25 Oct 2019
Recording Permalink

Chaka Khan

October 25, 2019

TELLING YOU SOMETHING GOOD
LEGENDARY CHAKA KHAN TO BE HONORED WITH
STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME

Chaka Khan was honored with Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Category of Recording. Leron Gulber, Emcee and President/CEO of Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, Benny Medina, Stevie Wonder, John Muir Middle School Principal Miranda Ra’off and student Tempest Brown helped unveil 2,440th star at 6623 Hollywood Boulevard in front of My Studio Nightclub on Thursday, May 19, 2011.

Chaka Khan was born March 23, in Chicago, Illinois. From the moment she burst onto the music scene as the lead singer of the band Rufus in the early 70s, Chaka Khan’s all-powerful voice, show-stopping stage presence and style created a standard that set her apart from any other singer. Nearly 40 years later, Chaka is a legendary music icon whose influence has impacted whole generations of hit-making contemporary artists.

Early on, she caught the attention of another musical icon, Stevie Wonder, who penned her first hit with Rufus, the Grammy® Award-winning “Tell Me Something Good.”  From that point on, the group dominated the airwaves with hit after hit such as “Once You Get Started,”  “Sweet Thing,”  “Everlasting Love,” “Do You Love What You Feel?” and “Ain’t Nobody.”  With Chaka as the group’s dynamic center, Rufus featuring Chaka Khan became one of the most popular acts around, selling out shows throughout the country.

It was inevitable that a singer of Chaka’s caliber would eventually strike out on her own.  When that time came, all doubts about Chaka being able to succeed as a solo artist were quickly dismissed with the release of the smash hit “I’m Every Woman” written by Ashford & Simpson.    Her catalog grew even more impressive with hits such as “Clouds,” “Papillon,” “What’Cha Gonna Do For Me?” and the song that made Chaka Khan a household name the world over, “I Feel For You” written by long-time admirer and friend, Prince.

Though many know Chaka Khan as one of the best soul music singers/songwriters around, she has the rare ability to delve into any genre of music from funk, R&B, pop, rock, jazz, gospel, hip-hop and classical and be authentic in her delivery. The diverse and immense list of artists with whom she has collaborated is a testament to her musical versatility; from Prince and Stevie Wonder to Steve Winwood, Quincy Jones, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and countless others. In 1992, Chaka took on a more proactive role as Executive Producer for “The Woman I Am” adding a new dimension to her illustrious career and another Grammy® for her efforts.  Chaka’s emotive vocals can be heard on a number of soundtracks including “Clockers,” "Set It Off," "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar," "Miami Vice," "White Knights," "Moscow on the Hudson," "Disappearing Acts,” "Waiting to Exhale," “27 Dresses,” “Get Rich Or Die Tryin’,” “Bridget Jones’ Diary,” “Roll Bounce,” “40 Year Old Virgin,” “The Cookout,” “Hollywood Homicide,” “Deliver Us from Eva,” “Love & Basketball,” “Standing In The Shadows Of Motown,” and the recent Tyler Perry hits “Madea’s Family Reunion" and “Meet The Browns.”

Chaka Khan is not slowing down.  Her new album, Funk This, won a Grammy® for Best R&B Album and her duet, “Disrespectful,” featuring Mary J. Blige won a Grammy® for Best R&B performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.   She had a glorious Broadway debut as Sofia in “The Color Purple” and had back-to-back Top 10 Billboard hits with the singles “Angel” and “One For All Time” from Funk This. 

Renowned for the timeless quality to her music, Chaka Khan has earned ten Grammy® Awards.

In 1999, Chaka Khan established the Chaka Khan Foundation, it’s most recent initiative involves a partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School district mentoring middle school students who are college-bound. Of her work with the Foundation and her other philanthropic endeavors Chaka simply says, "It’s time to build up and time to give back."  Her commitment to women and children at risk is seen through her countless hours of dedication to the Chaka Khan Foundation. 

Like any superstar of her magnitude, Chaka has had her share of ups and downs.  Her inspiring autobiography, Through The Fire, was acclaimed for its soul-baring candor and honesty.  While many celebrities would avoid putting some of their most painful experiences out there for the whole world to see, Chaka bravely revealed her demons as means to help others

ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME – www.WalkOfFame.com

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an internationally-recognized Hollywood icon. With approximately 24 star ceremonies annually broadcast around the world, the constant reinforcement provided to the public has made the Walk of Fame a top visitor attraction. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce continues to administer the Walk of Fame as the representative of the City of Los Angeles. The Walk of Fame is a tribute to all of those who worked diligently to develop the concept and to maintain this world-class tourist attraction. Fans of the Hollywood Walk of Fame will be thrilled to know that The Official Hollywood Walk of Fame application is now available. 

The Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign are registered trademarks of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

25 Oct 2019
Recording Permalink

Shania Twain

October 25, 2019

SHE’S STILL THE ONE!
SHANIA TWAIN HONORED WITH STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME

 

Shania Twain was honored with star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Leron Gubler, emcee and President/CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and Bo Derek helped unveils the 2,442nd Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Category of Recording at 6270 Hollywood Boulevard in front of W Hollywood Hotel on Thursday, June 2, 2011.

Singer Shania Twain was born on August 28, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. She began performing at the age of 13, on CBC Television’s Tommy Hunter Show. While attending Timmins High and Vocational School in Timmins, she also sang for a local band called “Longshot.”

Shania Twain is a phenomenon. With more than 57 million albums sold in the U.S. and Canada; she is the top selling female country artist of all time; has multi-platinum album sales in 32 countries; has the eighth-biggest selling album of all time in the U.S. and 18 top ten songs, 8 of which reached #1. 

