BET AWARDS Will Take Place June 27, 2010 @ 8 PM/ET from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles
Hosted by Queen Latifah

NEW YORK, June 15 /PRNewswire/ — Dearly Beloved… on June 27 we will gather at the Shrine Auditorium and mark the 10 year anniversary of the hottest award show in cable television, the BET AWARDS.  This year, BET will honor the musical legacy and genius that is Prince as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, an honor bestowed to the most significant and influential individuals in music history.

A musical legend, Prince is one of the most talented, successful and prolific musicians ever, producing ten platinum albums, thirty Top 40 singles to this point in his career. His unique, individual and stunningly original musical style broke barriers and has influenced almost every music maker of the past 30 years.  Prince’s music transcends all generations.

Since its inception, the BET AWARDS has given the Lifetime Achievement Award to the most deserving artists in music history.  Whitney Houston (2001), Earth Wind & Fire (2002), James Brown (2003), Isley Brothers (2004), Gladys Knight (2005), Chaka Khan (2006), Diana Ross (2007), Al Green (2008), The O’Jays (2009)… and now Prince is inducted into this elite group.

“We are humbled that Prince will be our lifetime achievement award recipient,” said Stephen G. Hill, President of Programming, Music and Specials.  “Genre smasher, virtuoso musician, one of the most emotional singers of all time; words are too weak to describe just what he means to our culture. We have a different kind of tribute planned for him as his unique style deserves a unique honor. Prince is dynamic. Prince is genius. Prince is music.”

For continuous BET AWARDS ‘10 updates, please visit: http://www.bet.com/betawards. Additionally, stay on the pulse of any and everything relating to the BET AWARDS ’10 through our Twitter page at www.twitter.com/BETAWARDS (hash tag: #BETAWARDS) and Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/TheBETAwards.

About BET Networks

BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks – BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom, Middle East & Africa and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

SOURCE BET Networks

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Join Blues fans from around the world at Waterfront Blues Festival Portland, Ore., July 2-5, 2010

Featuring:

Taj Mahal * Little Feat * John Mayall * Booker T. * Bobby Rush * Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen 
Curtis Salgado * Galactic with Cyril Neville * JJ Grey & Mofro * Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue * Walter Trout * Baskery * Michael Burks Band with Lucky Peterson * Chris Thomas King * Cedric Burnside & Lightnin’ Malcolm * Moreland & Arbuckle * Super Chikan & the Fighting Cocks * Mingo Fishtrap * PorterDavis * Norton Buffalo’s Knockouts * Janiva Magness * Paul Cebar * Kara Grainger * Sultans of Slide* NW Women in Rhythm & Blues * Zydeco Swamp Romp with Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble, Donna Angelle & Zydeco Posse, Corey Ledet & his Zydeco Band, Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic

… and that’s just the beginning


PORTLAND, Ore., June 10, 2010 – Imagine grooving to the best blues in the world while relaxing on the grassy banks of the beautiful Willamette River, viewing the glacial peaks of Mt. Hood to the east and the stunning Portland skyline to the west – all the while smiling at the thought that you are also helping to fight hunger.


No wonder more than 100,000 blues fans from throughout the world will head for the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival, July 2 to 5, 2010, in Portland, Ore.


Now in its 23rd year, the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival, presented by First Tech Credit Union, is the largest blues festival west of the Mississippi and the second-largest blues festival in the nation.


Blues fans will enjoy more than 120 stellar performances on five stages, plus artist interviews and workshops, five Delta Music Experience Blues Cruises on the Willamette River, activities for kids, dances, After-Hours Blues Jams at the Marriott Ballroom, fireworks and more.

Line-up of headliners:

Friday, July 2, 3 to 10 p.m.: Taj Mahal, John Mayall with his Bluesbreakers, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Walter Trout, Moreland & Arbuckle, porterdavis



Saturday, July 3, noon to 10 p.m.: Booker T., Bobby Rush, Michael Burks Band with Lucky Peterson, Cedric Burnside & Lightnin’ Malcom, Super Chikan & the Fighting Cocks, Paul Cebar, NW Women in Rhythm & Blues, Zydeco Swamp Romp with Curley Taylor, Donna Angelle, Andre Thierry, Corey Ledet

Sunday, July 4, noon to 10 p.m.: Fireworks! Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen, Curtis Salgado, Janiva Magness, Mingo Fishtrap, Norton Buffalo’s Knockouts, Kara Grainger, Sultan’s of Slide, Harmonica Blow-off

Monday, July 5, noon to 9 p.m.: Galactic with Cyril Neville, Little Feat, JJ Grey & Mofro, Chris Thomas King, Baskery.


