14th Annual Concert Benefits Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy and Supports Foundation’s Work to Transform Education.

Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) August 31, 2009 — The Andre Agassi Foundation (AAF) today announced that Dane Cook, Daughtry, Tim McGraw and Brian McKnight will headline its 2009 Grand Slam for Children benefit concert, under the musical direction of David Foster. The annual event supports the Foundation’s efforts to transform education and benefits the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, a K-12 public charter school in Las Vegas that strives to provide children with a first-class education. Hosted by tennis legend and philanthropist Andre Agassi and presented by Genworth Financial, the 2009 Grand Slam for Children will take place Saturday, Sept., 26 at Wynn Las Vegas.

“Each year, the stars align and donate their talents to celebrate our achievements and support our work in education,” said Agassi. “This year’s Grand Slam for Children promises to be an incredible night of entertainment that benefits Agassi Prep and allows us to create opportunities that change children’s lives.”

This year’s Grand Slam for Children will bring together top-name talent under the musical direction of Grammy award-winning producer, arranger and composer David Foster. Comedian Dane Cook, whose double platinum album Retaliation became the highest charting comedy album in 28 years; Grammy-nominated rock band Daughtry, fronted by former American Idol finalist Chris Daughtry, whose new album Leave This Town debuted No.1 on the Billboard Top 200; Grammy, Country Music Association and American Music Award-winning country music star Tim McGraw; and singer, songwriter and producer Brian McKnight will be joined by additional performers to be announced prior to the Sept. 26 benefit concert.

The 14th Annual Grand Slam for Children will take place Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009 at Wynn Las Vegas. The evening will include a cocktail reception, gourmet dinner, live auction and benefit concert. Sponsorships for the Grand Slam for Children are still available at the following levels: Gold $17,500, Platinum $40,000 and Diamond $85,000. Individual seats are also available in sets of two; at the Gold level for $3,500 and at the Platinum level for $8,000.

From FYI Music News:
ROBIN LEACH (LUXELIFE @ Las Vegas Weekly)

Pint-sized Charice entered the stage through a video screen of Whitney Houston’s blockbuster Bodyguard soundtrack medley. Charice’s extraordinary voice morphed out and over Whitney’s brilliant perfection and to be honest with you I couldn’t tell where Whitney ended and Charice began. It brought the audience to tears and their feet for an unbelievable standing ovation!

At the stars’ after-party in Wolfgang Puck’s Lupo Italian restaurant at Mandalay Bay tiny Charice told me: “This was the biggest day of my life. I can’t believe I was on stage with all those superstars. This is all more excitement than I can think of and I don’t know where it is going to lead to but I’d like to stay here and have Mr. Foster make me into one of his stars.”

Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban and Michael Bublè were just three of the $20 million worth of superstar talent who came to sing the praises of their Grammy winning songwriter record producer David Foster. It took more than three years to organize the never-to-be-repeated musical tribute at Mandalay Bay with Andre Agassi, Brian McKnight, Kenny G, Katharine McPhee, Boz Scaggs, Blake Shelton, Peter Cetera and Cheryl Lynn.

In the end it was a 16-year-old Filipino singer who was discovered by talk-show host Oprah Winfrey on MySpace that stole the show.

Said David: “I got a call from Oprah about this 16-year-old girl and when Oprah calls you pay attention. Oprah has been monitoring this girl and is in love with this girl, as we all are. She is an extraordinary talent and became a MySpace sensation. Listen to her and you understand why immediately, she is a heaven sent angel who is one-day going onto super stardom.”

Even Josh Groban was blown away: “There is nothing like a great musical surprise. When you hear or see something that blows your mind for the first time is great. I was waiting to go on after her, which wasn’t a good thing but I was standing there with my jaw on the floor. She has one of the most beautiful voices I have heard in a long time.”

Over his tremendously successful more than three-decade music career my longtime pal David is a 14-time Grammy winner from 42 nominations. “In 35-years
this
is my
proudest moment- my
greatest achievement.
This was the
biggest of the biggest.”“In 35-years this is my proudest moment- my greatest achievement. This was the biggest of the biggest.” David told me at the after party. “It all came off perfectly, we succeeded better than we ever dreamed possible.” He also executed the soundtracks of the Ghostbuster and Footloose movies in addition to writing and producing hits for Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Natalie Cole, and Madonna.

