Soul Talkin' with Chaka

Legendary singer/songwriter Chaka Khan will be chatting with famed music historian/journalist David Nathan on Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 8 – 9:15 pm EST.  This is a LIVE chat event broadcasting from Vokle Headquarters in Santa Monica, CA and Chaka will be discussing her artistry,  influence and historic collaborations with other music giants in a candid, hour-long interview.  Fans will also have to opportunity to submit questions for Chaka by posting to her Facebook artist page or on the chat itself.  Don’t miss this event that will shed light on Chaka Khan’s incredible creative process and her immeasurable impact on the music industry!  Click here to register and join the live chat.

“The 2012 Nominees embody the broad scope of what ‘rock and roll’ means,” said Joel Peresman, President and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. “From vocal groups to hip hop, from singer-songwriters to hard rocking artists, this group represents the spirit of what we celebrate at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”

Ballots will be sent to more than 500 voters, who will select artists to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the 27th Annual Induction Ceremony. To be eligible for nomination, an individual artist or band must have released its first single or album at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination. The 2012 Nominees had to release their first recording no later than 1986.

All inductees are ultimately represented in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, the nonprofit organization that exists to educate its audiences on the global impact of the rock and roll art form via the museum, as well as its education programs and library and archives.

The 27th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held in Cleveland on Saturday, April 14, 2012. Leading up to the ceremony, the Museum will host 10 days of special events, including tours of the newly redesigned Museum, the unveiling of a major new exhibit, and the grand opening of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s new Library and Archives. The Library and Archives will be the world’s most comprehensive repository of written and audio-visual materials relating to the history of rock and roll.

Tables and VIP Packages for the 27th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony are available now. The ceremony will again be open to the public, as it was – for the first time in the event’s history – at the 2009 Inductions in Cleveland. Individual tickets for the Induction Ceremony will go on sale to the public in December 2011. Stay tuned to our website for more details!

Vote for Rufus and Chaka Khan Now!

So much response from Brazil we decided to put the post in your language. Enjoy

Eu amo, amo e amo o Brasil! Amo as pessoas, a comida, a música!

E você? O quanto gostaria de ir ao Rio de Janeiro comigo, para conferir o meu show no BACK TO BLACK FESTIVAL?

Estou procurando o melhor intérprete de uma música minha para ter a chance de assistir ao meu show no BACK TO BLACK FESTIVAL, no Rio de Janeiro, e entrar no meu camarim, com acompanhante e todas as despesas pagas. Para concorrer, tudo o que você precisa fazer é seguir estas simples regrinhas:

1 – Entrar na minha FanPage do Facebook e ler cuidadosamente essas regras.

2 – Ter certeza que você já curtiu a minha página.

3 – Subir um vídeo no YouTube, com você (ou com mais uma pessoa) cantando uma das minhas músicas. Pode ser qualquer música, de qualquer disco. Sinta-se a vontade para cantar no idioma que desejar. Vou amar ouvir minhas músicas em outras línguas!

4 – Depois de subir o vídeo no Youtube, poste o vídeo no seu mural do Facebook com tag para a minha fanpage (é só colocar a @ antes do meu nome), para que seu vídeo apareça em meu mural também.

5 – Incentive seus amigos, sua família, seus vizinhos ou amigos de trabalho para votarem em você, curtindo seu vídeo na minha página.

6 – Se você estiver no Twitter, aproveite para divulgar seu vídeo lá também. Fale para seus amigos irem à minha página e curtirem seu vídeo. Aproveite para me seguir (@realchakakhan) e não se esqueça de usar a hashtag #ChakaBrazil, para que eu possa ver seus tweets!

Vou adorar ter você comigo no Rio de Janeiro, então, vá em frente e faça seus vídeos logo! O concurso termina no dia 22 de agosto. Não demore!

I Love, Love, Love Brazil!! The PEOPLE, the FOOD, the MUSIC. How would you like to go to Brazil with me? I’m looking for the best vocal representations of my songs for a chance to see me perform at the BACK TO BLACK FESTIVAL in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. All you have to do is follow the simple rules below and you will have a chance to win.