Most amazing of all, Shania has reached beyond all feasible music boundaries with just four studio albums – 3 of which have received Diamond certification by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales of 10 million copies in the U.S.  She is the only artist to have three consecutive albums sell more than 10 million copies.

Though she released an album in the early 1990s with little fanfare, most people consider 1995’s The Woman In Me to be the first true Shania Twain album.  That’s because, unlike her debut record, it contained songs that Twain herself wrote and delivered in her own distinctive way.  Produced by former husband Mutt Lange, The Woman In Me stunned the country music world, brilliantly bringing a catchy pop sensibility to the genre.   

“Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?," the first single from the album made an impression, but the brash and sassy “Any Man of Mine” really set the tone for Twain’s impact on country music.  A runaway hit, complemented by a video that showed Twain’s star power off to dazzling perfection, the song became her first #1 followed by the equally attitude-filled “(If You're Not In It For Love) I’m Outta Here!,” "You Win My Love" and the more low-key “No One Needs To Know.”  The Woman In Me went on to sell more than 12 million copies in the U.S., replacing Patsy Cline’s Greatest Hits as the best-selling album by a female country artist, and earning Twain a Grammy in 1996 for “Best Country Album.”

She followed that remarkable success with Come On Over in 1997, which saw one single after the next become chart hits.  “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!,”  "That Don't Impress Me Much," “Love Gets Me Every Time” and “You’re Still The One” solidified her musical persona as a strong, but playful woman who believed in and demanded true respect.  With sales of 20 million in the U.S., the album became the biggest-seller by a woman in any genre of music.  Not only did Twain reach beyond country music to reach pop fans, she crossed oceans, becoming a top selling artist worldwide.   

In May of 1998, with two wildly-successful albums, and enough hit songs for a solid show, Twain set out on her first headlining tour, Come On Over.  Over the course of 19 months, she performed for more than 2.5 million screaming fans, silencing critics who wondered if she could re-create her music in a live setting.  The tour was one of the highest grossing tours in both 1998 and 1999, along with, becoming one of the biggest tours by a female musician in any genre. Having done what she came to do, Twain finally took a break.

She retreated to her home in Switzerland, and had a baby boy in 2001, and generally lived her life for the next few years.  Her distinctive voice was missed, and Country Music magazine ran an article that read like a letter to Twain, begging her to come back with more music.  At the end of 2002 she did.

UP!  didn’t disappoint.  Released in the U.S. as a 2-CD set – one offering a country version of the songs, the other a pop mix of them, the album delighted fans, who snapped up nearly three million copies in the first 6 weeks of release.  The first single, “I’m Gonna Getcha Good!,” showed that motherhood and time away had not altered Twain’s approach to her music.  Time magazine called UP!, “Easily the best pop album of the year…with the kind of energy that reminds you how much fun the genre can be.”

Once again, the proof of Shania’s power as songwriter and performer was seen in the sales chart.  UP!, certified at 10 million U.S. sales, making Twain the only artist in history to have three consecutive 10x Platinum RIAA-certified albums [the other two being The Woman In Me (12x platinum) and Come On Over (20x platinum)].  Her UP! tour was the top-grossing country tour of 2004, and often caused jaded music critics to talk in Shania-like exclamation points.

Twain’s most recent album is Shania Twain Greatest Hits and with her previous powerhouse albums to draw from, the record is the ultimate exclamation point to her career so far.

Twain’s highly anticipated memoir From This Moment On was recently released on May 3 and quickly climbed the New York Times best-sellers list. Twain’s docu-series “Why Not? With Shania Twain” premiered May 8, exclusively on OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network to rave reviews and record breaking viewership for the network.  Airing  Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT, the series takes an intimate look at the amazing journey of the music superstar who, by the age of 21, had survived a childhood of poverty, the loss of both parents in a devastating accident and how she went on to become the best-selling female artist in country music history.

Shania Twain works tirelessly with the following charities: Shania Kids Can, Second Harvest Food Banks, Swiss Red Cross and many others.

 

 

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ALL PRESS MUST RSVP TO ANA MARTINEZ AT (323) 468-1376 OR [email protected]

 

ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME – www.WalkOfFame.com

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an internationally-recognized Hollywood icon. With approximately 24 star ceremonies annually broadcast around the world, the constant reinforcement provided to the public has made the Walk of Fame a top visitor attraction. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce continues to administer the Walk of Fame as the representative of the City of Los Angeles. The Walk of Fame is a tribute to all of those who worked diligently to develop the concept and to maintain this world-class tourist attraction.  

 

The Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign are registered trademarks of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

25 Oct 2019
Live Performance Permalink

Joe Mantegna

October 25, 2019

JOE MANTEGNA HONORED WITH STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME

Veteran actor Joe Mantegna was honored with star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Emcee Leron Gubler, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, President/CEO and guest speakers David Mamet and Lt. General Willie Williams will help unveil the 2,438th Star in the category of Live Theater at 6654 Hollywood Boulevard on Friday, April 29, 2011 at 11:30 a.m.

Celebrities attending included Andy Garcia, Clifton Collins, Jr., Shemar Moore, Kirsten Vangness, A.J. Cook, Jean Smart, Dennis Franz, Lee Purcell, Stan Shaw, Meshach Taylor and many others.

Chicago native Joe Mantegna has a strong background in both theater and film. After making his Broadway debut in Stephen Schwartz's musical of Studs Terkel's Working, Mantegna was awarded the Tony and Joseph Jefferson Award for his acclaimed performance as cynical real-estate agent Richard Roma in David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Glengarry Glen Ross.