Backstage he explained to us the three-hour tribute concert which was taped by PBS cameras for an edited 90-minute TV special this December and an eventual DVD and CD release. “I think we sent out the invitations at the turn of the millennium! It’s like a memorial to me while I’m still alive, a tribute concert after my death. Three of our previous dates collapsed on our attempt to do this. Originally we were going to do it at Lake Las Vegas with Celine, but now she’s on a world tour unable to be here. Everybody’s schedule is so crazy so trying to get all them together under one roof was pretty impossible but thanks to the artists and their managers we pulled it off. We are missing Chaka Kahn, Kenny Loggins, and Natalie Cole. Michael Bublè is on vacation after six years of touring and a hundred million in the bank, so I don’t feel too bad for him. Andrea flew from Italy just to be here. Everybody has given and given. There is someone here for everyone. You won’t get a lot of them, but enough, unless your favorite artist is me, then you have me all night. I love PBS. Most of the people up here have done specials for PBS.”

Three days of rehearsals went into the spectacular production and Josh Groban explained why they all wanted to pay tribute: “Everybody here has been affected by David’s genius. He’s like the patriarch to us younger ones who look up to him. David found me when I was 17 and he allows singers to let their unique voice show through. He has watched all of us through our specials and concerts and we take the applause for so much of the work that we do with David, so we are honored and thrilled to honor him. “

Michael Bublè explained David’s brilliance: “There is always room to grow as an artist, and to give the fans what they like about you too. I am not different than anyone else up here, but I am Canadian. David Foster is an icon to us. I was so nervous. When you are a kid in Canada and you tell your parents you want to be a singer, everyone tells you the same thing, we need to get you to David Foster.”

Tennis champion Andre Agassi who recruited David as his musical director for his annual Vegas Grand Slam benefit concerts added: “ He made it possible for us to raise $75-million over 12 years and from that we are recapturing public education. I’m just grateful; that he and I hit it off so many years ago. How do you not comer to honor him? He goes out there to alter the world, has raised millions and millions of dollars, he is an inspiration to me and the work that I am doing. “ David chimed in: “ I have asked Andre at least 5 times to sing 5 bars. He is a music junkie, he cannot sing and will not sing. “ Retorted Andre: I would be a good singer if I wasn’t tone deaf.”
“I don’t know how to work with singers that can’t sing.” David continued. “ They are 95 percent there without my help; I can push them that much more. Andrea Bocelli to me is Mozart.”
That meant I just had to ask Bocelli how David had added that 5 percent to his career. “I learned a lot. David loves music and especially in pop music I had a lot to learn and he has a huge energy said Bocelli. “I go around the world and I am tired and when he arrives I feel something in my body changing. He spent time at my house, we work all day, and then we have dinner and do music again. I am here for him and tonight will be a beautiful night of music.”

Kenny G added: “One thing we don’t want to overlook, David helps Andrea out here in Vegas, and he does hundreds of things for charity. We are not here because he helped us in our career and we are more famous and made more money, we are looking at a guy who does so much charity work, I am here to help him.”
Among the VIP’s at the after-party for the historic once-in-a-lifetime concert were celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, TV stars Suzanne Somers and her husband Alan Hamel, MGM head honcho Terry Lanni, Oprah’s producer Lisa Erspamer and a host of heavyweight music and TV executives.

David who is currently working on a new Katharine McPhee album summed up: “I selected some songs for Josh and Andrea that maybe they wouldn’t have selected, but the whole body of work is mine, I broke the rules at least two or three times tonight. My life is flashing before my eyes. Do other recorded producers get to do this? I don’t know why everyone is here, but it’s a great show.”

WORKING WITH ANDRE

By Jerry Fink, Las Vegas Sun
Las Vegas Sun

Tennis superstar Andre Agassi retired a year ago, but his foundation and the charitable event that helps support it and other organizations are as busy as ever.

The Andre Agassi Grand Slam for Children returned to the MGM Grand Garden Arena with a cast that included Carlos Santana, Tony Bennett, Kelly Clarkson, Matchbox Twenty and comedians Jerry Seinfeld and George Wallace.

The Grand Slam, which began in 1995 and took 2000 off, has raised more than $60 million for charities. It’s a perfect marriage between Agassi and music impressario David Foster, who returned for the 12th time as the benefit’s musical director.

Foster, a winner of 14 Grammy Awards, is a brilliant musician and songwriter who has discovered and nurtured performers such as Josh Groban and Michael Buble. Along the way, he has raised millions of dollars for hundreds of charities, including his David Foster Foundation, which helps children who need organ transplants.

