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The Heart Foundation Gala
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Gala chair Burt Sugarman, honoree Berry Gordy and Bill Withers.
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The
Heart Foundation at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, dedicated
to raising awareness of heart disease, honored Motown founder Berry
Gordy with The Steven S. Cohen Humanitarian
Award on Saturday, June 7, at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in
Los Angeles. Honorary Dinner chairs included Sidney
Poitier, Norman Brokaw and Quincy Jones;
Dinner chairs were Doug Morris, Clarence Avant, Mary Hart and Burt
Sugarman. The evening was emceed by Entertainment
Tonight’s Mary Hart and featured special musical performances
by Louis Price, Thelma Houston and Teena
Marie and a dance choreographed by Debbie Allen who
was also in attendance. David Foster served
as musical director along with Suzanne de Passe.
A man of vision, drive, talent and determination, Berry Gordy, founder
of Motown Records, was also a songwriter, boxer, producer, director,
innovative entrepreneur and teacher. The phenomenal success
of Motown Records is a tribute to all that he embodies and all that
he has brought out in others. Under his leadership, Motown
created a sound that has become one of the most significant musical
accomplishments and stunning success stories of the 20th century. The
music communicated across a racially-divided country and segregated
society, around the world, touching all people, regardless of skin
color.
The Heart Foundation supports the groundbreaking cardiac research
of Dr. P.K. Shah and his colleagues at Cedars-Sinai
Medical Center. Their goal is to prevent, cure and eradicate
this silent killer. Heart Disease is the leading cause of death
in both men and women in the United States today. The Heart
Foundation at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center was established in 1996
in memory of Steven S. Cohen, an incredible husband,
father, son, brother and friend, who lost his life to Sudden Cardiac
Death at the age of 35 with no warning signs.
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The Heart Foundation’s chairman Mark Litman and Honorary Dinner chair and
past honoree Norman Brokaw.
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Jerry and Flo Cohen, parents of Steven S. Cohen.
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Barbara Davis, Cedars-Sinai director of the Division of Cardiology Dr. P.K. Shah and his wife Kimberly Shah.
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Emcee and dinner chair Mary Hart.
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“American Idol’s” Michael Johns and musical director David Foster.
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Performer Thelma Houston.
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Teena Marie.
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Sidney Poitier, Debbie Allen and honoree Berry Gordy.
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Berry Gordy, Mark Litman and his wife Tamara.
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Billy Davis, Jr. and Marilyn McCoo.
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Billy Dee Williams.
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Hazel Gordy and Autumn Jackson.
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Penny Shaffer and Jeff Levy.
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Jermaine Jackson, Jr., Jaimy Jackson and Kerry Gordy.
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Jimmy Jean-Louis from “Heroes”.
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Debbie Allen and Norm Nixon.
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Victoria Cornelius, Berry Gordy, producer Don Cornelius.
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Robert and Linell Shapiro.
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Past honoree Marshall Ezralow and his fiance Vicki Pearson.
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Shirley and Walter Massey.
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Louis Price and his band on stage.
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| Photos:
Thomas Neerken |