Closely associated with Mamet’s work, Mantegna starred in the theatrical premiere of A Life in the Theater, The Disappearance of the Jews at the Goodman Theater, and in the Broadway production of Speed the Plow. In addition, Mantegna directed a critically-acclaimed stage production of Mamet's Lakeboat, starring Ed O’Neil and George Wendt.

Mantegna made his feature film debut in 1985 in Frank Perry's Compromising Positions, based on Susan Isaacs’ best seller. His early films include co-starring roles in The Money Pit, Weeds and Suspect. He also starred in the critically-acclaimed David Mamet films House of Games and Things Change, for which he and co-star Don Ameche both received the coveted Best Actor Award at the Venice Film Festival. In 1991, Mantegna starred in the highly-praised police thriller, Homicide.

His other films include Alice, Celebrity, The Godfather III, Liberty Heights, Bugsy, Searching for Bobby Fischer and Forget Paris. Other stand-out roles include Up Close and Personal, Baby's Day Out, Airheads, Queens Logic, Wait Until Spring, Bandini, Eye for an Eye, The Runner and Thinner.

Mantegna had a starring role in the CBS miniseries of Mario Puzo's best-selling novel The Last Don, which garnered him an Emmy Award nomination. He also enjoys appearing regularly as the voice of Fat Tony on The Simpsons.  Mantegna's original feature films for cable include starring roles in State of Emergency, A Call to Remember, My Little Assassin, The Water Engine, The Comrades of Summer, Persons Unknown, Boy Meets Girl, and The Rat Pack, for which he was nominated for both another Emmy and a Golden Globe Award.  In later films like Hoods and Jerry and Tom, Mantegna both starred and served as Executive Producer.

 In 2000, Mantegna completed production on his feature film directorial debut, Lakeboat, written for the screen by David Mamet from his original play. Starring Charles Durning, Peter Falk, Robert Forster, Andy Garcia, Denis Leary and George Wendt, the film opened the L.A. Film Festival to critical acclaim last fall and made its theatrical release in June 2001.

                         Mantegna starred for two seasons as police chief Will Girardi in Joan ofArcadia.  The show received several Emmy and Golden Globe nominations during its run. In the Fall of 2005 Mantegna co-starred in Nine Lives, a film by Rodrigo Garcia. The film was accepted in Sundance in 2005 and also starred Glenn Close, Amy Brenneman, Holly Hunter,  Dakota Fanning, Sissy Spacek and Kathy Baker. In 2006,  Mantegna was as busy as ever with roles in Elvis and Anabelle, West of Brooklyn and the USA Network Mini Series Starter Wife with Debra Messing. Since 2007, Mantegna has starred in original episodes of the hit drama Criminal Minds on CBS and now can be seen in syndication on ION Television, where he plays FBI special agent David Rossi. His contribution to the hit series has catapulted the show into one of ION’s highest-rated series and, in turn, helped ION recently record its most watched quarter ever. In 2010 Mantegna lent his voice to the upcoming Disney/PIXAR film, CARS2 and has several projects in the works including a web-series.  

Charity Work

For the past nine years Mantegna has participated in the National Memorial Day Concert in Washington DC, and has co-hosted the last four with Gary Sinise. Mantegna has always been a supporter of our men and women who serve and in 2005 he was appointed the Honorary Chairman for The Salute to Hospitalized Veterans.

In 2007 he was instrumental in raising thousands of dollars for Operation Iraqi Children., a charity formed by Gary Sinise to give school supplies to children in Iraq and Afghanistan delivered by US Military troops.When possible he visits wounded service men and women at the VA Hospital.

 Mantegna has helped raise millions of dollars for charities all over the world, including Autism, The Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center, Pediatric Aids Research, The National Kidney Foundation, Easter Seals, Melanoma Research, The Tom Sullivan Blind Children’s Charity and Breast Cancer Awareness.

 

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ALL PRESS MUST RSVP TO ANA MARTINEZ AT (323) 468-1376 OR [email protected]

 

ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME – www.WalkOfFame.com

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an internationally-recognized Hollywood icon. With approximately 24 star ceremonies annually broadcast around the world, the constant reinforcement provided to the public has made the Walk of Fame a top visitor attraction. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce continues to administer the Walk of Fame as the representative of the City of Los Angeles. The Walk of Fame is a tribute to all of those who worked diligently to develop the concept and to maintain this world-class tourist attraction.  

 

The Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign are registered trademarks of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

25 Oct 2019
Motion Pictures, Recording Permalink

Sissy Spacek

October 25, 2019

 

AWARD WINNING ACTRESS SISSY SPACEK  HONORED WITH
STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME

Sissy Spacek was honored with star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Category of Motion Pictures. Leron Gubler, Emcee and President/CEO of Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, celebrity guests Bill Paxton and David Lynch helped Spacek unveil the 2,443rd Star at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard in front of The El Capitan Theatre on Monday, August 1, 2011 at 11:30 a.m.

In anticipation of the release of her new film from Dreamworks Pictures and Participant Media, “The Help,”in theaters nationwide August 10, 2011, Sissy Spacek will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday, August 1, at 11:30 am. in front of the El Capitan Theatre, 6834 Hollywood Boulevard.

Sissy Spacek has been one of the industry’s most respected actresses for more than three decades. Her many honors include an Academy Award®, five additional Oscar® nominations, three Golden Globe® Awards and numerous critics’ awards.

Spacek first gained prominence for her performance in Terrence Malick’s 1973 drama “Badlands,” in which she starred opposite Martin Sheen.  In 1976, Spacek earned her first Academy Award® nomination and won a National Society of Film Critics Award for her chilling performance in the title role of Brian De Palma’s “Carrie.” The following year, she won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for her work in Robert Altman’s “Three Women.”

