National Music Council Honors Ray and Vivian Chew With 2023 American Eagle Award

Ray and Vivian Chew with the American Eagle Award
Photo Credit: Fred Morledge

The National Music Council of the United States presented its 2023 American Eagle Award to music visionaries Ray Chew and Vivian Scott Chew on Sunday, June 25, 2023, at the American Federation of Musicians Convention in Las Vegas. The honor is presented each year in recognition of those who have made career-long contributions to American musical culture, to promoting the ideal of music education for all children, and to supporting the protection of creators’ rights both locally and internationally. The Chews were honored “in recognition of their longstanding commitment to fostering and providing excellence in American musical performance and education, and for the inspiration they have consistently generated throughout the global music community by their dedication to the ideal of equal opportunity for all.”

This year’s special presenter was Academy Award and multi-Grammy-winning artist Regina Belle. Her tribute to the Chews included an emotional performance of So Glad I Got You, a song written by her late brother, Bernard Belle, which she dedicated to the couple. She was accompanied on piano by her nephew, Tyrone Belle.

Iconic Music Director, Producer and Composer Ray Chew’s work has been celebrated for excellence both in front of the camera and behind the scenes over the course of decades, ranging from the most important special holiday broadcasts on NBC to award-winning shows including Dancing With the Stars, Showtime at the Apollo, and American Idol. Ray’s uniquely-prized music direction talents have been further highlighted in prestigious musical specials and historic landmark events, including the Primetime Emmy Awards, the Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremonies, the 2008 Democratic National Convention, President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Ball, the NAACP Image Awards, Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss America and the BET Awards.

Among the list of globally renown artists with whom Ray has worked include Rihanna, Carrie Underwood, Pharrell Williams, Justin Bieber, Aretha Franklin, Lenny Kravitz, Pitbull, Queen Latifah, James Taylor, Pastor Shirley Caesar, Jennifer Hudson and Quincy Jones. His reputation as one of the most sought-after collaborative talents in the global music industry is rivaled only by his commitment to passing along the benefits of his experiences to future generations of composers, arrangers, performers and producers.

Vivian Scott Chew is an equally innovative figure in the global music and entertainment industry, with an accomplished history at ASCAP, Polygram Records and Sony Music, and as co-founder and principal of TimeZone International – the first U.S. based African-American owned company that provides recording artists with international marketing and promotion services in expanded regions.

Ray and Vivian are likewise founding partners in Chew Entertainment – a premiere event production firm whose work includes the annually acclaimed “A Night of Inspiration” at Carnegie Hall, an all-star concert that promotes diversity and unity at the famed venue with a 64-piece orchestra and massive choir for notable artists from the gospel and secular communities. The couple similarly remains steadfast in their commitment to philanthropy through both the Power 2 Inspire Foundation, which they created to identify and nurture the future of music creators and industry leaders, and by fundraising efforts in partnership with the American Federation of Musicians to benefit out of work musicians affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. For more information, visit www.power2inspire.org and https://www.youtube.com/@allthingschew.

This year’s honorees join a “who’s – who” of musical giants whose careers and works have been previously awarded the American Eagle, including Stephen Sondheim, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Clive Davis, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Morton Gould, Dave Brubeck, Marian Anderson, Max Roach, Lena Horne, Roy Clark, Crystal Gale, George Clinton, Ervin Drake, Theo Bikel, Vince Guaraldi, Roberta Peters, Odetta, Patti Smith, Sesame Street, Hard Rock Café, and Save the Music Foundation.

Click here for more photos of the 2023 Eagle Awards

The National Music Council

The Congressionally-chartered National Music Council is celebrating its 82nd year as a forum for the free discussion of this country’s national music affairs and challenges. Founded in 1940 to act as a clearinghouse for the joint opinion and decision of its members and to work to strengthen the importance of music in our lives and culture, the Council’s initial membership of 13 has grown to almost 50 national music organizations, encompassing every important form of professional and commercial musical activity. Through the cooperative work of its member organizations, the National Music Council promotes and supports music and music education as an integral part of the curricula in the schools of our nation, and in the lives of its citizens. The Council provides for the exchange of information and coordination of efforts among its member organizations and speaks with one voice for the music community whenever an authoritative expression of opinion is desirable. www.musiccouncil.org

In 2023, the National Music Council produced a landmark Symposium addressing the recent spike in political violence against songwriters, composers and music performers throughout the world. The webcast, “Protecting Free Speech in the Global Music Landscape” premiered on Music Freedom Day and was produced in cooperation with the International Music Council. It featured discussions and interviews with many of the world’s leading experts and activists on free speech issues as they pertain to the music and music education communities.  Panel topics included Movements to Protect Free Speech in Music; Trends in Politically-based Censorship of the Musical Arts, and The History of Music’s Political Influence and of Governmental Attempts to Harness, Control and Silence It.  A compendium briefing paper tracing the history of global music repression was prepared by NMC Chair Charles J. Sanders, containing dozens of links to musical sources, and providing music community members with the opportunity to incorporate the lessons of the past into their ideas for forging a less dangerous future for songwriters, composers, recording artists and performers. The symposium and briefing paper are currently viewable on the NMC website.

Vivian and Ray Chew accept the 2023 American Eagle honor
Photo Credit: Fred Morledge

Ray Chew, Regina Belle, and Vivian Scott Chew
Photo Credit: Fred Morledge

Ray and Vivian Chew with the American Eagle Award
Photo Credit: Fred Morledge

NMC Director David Sanders, Ray Chew, AFM President Ray Hair, and Vivian Scott Chew
Photo Credit: Fred Morledge

Regina Belle performing the musical tribute to the honorees
Photo Credit: Fred Morledge

Regina Belle with Tyrone Belle on piano for the musical tribute
Photo Credit: Fred Morledge

Regina Belle
Photo Credit: Fred Morledge

Regina Belle
Photo Credit: Fred Morledge

Tyrone Belle at the piano
Photo Credit: Fred Morledge