Entertainment

2020 BLACK MUSIC HONORS CELEBRATE LEGENDARY MUSIC ICONS

Published on November 30, 2020

EN VOGUE, DEBORAH COX, FRED HAMMOND AND THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSIC TO RECEIVE AWARDS AND RECOGNITION; RICKEY SMILEY TO HOST

Chicago-based television production company Central City Productions will present the 2020 Black Music Honors in national broadcast syndication November 21 – December 13, 2020. Television and radio personality Rickey Smiley returns as host of the star-studded two-hour special which will honor artists and musicians who have influenced and made significant contributions to American music.

The honorees for this year’s Black Music Honors include Grammy® Award-nominated R&B legends Rhona Bennett, Terry Ellis, and Cindy Herron of En Vogue, recognized as one of the top 5 highest selling American female music groups in history, who will receive the Urban Music Icon Award for their three decades in the industry. Grammy® Award-winner, actress and Broadway star Deborah Cox will receive the Entertainer Icon Award. Multiple Stellar Awards and Grammy® Award-winner and producer Fred Hammond will receive the Gospel Music Icon Award. The National Museum of African American Music will be honored with the Legacy Award.

InDaHouse

Celebrity photographer and disabled Vietnam veteran Jerome Dorn embodies the very definition of resilience. Born in Philadelphia, the fifth of seven children, Dorn stayed focused throughout his youth, eventually obtaining his degree in Criminal Justice. Dorn has worked with the Philadelphia Police Department, Department of Justice, World Wide Detective Agency, and several other high profile security groups. Throughout his successful career, Dorn wrestled with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, an aftereffect of his military service. Battling the pain and debilitating effect of PTSD, Dorn found comfort behind the camera. Photography proved to be not only therapeutic, but life changing as well. Dorn picked up his first camera in 1970 while serving in Vietnam and knew instantly that behind the lens was where he belonged. His shooting style and photographs were special, generating a buzz in the industry. In 1985, he began his career in photojournalism, working in a variety of genres. Dorn’s credentials include fashion, lifestyle photography, photojournalism, and celebrity/red carpet coverage. Working with MSNBC, Jet Magazine, and major publications in Philadelphia and around the country, Dorn has had the honor of capturing the images of hundreds of notable celebrities and politicians including President Barack Obama, George Bush Jr, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Maya Angelou, Jesse Jackson, Rihanna, Snoop Dog, Will Smith, and Tyler Perry. Photography has sent Dorn around the globe, inspiring his passion for civil activism. In 1995, Dorn assembled and led a group of forty-two men to the Million Man March. Together, they spent five days walking from Philadelphia to Washington DC. In his travels, Dorn observed a common theme amongst the youth of the world. Many of the children he encountered seemed lost. Understanding that opportunities for at-risk youth are minimal, Dorn was inspired to make a difference. Established by Dorn in 2011, InDaHouseMedia was built on the idea that there is room in the house for everyone. With InDaHouseMedia, Dorn’s mission is to provide the future generation with positive direction through sports, music, and photography.