In 1980, Spacek starred as Loretta Lynn in the acclaimed bio-pic “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” winning the Oscar® and Golden Globe® Award for her performance. Spacek also received the New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics, National Board of Review and National Society of Film Critics Awards for her portrayal of the country-music legend.

Spacek received another Golden Globe® nomination the next year for her work in “Raggedy Man,” directed by her husband, Jack Fisk. She earned her third Oscar® and Golden Globe nominations for her role in Costa-Gavras’ 1982 drama “Missing,” opposite Jack Lemmon, and her fourth Oscar® and Golden Globe® nominations for her work in 1984’s “The River,” in which she starred with Mel Gibson.

In 1987, Spacek received her fifth Academy Award® nomination and won another Golden Globe® and the New York Film Critics Circle Award for her performance in the dark comedy “Crimes of the Heart.” Her most recent Oscar® nomination came for her portrayal of a mother grieving for her murdered son in the drama “In the Bedroom,” for which she also won a Golden Globe® Award, an Independent Spirit Award and an AFI Film Award for Best Actress. In addition, she garnered Best Actress Awards from a number of critics’ organizations, including the Los Angeles, New York and Broadcast Film Critics. Her work in “In the Bedroom” also brought Spacek two Screen Actors Guild® (SAG) Award nominations, one for Outstanding Lead Actress and another for Outstanding Cast, shared with the rest of the film’s ensemble.

Some of Spacek’s other film credits include “A Home at the End of the World,” “The Straight Story,” “Blast From the Past,” “Affliction,” “The Grass Harp,” “JFK,” “The Long Walk Home,” “Night, Mother,” “Marie,” “North Country,” “Nine Lives,” “Hot Rod,” “Lake City,” “Four Christmases” and “Get Low.”          

Spacek has also been honored for her work on television, where she has starred in several highly praised long-form projects. She received Emmy® Award nominations for her portrayal of Zelda Fitzgerald in “Last Call” and for her work in Tommy Lee Jones’ western “The Good Old Boys,” as well as SAG® Award nominations for her performances in “Midwives” and “A Place for Annie.” Her additional television credits include “If These Walls Could Talk,” “A Private Matter,” a Golden Globe®–nominated performance for “Pictures of Hollis Woods” and, most recently, an Emmy®– nominated performance for her guest role on HBO’s “Big Love.”

Spacek’s charitable involvement includes work with The SPCA and Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression.

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ALL PRESS MUST RSVP TO ANA MARTINEZ AT (323) 468-1376 OR [email protected]

 

ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME – www.WalkOfFame.com

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an internationally-recognized Hollywood icon. With approximately 24 star ceremonies annually broadcast around the world, the constant reinforcement provided to the public has made the Walk of Fame a top visitor attraction. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce continues to administer the Walk of Fame as the representative of the City of Los Angeles. The Walk of Fame is a tribute to all of those who worked diligently to develop the concept and to maintain this world-class tourist attraction.  

The Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign are registered trademarks of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

 

25 Oct 2019
Motion Pictures, Recording Permalink

Gwyneth Paltrow

October 25, 2019

OSCAR® WINNING ACTRESS GWYNETH PALTROW HONORED WITH STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME

Emcee: Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, President/CEO Leron Gubler
Guest speaker: Tim McGraw
2,427th Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Category of Motion Pictures
at 6931 Hollywood Boulevard in front of Madame Tussaud’s Hollywood
on Monday, December 13, 2010

A Hollywood legend in the making, Gwyneth Paltrow has defied the odds by remaining one of today's most prolific and celebrated actors in the ever-changing film industry. A testament to her undeniable talent, her role in SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE catapulted her into awards stardom with Best Actress honors at the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Academy Awards. Her career has been studded with both critically-acclaimed independents and studio blockbusters that have made her a fixture for this generation's film audience.

Paltrow will next be seen in Sony Screen Gems’ highly-anticipated COUNTRY STRONG in which Gwyneth plays country crooner Kelly Canter opposite music sensation, Tim McGraw. The film, directed by Shana Feste, was shot in America’s music capitol, Nashville, Tennessee and features original country songs sung by Paltrow. The film will be released by Screen Gems nationwide on January 7, 2011. She was most recently seen in Jon Favreau’s box office hit IRON MAN 2, in which she returned as Tony Stark’s personal secretary and confidant, Virginia “Pepper” Potts. Other recent film credits include James Gray’s romantic drama TWO LOVERS opposite Joaquin Phoenix for which she received an Independent Spirit Award nomination. She also appeared in her brother Jake Paltrow’s directorial debut, THE GOOD NIGHT. Paltrow played the role of the wife of a former pop star who’s been reduced to writing jingles alongside co-stars Penelope Cruz and Danny Devito.

Additional credits include John Madden’s PROOF, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination; SYLVIA, in which she portrayed the famous poet Sylvia Plath; Ryan Murphy’s RUNNING WITH SCISSORS; Douglas McGrath’s INFAMOUS; THE WORLD OF TOMORROW; Neil LaBute's POSSESSION; Wes Anderson’s THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS; Peter and Bobby Farrelly’s SHALLOW HAL; THE ANNIVERSARY PARTY; Bruce Paltrow’s DUETS; BOUNCE opposite Ben Affleck; Anthony Mighella’s THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY; Andrew Davis’

A PERFECT MURDER; SLIDING DOORS; Douglas McGrath’s EMMA; GREAT EXPECTATIONS; THE PALLBEARER; SEVEN; A VIEW FROM THE TOP; MOONLIGHT AND VALENTINO; JEFFERSON IN PARIS; MRS. PARKER AND THE VICIOUS CIRCLE; MALICE; HOOK and SHOUT. Paltrow's first role was her remarkable performance in the critically-acclaimed FLESH AND BONE opposite Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid.

