The War Memorial Auditorium was packed with some of the biggest names in the music industry Thursday for the fifth annual National Museum of African American Music Legends Gala.
The Legends Gala began in 2014 to celebrate African American Music and music culture trailblazers, artists whose life's work continues to motivate and inspire generations of musicians. Those artists received the "Rhapsody and Rhythm" award Thursday evening. Mona Scott-Young, Keb Mo, Yolanda Adams, Nile Rodgers and Charlie Wilson were honored at the gala.
“It means I’ve done something good,” laughed Charlie Wilson.
“I was just a kid sitting on the edge of my bed trying to do classical music then trying to do jazz and then hopefully one day get a hit and now my whole life is completely different. Its never what I expected it to be and I’m the most grateful person in the world,” Niles Rodgers said.
All precedes from the benefit will go towards the National Museum of African American Music, which is set to open in 2019 on Broadway. Many artists we spoke to say Nashville is big part of their musical inspiration.
“Being known for what it really is, a musical city of all kinds of music," said Keb Mo. "Classical, R&B, Soul, Hip Hop, Country, Americana. Everything is here, it’s a beautiful place and I feel like I started my career all over again when I moved here."