All-day music not enough? When festival gates close, just walk across the street to After-hours Blues Jams at the Downtown Marriott where the music continues until 1:30 a.m. Or take a Delta Music Experience Blues Cruise down the Willamette River. Visit http://www.waterfrontbluesfest.com for more information.

Benefit to fight hunger

Touted as one of the best-run festivals anywhere, the Waterfront Blues Festival remains a grassroots festival, produced and operated by Oregon Food Bank, a nonprofit, charitable organization, with the help of a thousand volunteers. The festival raises food and funds to help people who are hungry throughout Oregon and southwest Washington.


“The need for emergency food remains at alarmingly high levels. The magic of this festival is that it brings people together from throughout the world and from all walks of life to not only enjoy great music but also to create hope for people in need,” says OFB CEO Rachel Bristol.

Entry

Entry is a suggested donation of only $10 (or more) plus two cans of food (or more) per person per day, making this festival one of the great entertainment bargains of the summer. 100 percent of gate donations go to Oregon Food Bank.


The festival also offers four levels of special passes with special perks and access: Individual Sponsor, Blues Benefactor (SOLD OUT), Four-Day Festival Pass and Blues Buddy Pass. Festival passes and Delta Music Experience (DME) Blues Cruise tickets are available at http://www.waterfrontbluesfest.com or http://www.ticketsoregon.com. Blues Cruises tickets are extremely popular and always sell out. Order tickets now to avoid disappointment.


Purchase a Blues Buddy pass for just $75 and you’ll get:
A four-day pass to the festival;
Admission to all After-Hours Blues Jams at the Marriott Hotel Ballroom:
July 2: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, and John Mayall with his Bluesbreakers; July 3: Booker T. and Bobby Rush; July 4: JJ Grey & Mofro, and Mingo Fishtrap;
Guaranteed re-admission even when gates close;
Early entry (30 minutes before general admission;
PLUS, an official festival collectors button.

Visit http://www.waterfrontbluesfest.com for details.

The festival invites you to become a festival fan on Facebook and to follow the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival on Twitter.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Safeway-Waterfront-Blues-Festival/9118317268
http://twitter.com/waterfrontblues

Sponsors: The Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival is presented by First Tech Credit Union. Major sponsors include: FedEx Corporation, iQ Credit Union, Good Neighbor Pharmacy, The Oregonian, KINK.fm and KIA Motors. Supporting sponsors include: Miller Brewing Co., Deschutes Brewery, Beringer Wine, Snapple, Pepsi, Earth2O Water, Frito Lay Snacks, Dave’s Killer Bread, Yoshida Sauce, Mission Foods, Dreyer’s Ice Cream, Sabra, Larabar, Cascadian Farms, Millstone Coffee, The Boeing Co., Wahl Trimmers, Regal Cinemas, FamilyCare Health Plans, Schwindt & Co., NW Natural, KBOO, Blues Revue, OregonLive.com, EcoShuttle, University Place Hotel, Hotel Fifty and Marriott Hotel, SmartPark, Cascade Zydeco, Cascade Blues Association and Delta Music Experience.


About Oregon Food Bank: Oregon Food Bank distributes donated food throughout a network of more than 935 nonprofit, hunger-relief agencies serving Oregon and Clark County, Wash., and works to eliminate the root cause of hunger through education and advocacy. During 2009-10, OFB distributed 36-million pounds of food through its network to help people in need.

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He can be seen dancing through the air in an elaborate, detailed costume that takes hours to prepare. His stunning athletic and acrobatic techniques are so challenging that witnessing their perfection brings tears to the eyes of viewers. With a disciplined mind and a balanced attitude, 20-year-old Mike Tyus fulfills the key role of the Trickster in Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza. But it took years of preparation before Tyus could land his latest job.


Right after he graduated from high school, Tyus started auditioning for “anything [he] could get his hands on,” including Disney shows and Cirque du Soleil. Though he heard back from the latter when he was just 18, he says he never expected the opportunity to come to him.


Tyus grew up with Blount’s disease, a growth disorder of the shin bone which, according to Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia, results in the inward turning of the lower leg, resembling a bowleg. When he was 11, Tyus had surgery to solve his physical ailment. As part of his rehabilitation routine, he took up dance when he was 12.


“I loved it,” Tyus recalls. “It was something I’ve always wanted to do.”


Tyus has a wide range of dance skills, including those in ballet, tap, hip-hop, and jazz. He credits his quick learning to expert teachers.