Paltrow made her directorial debut, co-writing and co-directing DEALBREAKERS, a short film she directed with her friend Mary Wigmore.

This spring, Paltrow will publish her debut cookbook entitled My Father’s Daughter and continues to develop her passion project GOOP.com. She first established her credibility in the culinary field when she co-wrote Spain, A Culinary Road Trip with acclaimed chef, Mario Batali.

Born in Los Angeles where she spent the first eleven years of her life, Paltrow stems from a very close-knit family deeply entrenched in the entertainment industry. Her father, Bruce Paltrow was a highly-successful producer ("St. Elsewhere", "The White Shadow") and her mother is the award-winning actress Blythe Danner. Paltrow and her younger brother, Jake, spent their early childhoods in Los Angeles where she attended St. Augustine by the Sea (now known as Crossroads).

When she was eleven, her family moved to New York, and she enrolled in the Spence School where she would later graduate. Paltrow attended the University of California at Santa Barbara with the intention of majoring in Art History. She quickly learned that college life was not something to which she felt committed and she withdrew from school, despite her father's strong recommendation to remain. It wasn't until he caught her moving performance in the Williamstown Theater production of “Picnic,” starring opposite her mother and Tony Goldwyn did he lend his support in her pursuit of an acting career.

Off screen, Paltrow is involved in many charitable works. She is active on behalf of Robinhood Foundation,
Kids Company, Bruce Paltrow Oral Cancer Foundation and Food Bank NYC.

ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME – www.walkOfFame.com
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an internationally-recognized Hollywood icon. With approximately 24 star ceremonies annually broadcast around the world, the constant reinforcement provided to the public has made the Walk of Fame a top visitor attraction. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce continues to administer the Hollywood Walk of Fame as the representative of the City of Los Angeles. The Walk of Fame is a tribute to all of those who worked diligently to develop the concept and to maintain this world-class tourist attraction. Fans of the Hollywood Walk of Fame will be thrilled to know that The Official Hollywood Walk of Fame phone application is now available. The application which can be downloaded from the iPhone store, is the best resource for information and news about all of the 2,400+ stars on the Walk of Fame. Hollywood Walk of Fame recently celebrated a fabulous 50th birthday party in the grand ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center on Wednesday, November 3, 2010 which concluded the year-long celebration of the Walk of Fame 50th.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign are registered trademarks of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

25 Oct 2019
Motion Pictures, Television Permalink

Stan Lee

October 25, 2019
COMIC BOOK HERO STAN LEE HONORED WITH
STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME

Emcee: Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, President/CEO Leron Gubler
Guest speakers: Gill Champion, President and COO at POW! Entertainment and Todd
McFarlane, creator of Spawn and founder of McFarlane Toys
2,428th Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Category of Motion Pictures
at 7072 Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Live Nation Building
on Tuesday, January 4, 2011


Stan Lee was born December 28, 1922 in New York City. He began his career as an assistant at Timely Comics in 1939, getting lunch, filling inkwells, proofreading, etc. Two years later, he was named interim editor at Timely after editor Joe Simon and his creative partner Jack Kirby left.

Known to millions as the man whose Super Heroes propelled Marvel Comics to its preeminent position in the comic book industry, Stan Lee's famous co-creations include Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men, The Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Daredevil, The Avengers, Silver Surfer and Dr. Strange among many others. Lee first became publisher of Marvel Comics in 1972 and is presently the Chairman Emeritus of Marvel Enterprises, Inc. and a member of the Editorial Board of Marvel Comics. In 1977, he introduced Spider-Man as a syndicated newspaper strip that went on to become the most successful of all syndicated adventure strips. Spider-Man now appears in more than hundreds of newspapers worldwide — making it the longest running of all Super Hero strips.

Without question, Stan 'the Man' Lee has exerted more influence over the comic book industry than anyone in history. He created or co-created 90 percent of Marvel's recognized characters, which have been successfully licensed and marketed since 1965. The numbers are staggering — more than 2 billion of his comic books have been published in 75 countries and in 25 languages. In Europe alone, Stan Lee's name appears on more than 35 million comics annually.

In 1981 Stan Lee transformed his Spider-Man and Hulk creations into Saturday morning and syndicated television cartoons. When Marvel Comics and Marvel Productions were acquired by New World Entertainment in 1986, Stan's horizons expanded even further, giving him the opportunity to become more deeply involved in the creation and development of filmed projects for both the big and small screen. He supervised such diverse animated series as X-Men, Spider-Man and The Hulk. To date, Stan's characters have populated over 24 separate television series, all of which continue in syndication around the world.

Stan Lee's admirers are not limited to the younger generation — his avowed fans include Presidents (Ronald Reagan once said he started every day reading Spider-Man comics and George Bush, in presenting Stan with a Medal of the Arts, praised him for encouraging and assisting "millions of young people to broaden their own imaginations") and media titans (Steven Spielberg once explained that "Stan and I do the same thing. Only my pictures move.") and even his competitors ("Most of my generation of writers learned our craft from or through Stan Lee. He's an incredible part of the business," said Paul Levitz of DC Comics).

Now, as he enters the 21st Century, Stan Lee is broadening his horizons with his new company, “POW! Entertainment” where he is currently developing entirely new franchises for film and television while still proudly cherishing the title of Marvel’s Chairman Emeritus. Stan Lee is the Founder of POW! Entertainment and has served as its Chairman and Chief Creative Officer since inception.

