presenting Mr. Lear with the fourth annual Woody Guthrie Prize in honor of his outstanding work for social justice."
Through the programs Lear developed, including "All in the Family," "Sanford and Son," "Maude," and "The Jeffersons," the shared experiences of everyday Americans were brought into homes across the country and helped to guide national conversations. His shows depicted the struggles and triumphs of Americans through relatable and vivid characters, many of whom continue to hold a prominent place in pop culture. When Lear was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1999, then-President Bill Clinton said: "Norman Lear has held up a mirror to American society and changed the way we look at it."
Lear's work led him to earn four Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award, and induction into the Television Academy Hall of Fame as one of the first of seven "television pioneers." Off screen, Lear's work for social justice was unbound. In 1981, Lear founded the People For the American Way and in 1989 he co-founded the Environmental Media Association and spoke out about issues related to the First Amendment. Currently, Lear is executive producing his second season of the Netflix original series, "One Day At Time," as well as, developing a handful of other projects under his company, ACT III Productions. His new podcast, "All of the Above with Norman Lear," will be launched via PodcastOne and available everywhere May 1.
The Woody Guthrie Center Presents Woody Guthrie Prize Honoring Norman Lear will take place Friday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the GRAMMY Museum's Clive Davis Theater in downtown Los Angeles. The evening will feature an intimate Q&A with Lear on his extraordinary career, moderated by GRAMMY Museum Executive Director Bob Santelli, and a special performance by American singer/songwriter and folk musician Joel Rafael. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at AXS.com beginning Thursday, April 13, at 10:30 a.m. PST.
The GRAMMY Museum is located at 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite A245, Los Angeles, Calif., 90015. With an entrance off Figueroa Street, the Museum resides within the L.A. LIVE district at the intersection of Olympic Boulevard and Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles.
The Woody Guthrie Archives were brought to Tulsa by the George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF), which purchased them in 2011 from the Guthrie family. The foundation continues its commitment to Woody Guthrie Center through grant funding that makes the Woody Guthrie Prize possible. Currently in its fourth year, past recipients of the award include Kris Kristofferson (2016), Mavis Staples (2015) and Pete Seeger (2014).
Proceeds from the Woody Guthrie Prize event help support the Woody Guthrie Center, a 12,000-square-foot center that features state-of-the-art, interactive exhibits on Guthrie's life, art and creative legacy. The center is home to Guthrie's comprehensive archives, including the original, handwritten version of Guthrie's landmark anthem, "This Land is Your Land," which is available for viewing at the center.
Woody Guthrie's songs celebrate the beauty and bounty of America and seek the truth about our country and its people. He turned complex ideas about democracy, human rights, and economic equality into simple songs that all American could embrace. Guthrie spoke for those who carried a heavy burden or had come upon hard times. His words gave a voice to their struggle, and his songs gave them hope and strength.
The Woody Guthrie Center opened in downtown Tulsa in 2013 and continues its work to preserve Guthrie’s legacy and life story and communicate the social, political, and cultural values found in the words and art of this famous Oklahoma son and visionary for social justice.
About The Woody Guthrie Center
The Woody Guthrie Center, opened on April 27, 2013, features state of the art exhibits, an extensive outreach and education program, and a concert series to bring his legacy to Tulsans and those who make the pilgrimage to what is a destination for Woody Guthrie fans worldwide.
The Center is more than a museum; instead, it is a center of investigation for inspiration. By providing examples of Guthrie’s ability to use his creativity as a way of expressing the world around him, we hope to encourage others to find their voices and, through their educational programs, explore the power that lies within the creative process. For more information, please visit www.woodyguthriecenter.org.
About George Kaiser Family Foundation
George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF) is a charitable organization based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Type I 509(a)3 supporting organization of the Tulsa Community Foundation, dedicated to providing equal opportunity for young children in our community through investments in early childhood education, community health, social services, and civic enhancement. For more information, visit www.gkff.org.
About the GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE
The GRAMMY Museum is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created as a partnership between The Recording Academy and AEG. Paying tribute to music's rich cultural history, the 21st century Museum explores and celebrates the enduring legacies of all forms of music, the creative process, the art and technology of the recording process, and the history of the premier recognition of excellence in recorded music. The GRAMMY Museum features 30,000 square feet of interactive permanent and traveling exhibits, with four floors of dynamic and engaging multimedia presentations, and is located within L.A. LIVE, the downtown Los Angeles sports, entertainment and residential district. Through thought-provoking and dynamic public and educational programs and exhibits, guests will experience music from a never-before-seen insider perspective that only the GRAMMY Museum can deliver. For more information, please call 213-765-6800 or visit www.grammymuseum.org. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @TheGRAMMYMuseum on Twitter and Instagram, and like "The GRAMMY Museum" on Facebook.
