AFTRA Foundation to Honor Legendary Artists
Smokey Robinson, Vin Scully, Jeanne Cooper,
and Don LaFontaine with 2009 AFTRA Media and Entertainment Excellence Awards

AFTRA is pleased to announce that the AFTRA Foundation will honor recording artist Smokey Robinson, broadcaster Vin Scully, actress Jeanne Cooper, and voiceover artist Don LaFontaine at the AFTRA Media and Entertainment Excellence Awards (The AMEES), at a dinner gala event at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles on March 9, 2009.

“The AFTRA Foundation is proud to honor AFTRA members Smokey Robinson, Vin Scully, Jeanne Cooper, and Don LaFontaine for their lifetime of achievements that have entertained and informed audiences around the world,” said Shelby Scott, AFTRA Foundation President and former AFTRA National President.

Smokey Robinson will be presented with the AMEE Award in Sound Recordings. This acclaimed singer-songwriter was once pronounced by Bob Dylan as America’s “greatest living poet.” Smokey's career spans over five decades. Click here to read more about Smokey Robinson. Photo Credit: Alan Mercer

Vin Scully, whose status as one of the top sportscasters in history was reaffirmed recently when he was named as “baseball’s all-time best broadcaster,” will be presented with the AMEE Award in Broadcasting. Vin’s 60th season as the “Voice of the Dodgers” is the longest of any current sports broadcaster with one team. Click here to read more about Vin Scully. Photo Credit: Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers

Jeanne Cooper will be presented with the AMEE Award in Entertainment. Jeanne recently celebrated 35 years as grande dame Katherine Chancellor on daytime television’s most highly-rated soap opera, "The Young and the Restless." Jeanne joined “Y&R” in its first season. Click here to read more about Jeanne Cooper. Photo Credit: Charles Bush

Don LaFontaine, “King of Voiceovers,” who passed away on September 1, 2008, at the age of 68 will be posthumously presented with a special AMEE Tribute Award in Voiceover Artistry. A longtime AFTRA member, Don was the voice of ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, UPN, TNT, TBS, and the Cartoon Network. Click here to read more about Don LaFontaine. Photo Credit: Lori Dorn

The AMEES recognize members of AFTRA, a national labor union of more than 70,000 performers, journalists, and other artists working in the entertainment and news media, who have made a significant contribution to American culture. The AMEES were created in 2003 to honor AFTRA members for excellence in their craft and their contributions to the fields of media and entertainment. Proceeds from the 2009 AMEE Awards go to benefit the AFTRA Foundation, a separate and independent non-profit organization providing support to charitable and educational endeavors.

Past AMEE recipients include "60 Minutes" producer Don Hewitt and his team of CBS on-air journalists including Ed Bradley, Steve Kroft, Dan Rather, Andy Rooney, Morley Safer, Bob Simon, Lesley Stahl, and Mike Wallace. Other past honorees include Cedric The Entertainer, Willard Scott, Roberta Flack, Bob Edwards, Don Hastings, Susan Flannery, Amber Tamblyn, Patti Austin, and Robert Hager. The 2008 AMEES honored TV greats Sam Donaldson, Susan Lucci, and vocalist legend Maureen McGovern.

Click here for more information on the AFTRA Foundation and the 2009 AMEE Awards, including sponsorships and tickets to the event.

Click here to view the 2009 AMEE Awards invitation and RSVP.