Drawing from his deep well of entertainment contacts, he puts together world-class shows for Agassi and organizations such as the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Research Center and the Carousel of Hope in Los Angeles. His charitable work includes combating cancer, diabetes , AIDS and famine.

When he isn’t helping the needy, he’s helping the talented, sometimes showcasing them at charitable events. His latest discovery is 24-year-old Peter Cincotti, jazz vocalist and pianist from New York City, who performed at last year’s Grand Slam.

Foster, founder of 143 Records (Warner Bros.), began making a name for himself in the early 1970s when he was with Skylark, whose song “Wildflower” was a hit in 1972.

He talked with the Sun about the Andre Agassi Grand Slam for Children.

Q: What’s your role in the fundraising event?

In the early years I helped bring in the talent and, to some extent, I still do. But it’s largely built on people’s love and respect for Andre … I’ve been able to showcase some of my new talent there. I’ve been able to help them with Celine (Dion) and Josh Groban and Michael Buble and Kenny G and (Michael) Bolton and people like that. When you get a call from Andre Agassi, everyone pays attention to that.

Have you been involved in all of the Grand Slams, since the first one in 1995?

I’ve been there from Day One. They took one year off (2000). I don’t want to say it was because of me, maybe it was just a coincidence, but there was just one year when I was overloaded with the typical stuff, and they didn’t do it that year . So I think I’m a lifer. But gladly. Andre is one of those rare humans, along with Perry (Rogers, president of Agassi Enterprises). They almost redefine generosity. The greatest thing about Andre and Perry is that they figured it out at such a young age. I had dinner with Perry the other day and he said, “Now that I’m 38…” So they were both like 25, 26, 27 when they started this thing. That’s pretty incredible. I can tell you honestly I didn’t care about anybody when I was 25 except myself.

How were you recruited to put together the entertainment?

I had just produced a Michael Bolton album and I was at a concert, and that’s how I met Andre. He was backstage at the concert. He was a big, huge tennis star, 24 years old probably. There was a piano backstage and Michael and I were goofing around, and I started playing some of my songs, and Andre started
singing
them. I
thought, “How random
is it
that this young
guy would know my songs?”Andre started singing them. I thought, “How random is it that this young guy would know my songs?” I’ve been writing music since the ’70s. So that’s how we became friends. It was probably a year or two after that he got going on this thing. He’s so dedicated. It’s such an amazing thing. I think it’s a great platform that other people should copy. And he has an amazing board of directors that we all sit on ; and it’s a board of doers - not just a board of people sitting around doing nothing.

How do you decide who’s going to perform?

I have my own foundation in Canada, and I’m always amazed at the media. I brought in Paul Anka, Kenny G and Celine Dion and the press was still going, “Who’s the surprise guest?” It’s like, “God, are you kidding me?” I think with the Agassi event we started off so big and we’ve maintained that standard so long I think our objective every year is just to see if we can go that big every year … I think we’ve achieved that every year, almost impossibly. But Julie (Pippenger, the foundation’s executive director) reminds me this is Las Vegas, and Las Vegas expects a lot of talent. They can go next door and see anything they want, practically. I think we pride ourselves in that every year we give a show that you can’t see everywhere else. This year it’s Jerry Seinfeld onstage with Santana and the Goo Goo Dolls and Tony Bennett. You can’t see that show unless it’s on television somewhere.

Have there been any changes since Agassi’s retirement?

I see less of Andre since he retired than I did when he was playing. His fervor for the work is the same. I’m sure he probably is putting even more time in now. To build a school, going from grade 1 to grade 12, is pretty amazing. But no, I haven’t seen anything change. The benefit might look like the same every year to some people. It’s a beautiful thing. More than 1,500 people on the floor before the show. Tuxedoes. Huge stage and lighting. More than 10,000 more people come in for the concert, or whatever that number is. Julie spends enormous time, with Andre and Perry and myself, just trying to put a twist on it every year - different staging this year, an orchestra next year or no orchestra. This year three bands, last year no bands. Just mixing it up and again providing a show that you can’t see everywhere.

How does it compare with other such events?

It’s a special event. I’ve done probably, I’d safely say, 300 charities in the last 10 years, where I put the show together, and none of them is spectacular the way this one is, including the ones in Los Angeles. The Phoenix event (in honor of Ali) has become my second favorite in terms of being spectacular, and in Los Angeles the Carousel of Hope. But Las Vegas, it’s rare air they have created there. It’s an extraordinary event.

Source: LasVegasSun.com