1. Log on to my Facebook Page and read these rules carefully

2. Make sure you have “liked” my Facebook Fan Page

3. Record and upload a video of you (or group of two) performing ANY of my songs you wish. It can be any song from any of my albums. Feel free to sing in whatever language you wish; I love to hear my songs in other languages

4. After uploading your video to Youtube, all you need to do is “TAG” the video to my Facebook fan page so that it appears on my wall.

5. Encourage your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers to vote for your video by “liking” your video post on my page

6. If you are on Twitter and want to promote your video, tell your friends to go to my page and find your video. Make sure you add me (@realchakakhan) and use #ChakaBrazil so we can see your tweets.

I would love to see you in Brazil with me so go ahead and get your videos in soon. The deadline is August 22nd so don’t wait!

ESSENCE PARTNERS WITH MUSIC LEGEND CHAKA KHAN TO HONOR WOMEN

ESSENCE, THE CHAKA KHAN FOUNDATION, AND THE INSTITUTE OF WOMEN & ETHNIC STUDIES

GIVE BACK TO THE NEW ORLEANS COMMUNITY

50 DESERVING WOMEN TO EMBARK ON

LIFE-CHANGING TRANSFORMATIONS AT 2011 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL

JULY 1-3
(June 2, 2011) NEW YORK, N.Y. – Music legend Chaka Khan joins the 2011 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL, not only as a main stage performer on Saturday, July 2, but also to significantly impact the lives of 50 women, ages 18-35, from the greater New Orleans area.  Chaka Khan’s The Chaka Khan Foundation in conjunction with the Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies along with Senator Mary Landrieu, Congressman Cedric Richmond, Mayor Mitch Landrieu, and the 2011 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL will begin an in-depth life and community-altering transformation process for 50 women beginning June 4^th.  The results-oriented program will provide a structured way for each woman to reach her goals; carried out with the help of community partners, agencies, and mentors.

The year-long process will commence with one-on-one counseling and mentorships for each woman to map out her goals (e.g. continuing education, job development, securing housing, etc.) followed by a VIP experience at the 17^th annual ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL during Fourth of July weekend.  The selected women will meet with Chaka Khan, as well as author/inspirational speaker Iyanla Vanzant, at the Festival and then continue on their path to personal and community improvement.  Next year, at the 2012 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL, each woman will return to celebrate her achievements at a special graduation ceremony before embarking on another journey where they will pay forward what they have received and learned for a new group of women.

“As mothers, as life givers and the first teachers of our children, it is important that women are empowered and have the confidence to know that they can change any situation,” says Chaka Khan, 10-time Grammy winner and Founder of The Chaka Khan Foundation. “I see this collaboration with ESSENCE and the Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies as a powerful means to provide each of these women the resources to live into their God given destiny.”

“Improving the lives of women of color and that of their families has long been a driving force behind the ESSENCE brand,” says Michelle Ebanks, President of Essence Communications, Inc.  “This year’s collaboration with The Chaka Khan Foundation and the Institute of Women and Ethnic Studies perfectly mirrors this mission and further expands upon our ESSENCE Empowerment Experience theme of ‘Transformation’ by allowing us to spotlight and honor deserving women, follow their progress and track their results that will change their lives forever.”

“It is very important that institutions within a civil society take action to help survivors regain their resiliency and optimism after widespread disasters. Women in particular need such support, for research shows that they are disproportionately traumatized during and after disasters, said Dr. Denese Shervington, Founder & President of the Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies (IWES).  “I applaud ESSENCE and the Chaka Khan Foundation for embracing this role and helping to bring transformative healing to 50 such women from the Greater New Orleans community.”

The ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL started in 1995 as a one-time event to celebrate the 25^th Anniversary of the magazine and has since become a yearly music-focused spectacular, as well as a catalyst for community progression for the city of New Orleans and national empowerment for African-Americans from coast to coast.

For information about ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL ticket sales, accommodations and the latest updates, and to sign up for the ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL newsletter, visit http://www.essencemusicfestival.com. Join the Festival community: follow us on Twitter @essencemusic #EMF2011 and become a fan of 2011 Essence Music Festival on Facebook.

The presenting sponsor for the 2011 Essence Music Festival is Coca-Cola.  Major sponsors include Coors Light, CoverGirl Queen Collection, Ford, McDonald’s, Olay, Pantene, Tide, U.S. Army, Verizon and Wal-Mart; official sponsors include CNN, My Black is Beautiful, State Farm, TNT and Visa Pre-Paid.