The Los Angeles native, now a major character in an international show, has overcome not only physical ailments, but also the pressures of performing, to make him today an incredible inspiration to both young and old alike.


“There’s always down days,” Tyus admits. “There’s always days where you feel like you could be doing more, but it’s because you don’t realize who you’re impacting.”


The star reflects on his family’s reaction to his new career: “They were all in shock and awe,” he says. Even more inspiring to the young performer, he adds, are the days when young fans tell him they’ve started dancing because of him.


“I’m here for a reason.” Tyus says, reflecting on pressure from his director and fellow performers. “They saw something in me when they hired me and so they believe in me. I need to believe in myself.”


Ultimately, Tyus wants to give back to those around him. “If you try to gain self success and self gratification, you will in the end lose yourself.” He uses an example of volunteering at a preschool in Johannesburg, South Africa with a group from his church: they taught the students how to move through dance, despite the widespread presence of the AIDs epidemic in the area.


“It’s so much more satisfying to see other people happy,” he says, a model of his wellbeing and positive lifestyle.


Members of Cirque du Soleil share Tyus’ desire to inspire and help fans. Because of this, they donated 40 tickets to Flossin Media to share with at-risk high school students during the Annual Role Model Summit. These lucky teens not only got to see an incredible performance for free, but they had the opportunity to bring a friend or family member, making it a memorable event.

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Portland, Oregon (May 18, 2010): Flossin Media celebrated its annual 2010 Role Model Summit Meet and Greet Banquet at the University of Oregon in Portland on Tuesday evening. The banquet marked the closing of this year’s Role Model Summit, which has brought dozens of inspirational speakers to local high schools throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington. Among the guest speakers at the banquet were noted Role Model Summit inspirational speakers Geoff Hollister, a Nike pioneer, and Joseph Munizaga, the Vice President of LA Fitness.

Carla Gary, the Assistant Vice President of the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity at the University of Oregon, worked with the University of Oregon in Portland to host the evening’s event.

Flossin Media Chief Executive Officer John Washington and Flossin Media Vice President Fawn Aberson presented the event as a way to express appreciation of the hard work and dedication of the Role Model Summit speakers, sponsors, and supporters.

“This is not easy work,” Washington said. “It’s been a very difficult road, but we stay at it because of the results, of which you are seeing here tonight.”

After a meet and greet hour, guests enjoyed a buffet service from Crave Catering and desserts from local company Baby Cakes. During the banquet’s presentation, Kim Street, principal of the Leadership and Entrepreneurial High School (LEP), and Raegan Cox, a student of Lincoln High School, gave testimonies to the inspirational messages of the speakers and the hard work of Flossin Media.

Street told the audience a story about one of her students, a girl who has consistently struggled with her schoolwork and attendance. After the girl attended the Role Model Summit at LEP High School, Street said, her work ethic and personality improved, making her one of the most successful students at the school.

Among the banquet presentations, members of Flossin Media presented an informational video about the Role Model Summit, which can be viewed at www.flossinmedia.com/role-model-summit

After reflecting on his desire to create a magazine with a positive message, Washington dedicated the hard work of Flossin Media to his children.

“Never before has there been a time in our existence that people need to hear something inspirational,” Washington said. “People need to know that there are some good things going on in this life.”

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Portland, Oregon (May 23, 2010): Flossin Media brought its annual Role Model Summit to seven high schools throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington in just three short days this week. Among the participating schools were Marshall High School, including its three academies (Biz Tech, Pauling, and Renaissance Arts), Woodburn High School, Tigard High School, Woodland High School, and the Native American Early College Academy (NAYA).

The Role Model Summit assemblies gave students the opportunity to hear from and meet with numerous local inspirational speakers, including Geoff Hollister, a Nike pioneer, United States Army Major Joelle Goodwin, the first African American winner of Mrs. Oregon, and Joseph Munizaga, Vice President of LA Fitness.

“They give me something to look up to, something that helps me believe I can achieve my goals,” Jazzmine Alcala said of her role models. The Biz Tech student continued, “If someone else can do something, I can do it too.”

Flossin Media Chief Executive Officer John Washington and Vice President Fawn Aberson led the assemblies, sharing some of their own personal stories and keeping students focused and motivated.“Without hard work and perseverance, there is nothing,” Washington said. “Each and every one of you in this room is important.”
Eustolia Lopez, a student of Tigard High School, reflected, “I have been motivated to do good things in life and go for my dreams, make goals and accomplish them, and have a good attitude about life and be positive every day.”

