Clive Davis and The Recording Academy will present the annual Pre-GRAMMY ® Gala on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2013, at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif., the evening before the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Sponsored by Harman, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Hyundai, and MasterCard Worldwide, this exclusive, star-studded celebration will feature special musical performances and will be attended by the world’s most renowned artists and top industry VIPs in music, film, television and new media.
As part of the evening’s celebration, the 2013 GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons ® will honor Epic Records’ Chairman and CEO Antonio “L.A.” Reid. The Recording Academy will present Reid with the President’s Merit Award in recognition of his significant contributions to the music industry and the impact his efforts have had on music and the business of music. Past recipients include Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, Sir Richard Branson, Clive Davis, Ahmet Ertegun, David Geffen, Berry Gordy, Doug Morris, and Mo Ostin .
“We are thrilled to once again collaborate with Clive Davis on this legendary gala filled with unique performances and stories,” said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. “With his keen ability to foster and guide young artists, Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid has brought to the world some of the most accomplished and beloved musicians. We are delighted and excited to pay tribute to this luminary who has shaped the contemporary music landscape with his passion, diversity, dedication, and musical judgement.”
Before becoming the consummate executive, Reid was a recording artist, drummer, songwriter, and producer. In 1989 he co-founded LaFace Records with Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, in partnership with Clive Davis and Arista Records and introduced a string of multi-platinum artists, including Toni Braxton, OutKast, TLC, and Usher. The label, which reshaped R&B and hip-hop, became one of the premier record companies of its time
In 2000 Reid was named president and CEO of Arista Records and brought successes to the label by signing such multi-platinum artists as P!nk, Ciara and Avril Lavigne . Additionally, during his tenure at Arista he oversaw OutKast’s GRAMMY-winning album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below and executive produced Usher’s Confessions, which went on to win a GRAMMY and sell more than 10 million copies in the United States.
As chairman of Island Def Jam Music Group, reins he took in 2004, Reid supervised the revitalization of Mariah Carey’s career with The Emancipation Of Mimi; helped Kanye West achieve multi-platinum status and worldwide recognition with Late Registration and its follow-up Graduation; nurtured Bon Jovi’s platinum selling album Have A Nice Day and their platinum follow-up Lost Highway; managed the Killers’ 2004 triple-platinum debut Hot Fuss and Fall Out Boy’s 2005 major label debut album, From Under The Cork Tree; and he signed and oversaw Justin Bieber ‘s multi-platinum, GRAMMY-nominated My World and Never Say Never and Rihanna’s succession of worldwide multi-platinum best-sellers Music Of the Sun, A Girl Like Me, Good Girl Gone Bad, and Loud.
Throughout his illustrious career, Reid has produced and co-written more than 30 No. 1 singles and garnered three GRAMMY Awards. In 1999 he was accepted into Harvard Business School’s prestigious Advanced Management Program and received intensive MBA training.