The 2011 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL is executive produced by Essence Festivals LLC, a division of Essence Communications Inc. (ECI).

ABOUT CHAKA KHAN FOUNDATION:

The Chaka Khan Foundation (CKF) was founded in 1999 by 10 time Grammy® Award winner and legendary entertainer, Chaka Khan.   The foundation’s mission is to educate, inspire and empower women and children. Chaka and the CKF have received community accolades for their achievements serving women and children with ground-breaking initiatives in education and with health issues.  For more information, visit www.chakakhanfoundation.org

ABOUT INSTITUTE OF WOMEN & ETHNIC STUDIES:

Founded in 1993, the Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies (IWES) is a national nonprofit community-based organization headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana.  The organization is dedicated to improving the physical, mental and spiritual health and quality of life for women of color and their families, especially those who are socio-economically disadvantaged.
ABOUT ESSENCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.:

Essence Communications Inc. (ECI) is the number one media and communications company dedicated to African-American women. With a multi-platform presence in publishing, live events, and online, the Essence brand is “Where Black Women Come First”.  The company’s flagship publication, ESSENCE magazine, is the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African-American women; generating brand extensions such as the Essence Music Festival, ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood, Window on Our Women (WOW I & II) and Smart Beauty I, II & III consumer insights, the Essence Book Club, Essence.com, and ventures in digital media (mobile, television and VOD). For more than 40 years, ESSENCE magazine, which has a brand reach of over 8 million, has been the leading source of cutting-edge information relating to every area of African-American women’s lives.  Additional information about ECI and ESSENCE is available at www.essence.com.

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The Board of Directors of the Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) has unanimously selected Chaka Khan as the 2011 recipient of the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s prestigious Hitmaker Award celebrating her remarkable achievements in music and beyond.

Previous recipients of this Award include:  Diana Ross,  Tom Jones, Dionne Warwick,  Gloria Estefan, Natalie Cole, Barry Manilow, and Whitney Houston.

Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Gala will take place at our 42nd Annual Awards Dinner on Thursday evening, June 16th, 2011 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

Chaka Khan is featured in this month’s Upscale Magazine.  www.upscalemagazine.com

Japanese R&B singer A.I. and American R&B legend Chaka Khan received the Billboard Japan International Collaboration Artists of the Year 2010 award for two tracks they recorded together for the Japanese vocalist’s LP The Last A.I., released on December 1.  Khan and A.I. closed the show performing “One More Try,” as well as Khan’s number “Through the Fire.”

The Hair Show
Starring Chaka Khan

Tickets go on sale Friday, December 17 at 10AM!

Austin, Texas- The Hair Show starring Chaka Khan is playing at The Theatre at the Frank Erwin Center on Saturday, February 26! The play was written by Teresa Coleman Wash and stars the legendary singer, Chaka Khan, as Sasha Wade.

The Hair Show is set in Dallas, Texas. Sasha Wade, played by Chaka Khan, is an African-American, national recording artist who inherits her father’s multi-million dollar hair care company. Her successful recording career has taken her all across the world, but nothing can prepare her for what she is about to experience as CEO of Gem Hair Care. Things begin to unravel when she turns to her longtime stylist and confidante, Bailey Ballard, to help sustain her father’s legacy and salvage the family business from financial ruin. Bailey convinces her to produce the world’s largest hair show competition, creating a melodramatic evening showcasing over the top personas…and hair!

Chaka Khan stars in the play as Sasha Wade. Growing up in Chicago during the 1950s and ’60s, Chaka Khan – born Yvette Marie Stevens – developed an early awareness of the creative and political movements around her. She formed her first singing group when she was 11 and joined the Black Panthers in her late teens, heading up their free breakfast program for kids. By age 20, she had found the perfect outlet for her creative energy as the singer for Rufus, and five years later, as a breakout solo artist. A renowned proponent of ‘old school’ soul music, her energy, dynamism, and passion through live performances for over three decades, Chaka has brought her special brand of vocal magic to audiences the world over.

Saturday, February 26, 2011
THE THEATRE AT THE FRANK ERWIN CENTER
AUSTIN, TEXAS
SHOW AT 7PM

Chaka Khan will be receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California on May 19, 2011.  Details on the ceremony will be forthcoming.