Lee’s POW! Entertainment has many projects in the pipeline. They include:


1) Publishing
a) Boom! Studios – “Solider Zero”, “Traveler”, “Starborn”
b) Archie Comics/ A Squared Entertainment – Stan’s newest comic creations “The Mighty Seven” and “Airwalker” with three more to follow
c) 1821 Comics – Coffee table book – “Romeo and Juliet: The War”
d) “Ultimo” – published by Viz Media in Japan (in Shonen Jump) and the US
e) “Heroman” – published in Japan and also appears on Japanese TV (Bones and Wowmax)


2) Co-branding
a) The Guardian Project with the National Hockey League
b) “Kid Fitness”
c) “The Seekers” comic series in partnership with MTV Geek
d) “Libra Scale” – a comic strip written to complement R&B star Ne-Yo’s upcoming album
e) Working on live action rock opera-style musical – “Yin and Yang: The Battle of Tao”

3) Screenplays
a) Seven screenplays in various stages of development including POW! Entertainment’s first Chinese super hero

4) TV
a) Three TV series in various stages of development

5) Also, 10-15 other projects in various stage of development


There is also a foundation in Stan Lee’s name whose purpose is to promote literacy and education.
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ALL PRESS MUST RSVP TO ANA MARTINEZ AT (323) 468-1376 OR [email protected]

About POW! (Purveyors of Wonder) Entertainment, Inc. (Pinksheets:POWN)
An advanced media and entertainment company, was founded by world famous comic book and motion picture icon Stan Lee, together with award winning producer Gill Champion and intellectual property specialist Arthur Lieberman, Esq. POW! Entertainment’s principals have extensive backgrounds in the entertainment industry encompassing the creation, production and licensing of original intellectual properties including some of the most successful entertainment franchises of all time. POW! Entertainment, capitalizing on this combined expertise specializes in franchises for the entertainment industry, including animation and live-action feature films, plus television, DVDs, video games, merchandising, and related ancillary markets all of which contribute to global expansion. www.powentertainment.com.


ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME – www.walkoffame.com

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an internationally-recognized Hollywood icon. With approximately 24 star ceremonies annually broadcast around the world, the constant reinforcement provided to the public has made the Walk of Fame a top visitor attraction. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce continues to administer the Walk of Fame as the representative of the City of Los Angeles. The Walk of Fame is a tribute to all of those who worked diligently to develop the concept and to maintain this world-class tourist attraction. Fans of the Hollywood Walk of Fame will be thrilled to know that The Official Hollywood Walk of Fame application is now available. The application which can be downloaded from the iPhone store, is the best resource for information and news about all of the 2,400+ stars on the Walk of Fame.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign are registered trademarks of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

25 Oct 2019
Recording, Television Permalink

Bryan Adams

October 25, 2019

Bryan Adams honored with Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

WHO: Bryan Adams
Emcee: Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, President/CEO Leron Gubler
Guest speaker: Wayne Gretzky
2,435th Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Category of RECORDING
6752 Hollywood Boulevard in front of The Musician’s Institute
Monday, March 21 , 2011
 

Fans and press braved the elements as the rain “Cut like a Knife,” on them as they waited for Canadian rock star Bryan Adams. Wayne Gretsky was on hand to say a few words on behalf of Adams.
Adams addressed his fans, “Thanks for getting here so early. It is excellent being here in front of Musician’s Institute, who picked this location? I came here at the age of 16,and I marveled at the sight of these stars. I am humbled by my induction onto this pavement. So come over here and visit my star!"

Singer, songwriter Bryan Adams, was born November 5, 1959 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada to English parents. As Adams' father was a diplomat, he grew up traveling around the world with his parents. Subsequently, most of his youth was spent in England, Israel, Portugal, and Austria. In 1973, the family returned to Canada. In his early teens Adams worked as a dishwasher to earn enough money to buy a Fender guitar. It wasn’t long after, that he quit school to pursue his music full time.

In 1978, at the age of 18, Adams sent a few demo recordings to A&M Records in Toronto, he signed with them for the sum of one dollar. It was his third album, Cuts Like a Knife in 1983 that broke his career open, followed a year later by Reckless and his first #1 single Heaven. The ensuing releases for the next two and half decades further established Adams, a place in rock and roll history.
The hits just kept on coming: Summer of ’69, (Everything I Do) I Do It For You, Heaven, Run to You, Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman?, Cuts Like a Knife,Somebody, Let’s Make It A Night To Remember, 18 Til I Die and It’s Only Love to mention just a few.

His most recent album Bryan Adams: Bare Bones is an inspired collection of minimally arranged hits culled from Adams’ impressive body of work spanning three decades. The disc captures a raw Adams, featuring his distinctive voice and guitar.

Adams continues to tour somewhere in the world ten days every month intertwining stadium concerts with special, intimate solo acoustic dates. His live concerts have established him as one of the world’s best rock singers of our time. In February, Adams played to sold-out crowds in India, he just finished concerts in the eastern U.S. and on April 9, he will perform at the prestigious Royce Hall, here in Los Angeles.

Bryan has achieved #1 status in over 40 countries. He is the holder of the record for the longest running #1 hit in the history of the British charts, has more than a dozen #1 singles as well as an impressive array of Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, a Grammy Award, American Music Awards, Juno Awards and ASCAP Film and Television Awards. He has received the Order of Canada and has been inducted into the Canadian Juno Hall of Fame as well as Canada's Walkway of Stars. In 2007 Adams was inducted in Wembley's Square of Fame, and in April, 2010 he received the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award for his part in numerous charitable concerts and campaigns. A month later he was given the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for his 30 years of contributions to the arts.

In February of last year, Adams took part in the Opening Ceremonies for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. He, along with Nelly Furtado performed "Bang The Drum", a song co-written with long time writing partner Jim Vallance.

