Quincy Jones, renowned for his long and illustrious music career and his previous diplomatic tour alongside jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie, is poised to be honored with the first-ever Peace Through Music Award from the U.S. Department of State.
The event to celebrate the achievements of Quincy Jones, who has won 28 Grammy Awards for his work as a producer, musician, and arranger, is planned for Wednesday evening. This occasion also signifies the commencement of the State Department’s fresh Global Music Diplomacy Initiative.
This award acknowledges individuals within the American music industry, which includes musicians, producers, and professionals, who have made substantial contributions to fostering cross-cultural interactions and advancing peace and mutual understanding through their musical endeavors.
More about the Peace Through Music Award
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. will give out the award at the event. The ceremony will showcase a wide range of talent from the United States and around the world, representing different generations and musical styles.
The artists performing at the event are Dave Grohl, Mickey Guyton, Herbie Hancock, Jamie Barton, GAYLE, Christopher Jackson, LADAMA, Aimee Mann, Rakim, Armani White, and DJ 2-Tone.
The Global Music Diplomacy Initiative includes some important announcements. There is a collaboration between the State Department and the Recording Academy for the American Music Mentorship Program, which will begin in the fall of 2024.
This program will help artists to develop their careers when coming to the US. Efforts aimed at advancing English-language education programs abroad, and the introduction of the Fulbright-Kennedy Center Visiting Scholar Award in Arts and Science.
Harvey Mason Jr., the CEO of the Recording Academy, highlighted the remarkable potential of music as a diplomatic tool. He emphasized that music possesses a special ability to unite people and promote understanding, even when they come from different viewpoints or backgrounds.
The U.S. State Department has a longstanding tradition of using music as a diplomatic means. This dates back to President Roosevelt’s creation of the Office of Inter-American Affairs in 1940, and it continues with initiatives like the “Next Level” program in the 2010s, which aimed to foster a global community through hip-hop.
Secretary of State Blinken highlighted the potential of music to connect cultures and convey the American story to the world. He expressed optimism about the initiative’s ability to engage a new generation of a global audience and promote cultural exchange and peace through, music.
The Global Music Diplomacy Initiative was created in response to the 2022 Music Diplomacy Act, which focuses on promoting peace, education, and cultural exchange through music.
Know more about Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones is a highly accomplished figure in the American music industry. He has had a remarkable career that spanned 72 years, during which he worked as a record producer, songwriter, composer, arranger, and even in film-television production.
He has an outstanding record of winning 28 Grammy Awards out of 80 nominations and was honored with the Grammy Legend Award in 1992.
Quincy Jones went on to become a major figure in the music industry, producing the best-selling album of all time, “Thriller” by Michael Jackson, and also contributing to the creation of “We Are the World.”
In 1971, Jones made an important mark in history by becoming the first African American to take the role of musical director and conductor for the Academy Awards. Then, in 1995, he achieved another groundbreaking milestone by being the first African American to receive the Academy’s Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
