Living Legends Foundation names 2026 gala honorees for Atlanta awards night

By AI, Created 2:11 AM UTC, June 04, 2026, /AGP/ – The Living Legends Foundation will hold its 35th Annual Awards Dinner & Gala on Oct. 2, 2026, in Atlanta and honor a slate of executives, artists and industry advocates across music, radio and entertainment. The event underscores the nonprofit’s long-running role in recognizing Black music leadership and supporting future talent through scholarships.

Why it matters: - The Living Legends Foundation’s annual gala is a major industry recognition event for Black music and entertainment leadership. - The 2026 class spotlights executives, radio personalities, label leaders and advocates whose work shapes both culture and business. - The gala also supports the foundation’s scholarship mission and broader work to fund the next generation of industry talent.

What happened: - The Living Legends Foundation announced its 35th Anniversary Awards Dinner & Gala for Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, in Atlanta. - The event returns to Flourish by Legendary. - David C. Linton, chairman of the Living Legends Foundation, said the organization is marking 35 years of honoring people who bring Black music to the world while funding scholarships for the future. - Linton said the foundation is returning to Atlanta for a celebration that many did not expect to see when the group started in 1991.

The details: - Louis Carr, president of BET, will receive the Ray Harris Lifetime Achievement Award. - Black Promoters Collective will receive the A.D. Washington Chairman’s Award. - Honorees for the Black Promoters Collective include Shelby Joyner, Gary Guidry, Troy Brown, William “Bill” Ingram, Sulaiman Mausi, Shahida Mausi, Lionel Bea, Janice Cotton and Walt Reeder Jr. - Kenny Smoov, vice president of urban programming at Cumulus, will receive the Jerry Boulding Radio Executive Award. - Greg Street, an air personality at V-103 Atlanta, will receive the Frankie Crocker Radio Personality Award. - Juliette Jones, COO of Alamo Records, will receive the Impact Player Award. - Tim Reid, senior vice president of repertoire and marketing at BMG Recorded Music, will receive the Music Executive Award. - Phylicia Fant, global head of music industry and culture collaborations at Amazon Music, will receive the Mike Bernardo Female Executive Award. - James McMillan, Esq., CEO of ART@WAR Entertainment, will receive the Kendall Minter Entertainment Advocate Award. - Ted Lucas, founder and CEO of Slip-N-Slide Records, will receive the Hip-Hop Visionary Award. - Ralph McDaniels, executive producer of Video Music Box, will receive the Entrepreneur Award. - The foundation said last year’s honoree class included Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award. - The organization was founded in 1991 and incorporated in 1992. - The Living Legends Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded primarily by corporate contributions and individual donations. - The foundation says its mission has expanded to assist people who have served the music industry and have a confirmable need. - The foundation says assistance is provided in a way that maintains recipients’ dignity.

Between the lines: - The honoree list shows the foundation continuing to balance legacy names with current decision-makers across labels, radio, streaming and artist development. - The Atlanta return suggests the gala remains tied to one of the country’s most important Black music and entertainment hubs. - The event also serves as a reminder that recognition and financial support remain linked in the foundation’s model, not just celebration.

What’s next: - The foundation is directing attendees to its website for gala information, ticket purchases and event updates. - The organization is also promoting its social channels for photos and assets related to the event. - The Oct. 2 gala will serve as the foundation’s next major public showcase of its honorees and mission.

The bottom line: - The Living Legends Foundation is using its 35th anniversary gala to honor a cross-section of Black music and entertainment leaders while reinforcing its scholarship and support work.