This past February 19th, Adams and his band played in Kathmandu, Nepal making him the first ever international artist to rock Nepal, and he performed at the opening ceremony of ICC World Cup Cricket 2011 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Adams was also one of the first western artists to perform in Vietnam and more recently, Pakistan.

Most of Adams' philanthropic activity is currently dedicated to his foundation. The Bryan Adams Foundation aims to advance education and learning opportunities for children and young people worldwide. The Foundation’s area of support is broad and far-reaching, enabling grants to be given for projects supporting the elderly, victims of war and natural disasters, and those suffering from mental or physical illness.

His charitable work however dates back to 1985 when he appeared at Live Aid from Philadelphia. He participated in the two-week Amnesty International "A Conspiracy of Hope" tour alongside Sting, U2 and Peter Gabriel. His next appearance for Amnesty was in 1987 on Rock For Amnesty with Paul McCartney, Sting and Dire Straits, among others. His live performances have benefited His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales Prince's Trust, The Concert for Freedom for Nelson Mandela, Greenpeace, Breast Cancer as well as campaigns that have helped save the rainforests, provided food and comfort for the needy and created whale sanctuaries.

Adams helped commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall when, in 1990, he joined many other guests for Roger Waters' massive performance of The Wall in Berlin, Germany.

Adams has had his photographs published in British Vogue, L'uomo Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Esquire, Interview Magazine among others. He founded Zoo Magazine, the fashion/art magazine based in Berlin, Germany. Adams is also a regular photographer for Zoomer Magazine, a Canadian periodical focused on topics relevant to the baby boomer generation. In 2005, he published his first book of photos in the United States with Calvin Klein called American Women; with proceeds from this book going to breast cancer research.

ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME – www.WalkOfFame.com

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an internationally-recognized Hollywood icon. With approximately 24 star ceremonies annually broadcast around the world, the constant reinforcement provided to the public has made the Walk of Fame a top visitor attraction. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce continues to administer the Walk of Fame as the representative of the City of Los Angeles. The Walk of Fame is a tribute to all of those who worked diligently to develop the concept and to maintain this world-class tourist attraction.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign are registered trademarks of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

25 Oct 2019
Motion Pictures Permalink

Hans Zimmer

October 25, 2019

COMPOSER HANS ZIMMER HONORED WITH STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME

Emcee: Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, President/CEO Leron Gubler
Guest speakers: Christopher Nolan

SPECIAL NOTE: Hans Zimmer dedicated his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to his longtime friend and publicist, Ronni Chasen

2,426th Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Category of Motion Pictures
at 6908 Hollywood Boulevard
on Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Hans Zimmer has scored more than 100 films, grossing approximately 13 billion dollars at the box office worldwide. He has been honored with an Academy Award®, two Golden Globes, and three Grammy’s. In 2003, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers presented him with the prestigious Henry Mancini award for Lifetime Achievement for his impressive and influential body of work. Hans has received a total 8 Golden Globe Nominations, 9 Grammy Nominations, and 8 Oscar® Nominations, the most recent for Sherlock Holmes. His other Oscar® nominations include Rain Man, Gladiator, The Lion King, As Good As It Gets, The Preacher’s Wife, The Thin Red Line, and The Prince of Egypt. He has also been honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in Film Composition from the National Board of Review.

His recent films include Christopher Nolan’s thriller Inception, Nancy Meyer’s It’s Complicated, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar 2, Frost / Nixon, The Dark Knight and Ron Howard’s Angels & Demons. Hans’ most recent film includes Tom McGrath’s animated film Megamind and the upcoming James L. Brooks’ comedy How Do You Know? which opens December 17, 2010, Ron Howard’s The Dilemma opening January 14, 2011 and Gore Verbinski’s Rango opening March 18, 2011.

Hans’ interest in music began early, and after a move from Germany to the U.K., would lead to playing with and producing various bands, including The Buggles, whose “Video Killed the Radio Star” was the first music video to ever appear on MTV. But Hans was most interested in the world of film music. Not long after meeting established film composer Stanley Myers, the two founded the London-based Lillie Yard Recording Studios, collaborating on such films as My Beautiful Laundrette.

It was Hans’ solo work in 1988’s A World Apart, however, that gained the attention of director Barry Levinson, who then asked Hans to score Rain Man, Hans’ first American film. Levinson’s instinct was right – the score’s Oscar® nomination that followed would be the first of seven.

With Hans’ subsequent move to Hollywood, he expanded the range of genres of film music he explored, and his first venture into the world of animation, 1994’s The Lion King, brought Hans the Oscar®. The Lion King’s soundtrack has sold more than 15 million copies to date, and The Lion King Musical has garnered a Tony Award, and became Broadway’s ninth-longest-running show in history.

Hans’ career has been marked by a unique ability to adeptly move between genres – between smaller films and comedies (such as Driving Miss Daisy, Peter Weir’sGreen Card, Tony Scott’s True Romance, Ridley Scott’s Thelma and Louise, James L. Brooks’ As Good As It Gets, Nancy Meyers’ Something’s Gotta Give, and The Holiday)and big blockbusters (including Tony Scott’s Crimson Tide, John Woo’s Mission: Impossible 2, Ridley Scott’s Hannibal, Black Hawk Down, Edward Zwick’s The Last Samurai, Gore Verbinski’s The Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy, Christopher Nolan’sBatman Begins, and Ron Howard’s The Da Vinci Code).

In the middle of Hans’ unparalleled pace of taking on new projects, his ability to innovate, to re-invent genres is what is perhaps most striking. The film scores Hans has written speak for themselves, whether it has been for drama in Barry Levinson’s Rain Man, action in Ridley Scott’s Black Rain, war in Terrence Malick’s The Thin Red Line, or the dark comic book world of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, for which he received another Grammy.

