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GRAMMY Legacy Gala & Peavey Awards Honor B.B. King & More

Blues music icon and 15-time GRAMMYAward winner B.B. King joined Peavey Electronics, The Recording Academyand the State of Mississippi in celebrating the musical legacy of the Birthplace of Americas Music at the annual Mississippi GRAMMY Legacy Celebration and Peavey Awards at the Beau Rivage Resort Casino on June 7 in Biloxi.

TheMississippi GRAMMY Legacy Celebration is a Recording Academy-sanctioned event that honors the musical heritage of Mississippi through performances by the state's many GRAMMY winners and nominees. According to The Recording Academy, Mississippi has produced more GRAMMY winners and nominees per capita than any other state.

Its an honor for Peavey Electronics to be part of the rich musical legacy of Mississippi, said Hartley Peavey, founder of Meridian, Miss.-based Peavey Electronics, one of the music-products and pro audio industrys leading innovators and largest manufacturers.

I was fortunate to hit my teenage years during the early days of rock roll, and the music of artists like B.B. King inspired me to learn how to play guitar. In fact, it was a 1957 Bo Diddley concert that gave me the creative spark to build the first Peavey amplifier. The history of Peavey Electronics and the music of Mississippiblues, country and rock rollare forever intertwined.

B.B. King received the prestigious Peavey Award during the celebration. Established in 2007, the Peavey Award is named for Hartley Peavey and honors those who have played a major role in creating and promoting Mississippis musical heritage.Previous honorees include Jerry Lee Lewis, Marty Stuart, Brandy, Paul Overstreet, Mavis Staples, Charley Pride, Pinetop Perkins, The North Mississippi Allstars, James Burton and more.

Jon Hornyak, Senior Executive Director of The Recording Academy's Memphis Chapter commented, The incredible musical influence of Mississippi artists is undeniable, and it is safe to suggest that virtually every GRAMMY nominee and winner has used Peavey products on stages and in studios during their careers.

The evening also saw performances by North Mississippi Allstars Luther and Cody Dickinson, who performed as a duo; conductor Benjamin Wright, whose credits include work with Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Barry White and The Temptations; Jimbo Mathus; Shannon McNally; and Jay Dean and the Tropical World of Tango.

Proceeds from the event benefit the Mississippi Blues Commission to support the Mississippi Blues Trail project. To date, the commission has placed more than 100 interpretive markers at notable historical sites to explain the significance, history and growth of blues music.

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and First Lady Marsha Barbour hosted the event, while actress Joey Lauren Adams, star of hit movies Big Daddy, Dazed and Confused and The Break-Up, served as emcee.

Founded in 1965, Peavey is one of the world's largest manufacturers of musical instruments and professional sound equipment. Peavey has earned more than 180 patents and produces more than 2,000 products, which are distributed throughout the United States and to 136 other countries. Peavey and its MediaMatrix, Architectural Acoustics, Crest Audio, Composite Acoustics and Trace Elliot brands and affiliates can be found on concert stages and in more than 5,000 airports, stadiums, theme parks and other venues around the world.

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