The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration took place on Monday, January 19 at ML King Park. The event was hosted by MPRB District Manager, Obie Kipper, Jr. Grammy award winning music producer, Andre Fischer delivered the keynote address. Harriet Solomon, a life-long Minneapolis resident, received the 2009 MLK Award for her commitment and dedication to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and residents of Minneapolis.
The MPRB would like to thank everyone involved in making the event a great success!
Keynote Speaker – André Fischer
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| André Fischer |
André Fischer currently serves as Executive Director of Music Industries at the Institute of Production and Recording in Minneapolis, MN. Previously André served as Dean of Music Industries at the McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul, MN.
André is co-founder and drummer of Rufus, one of the most commercially successful funk and pop groups of all time. Rufus scored an impressive string of hit singles on both the POP and R&B charts, which lasted through the 1970’s, 1980's, 1990’s and are still being played today.
With 40 Platinum and 25 Gold Albums, André is best known for his production, performing and arrangement work with Rufus, which earned him two Grammy Awards. He earned four American Music Awards and numerous ASCAP and BMI awards for songwriting, publishing, album and soundtrack sales; and received civic recognition for his cultural and fundraising efforts. André is responsible for producing, executive producing, performing and recording with many of the music industry's most gifted pop, R&B, rock and jazz performers.
He grew up in Minneapolis, Los Angeles and New York surrounded by music and art: his mother a jazz singer/sculptor, his father a music professor and trumpet player in swing bands and his uncle renowned jazz composer/pianist Clare Fischer. By age of four André began touring with his father who performed and arranged for the Big Bands of Woody Herman, Little John Beacher and the Lee William's orchestra. By the time he was 10 years old he had traveled extensively throughout the United States, Mexico and Europe and while still in high school began recording, performing, directing, producing and touring with the world's most successful recording artists.
André is an exceptional talent and executive with an inexhaustible resource of diverse entertainment industry and global business expertise. He has held executive positions at various music and film companies: Senior Vice President, MCA/Universal Urban Music Dept.;Vice President Jazz A&R for Quincy Jones, Qwest/Warner Bros Records; and Vice President of Publishing Development, 20th Century Fox Records & Films, just to name a few.
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| Harriet Solomon |
“Living the Dream” Award
The 2009 Martin Luther King, Jr. “Living the Dream” Award will be presented to Harriet Solomon.
Refreshments follow the program.
About MLK Day
In 1994 Congress passed the King Holiday and Service Act, designating the King Holiday as a national day of volunteer service. Instead of a day off from work or school, Congress asked Americans of all backgrounds and ages to celebrate Dr. King's legacy by turning community concerns into citizen action.
The King Day of Service brings together people who might not ordinarily meet, breaks down barriers that have divided us in the past, leads to better understanding and ongoing relationships, and is an opportunity to recruit new volunteers for ongoing work.