Washington and Aberson have worked to bring the Role Model Summit to a total of 28 schools this year; they celebrated the end of the season with a Meet and Greet Banquet held at the University of Oregon in Portland last week.

“Having a role model for me to look up to is very important,” said Viet Nguyen of Pauling Academy. “It helps me determine who I want to be and try to improve myself with the characteristics of my role models. It also motivates and inspires me to become successful and achieve my goals in life.”

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PORTLAND, OREGON: In association with the Michael J. Fox Foundation and Muhammad Ali Parkinson’s Center, Brian Grant Events announces a two-day event to benefit Parkinson’s research, “Shake It Till We Make It!” The event, presented by Spirit Mountain Casino, will include a celebrity meet and greet gala on the 1st of August at the Rose Garden and a golf tournament on the 2nd of August at Pumpkin Ridge.

Celebrity guests include Brian Grant, Michael J. Fox, Pat Riley, and Muhammad Ali. Musical artist Raphael Saadiq will make an appearance as well.

Check out www.shakeittillwemakeit.com for more information on the event, including how to purchase tickets.

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Portland, Oregon (April 29, 2010):


Students at Milwaukie High School got a surprise appearance from Olympic marathon gold medal winner Joan Benoit yesterday. Benoit’s presentation was part of Flossin Media’s annual Role Model Summit making its way throughout high schools in Oregon and SW Washington.


Geoff Hollister, another speaker at the event and a pioneer of the international company Nike, introduced Benoit as an old friend. Benoit was the first female champion of the women’s Olympic marathon in 1984. After recounting stories of how to overcome adversity during a difficult period for women’s marathon runners, the track star told students to never give up on their goals, regardless of how impossible they may seem.

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Portland, Oregon (April 2010):


Members of Flossin Media made an appearance at McMinnville, North Salem, and Milwaukie High Schools this month as part of the media company’s annual Role Model Summit. The three assemblies, which took place over two separate days, featured inspirational speakers who encouraged students to plan for and work toward their own future success.


“A lot of people impact my life every single day,” North Salem student Araceli Mendoza said. “[My teachers] have impacted my life because they believe in me and encourage me to do much more than I ever thought possible.” Among the speakers were Ron Weaver of Spirit Mountain Casino, Geoff Hollister, a Nike pioneer, and Joan Benoit, the first female Olympic marathon winner. The crowds of students became engaged as speakers told stories of struggles they overcame in order to reach the success they have today.


Miguel Acevedo of McMinnville High School said, “Role models have impacted me a lot…They changed what I think about things.” John Washington, Chief Executive Officer and Editor-in-Chief of Flossin Media, concluded each session with a standing ovation and an increased enthusiasm in each young adult.

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Portland, Oregon (March 31, 2010) Flossin Media introduces today the newest member of its surround sound marketing: the iPhone Application. This interactive feature will provide iPhone users with the opportunity to bring Flossin Magazine with them anywhere, anytime. Each issue highlights the latest on music, fashion, politics and business, and features elected officials, celebrities, entrepreneurs and athletes. Application users are able to flip through the pages of each issue, with a feature to zoom for easy reading. The app costs just 99 cents, with each issue of the magazine costing only $1.99. Back issues are available,also. Click here to download the app from the app store.

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Portland, OR (March 2010)

Students of Leadership and Entrepreneurship Public High School (LÊP) heard motivational life stories from a number of public speakers this month. The all-day event was part of Flossin Media’s year-long Role Model Summit taking place in various at-risk public schools and youth centers throughout Oregon. “They had the big idea that ‘passion’ and ‘hard working’ was the biggest part in becoming what you want,” student Kayla Folsom reflected. Speakers included Daryl Dixon, a singer and an educator who told students to focus on the “defining moments” in life; BJ Clark, a finance expert who taught young adults how to understand and manage a positive credit profile; and Joe Munizaga, Vice President of LA Fitness, who encouraged teens to maintain a healthy body in order to support a healthy mind. “I know after watching everyone speak I want more!” student Lacey Schnell exclaimed. “I want to reach a higher success.”



Among the motivational speakers was a group of senior LEP students who chatted and discussed future plans to attend college and work after graduation. Staff Sergeant (SSG) Lisha Coppin and SSG Dan Logerman of the United States Army gave students an exercise in leadership and teamwork. John Washington, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Flossin Media, inspired a room of over 50 students to believe in themselves despite past hindrances. “I believe that everyone in the world should be hugged,” Washington said. One student echoed, “Never let anybody tell you you’re not good and you’re worthless.”

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