National Music Council’s 30th Annual American Eagle Awards Luncheon was held in Manhattan, Wednesday, June 8. The 2011 Award Honorees: Paquito D’Rivera, Nile Rodgers, Peter Yarrow, and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, each a legend in their own right.

“Through the cooperative work of its member organizations, the National Music Council promotes and supports music and music education as an integral part of the curricula in the schools of our nation, and in the lives of its citizens. The Council provides for the interchange of information and coordination of efforts among its member organizations and speaks with one voice for the music community whenever an authoritative expression of opinion is desirable. The Council presents the American Eagle Award each year to individuals who have made significant contributions to American music and music education. Chartered by Congress in 1956, the National Music Council is the official U.S. representative to the International Music Council.”

This is the third American Eagle Awards Luncheon I’ve attended, an event I look forward to each year. Both Ambassador Mo and I are personal friends of David Sanders, Director of the National Music Council, and his brother Charles Sanders, Secretary, Board of Directors. Both have played an instrumental role in Mo’s concept and execution of Diplomat Artist.

According to David Sanders, what makes these awards unique is the opportunity to mingle with the celebrity award recipients on their own, relaxed terms. In the crowd of musicians, composers, musical entertainment and business executives, everyone is “family.” How apropos this year as Nile Rodgers started the “We are Family Project: A Celebration of our Common Humanity,” after the events of September 11th to promote tolerance and multicultural education and to support victims of intolerance.”

Paquito D’Rivera, artist, educator, and humanitarian, founding member of the United Nations Orchestra. This 15-piece ensemble was “organized by Dizzy Gillespie to showcase the fusion of Latin and Caribbean influences with jazz.

“The mission of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation is to improve the quality of people’s lives through grants supporting the performing arts, environmental conservation, medical research and the prevention of child abuse, and through preservation of the cultural and environmental legacy of Doris Duke’s properties.”

Peter Yarrow, songwriter, performer, social and political activist is a figure I grew up with. His folk music trio “Peter, Paul, and Mary” just happened to be my first record album. It was a less complicated world with “Puff the Magic Dragon.” A native Washingtonian, I remember when in grade school Peter, Paul, and Mary marched with Dr. Martin Luther King.

Peter Yarrow has spent his life as a diplomat artist promoting an inclusive society where differences are celebrated through the common denominator of music. He started Operation Respect in 2000 to combat school violence. Operation Respect quotes Yarrow:

"Since I have lived a life of social and political advocacy through music, one in which I had seen songs like Blowin' In the Wind, If I Had a Hammer, and We Shall Overcome become anthems that moved generations and helped solidify their commitment to efforts like the Civil Rights Movement and the Peace Movement, I knew I had just discovered a song that could become an anthem of a movement to help children find their common sensitivity to the painful effects of disrespect, intolerance, ridicule, and bullying."

Operation Respect's stated mission reads as follows: "To assure each child and youth a respectful, safe and compassionate climate of learning where their academic, social and emotional development can take place free of bullying, ridicule and violence."


And all this was before the main course….

During lunch, we were entertained by an eclectic mix of performers. From Colombia, South America, the audience was transfixed by harpist Edmar Castaneda. His sound and creativity can only be described as “amazing.”

In keeping with Peter Yarrow’s inclusiveness mantra, he endeared us with “Don’t Laugh At Me.” He has performed on behalf of Operation Respect pro bono, around the world: Hong Kong, Vietnam, Bermuda, Croatia, South Africa, Egypt, Argentina, and Canada. In the world of music, “We are all family.”

Kathy Sledge, member of “Sister Sledge” brought us all out of our seats as we joined in chorus “We Are Family.” No teleprompter needed for this audience. We all knew the words. On this day, we were all Diplomat Artists. “We Were All Family.”

------ By Susan Sacirbey

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Other Film & Blog Reports:

Diplomat Artist (Pilot for series) - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/films/movie/diplomat-artist/20410

Diplomat Artist - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/c/diplomat-artist

Diplomatically Incorrect - diplomaticallyincorrect.org/c/diplomatically-incorrect

ECOLOGY-DIPLOMAT –
diplomaticallyincorrect.org/c/ecology-diplomat