It was Hans’ unique take on the historical in Gladiator that earned him another Golden Globe. The album sold more than three million copies worldwide and spawned a second album “Gladiator: More Music from the Motion Picture.”

Hans’ roots in performing never left him, and in 2000, he performed his film music live for the first time in a concert at the 27th annual Flanders International Film Festival in Ghent, Belgium. With a 100-piece orchestra and 100-piece choir, he performed a number of newly- orchestrated concert versions of a selection of his work. The concert was recorded by Decca and released as a concert album entitled “The Wings of a Film: The Music of Hans Zimmer.”

His background in collaboration and mentoring never left Hans either, and he created a Santa Monica-based musical ‘think tank’, Remote Control Productions, in order to build a creative environment to nurture the talent of those new to the composing world. In the process, he has launched the careers of an unparalleled number of film and television composers, including John Powell (the Bourne Trilogy), Harry-Gregson Williams (Shrek, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason), Geoff Zanelli (Disturbia), Heitor Pereira (Curious George), Henry Jackman (Monsters vs. Aliens),James Dooley (Pushing Daisies), James Levine (Nip / Tuck, Damages), Ramin Djawadi (Iron Man), Rupert Gregson-Williams (Hotel Rwanda), Steve Jablonsky (Transformers), and Trevor Morris (The Tudors).

ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME – www.walkOfFame.com
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an internationally-recognized Hollywood icon. With approximately 24 star ceremonies annually broadcast around the world, the constant reinforcement provided to the public has made the Walk of Fame a top visitor attraction. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce continues to administer the Hollywood Walk of Fame as the representative of the City of Los Angeles. The Walk of Fame is a tribute to all of those who worked diligently to develop the concept and to maintain this world-class tourist attraction. Fans of the Hollywood Walk of Fame will be thrilled to know that The Official Hollywood Walk of Fame phone application is now available. The application which can be downloaded from the iPhone store, is the best resource for information and news about all of the 2,400+ stars on the Walk of Fame. Hollywood Walk of Fame recently celebrated a fabulous 50th birthday party in the grand ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center on Wednesday, November 3, 2010 which concluded the year-long celebration of the Walk of Fame 50th.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign are registered trademarks of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

25 Oct 2019
Motion Pictures, Radio Permalink

Colin Firth

October 25, 2019

Colin Firth honored with Star on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame

WHO: Colin Firth
Emcee: Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, President/CEO Leron Gubler
2,429th Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Category of Motion Pictures
at 6714 Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Pig n’ Whistle British Pub
Thursday, January 13, 2011

A classically-trained British theater actor, Colin Firth is a veteran of film, television and theater, with an impressive body of work spanning over three decades. Firth won the BAFTA Award in 2010 for his performance in Tom Ford’s “A Single Man,” which also earned him nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Firth received international critical acclaim for his starring role as ‘George Falconer’ in “A Single Man,” based on Christopher Isherwood’s 1964 novel, including being honored with the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the 2009 Venice Film Festival. He also garnered the Performance of the Year Award at the 2010 Santa Barbara International Film Festival, as well as the London Critics Circle Film Award for British Actor of the Year.
 

Firth is currently starring in the feature film “The King’s Speech” as King George VI, father of the current Queen Elizabeth II, who reluctantly assumes the throne after his brother, Edward VIII, abdicates. King George VI struggles to overcome a nervous stammer with the help of a speech therapist, played by Geoffrey Rush. “The King’s Speech” was released by The Weinstein Company this past November.
 

In 2008, Firth was also seen in Universal Pictures’ global smash hit ABBA musical “Mamma Mia!” The film grossed more than half a billion dollars around the world and has become the highest grossing film of all time in the UK. The same year, Firth was seen in “Then She Found Me,” written and directed by Helen Hunt. He also starred in the Sony Pictures Classics films “When Did You Last See Your Father?” and “Easy Virtue,” based on the Noel Coward play and directed by Stephan Elliott.

His other films include: “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason,” “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” “Love Actually,” “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Shakespeare in Love," "The English Patient," “Where the Truth Lies,” “Trauma,” “Nanny McPhee,” “What a Girl Wants,” "A Thousand Acres," “Apartment Zero,” "My Life So Far," Nick Hornby’s "Fever Pitch," "Circle of Friends," "Playmaker" and “Valmont.”

On the small screen, Firth is infamous for his breakout role in 1995, when he played “Mr. Darcy” in the BBC adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice," for which he received a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor and the National Television Award for Most Popular Actor. Firth’s latest television appearance was in 2006 in the critically-acclaimed BBC television movie “Born Equal” directed by Dominic Savage (“Out of Control”). In March 2004, Firth hosted NBC’s legendary series “Saturday Night Live.” He was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2001 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in the critically-acclaimed HBO film "Conspiracy" and also received the Royal Television Society Best Actor Award and a BAFTA nomination for his performance in "Tumbledown." His other television credits include "Windmills on the Clyde: Making Donovan Quick," "Donovan Quick," "The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd," "Deep Blue Sea," "Hostages" and the mini-series "Nostromo." His London stage debut was in the West End production of Another Country playing Benett. He was then chosen to play the character Judd in the 1984 film adaptation opposite Rupert Everett.

Firth is an active supporter of Oxfam International, an organization dedicated to fighting poverty and related injustice around the world. In 2008 he was named Philanthropist of the Year by The Hollywood Reporter. In 2006, Firth was voted European Campaigner of the Year by the EU.

ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME – www.WalkOfFame.com
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an internationally-recognized Hollywood icon. With approximately 24 star ceremonies annually broadcast around the world, the constant reinforcement provided to the public has made the Walk of Fame a top visitor attraction. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce continues to administer the Walk of Fame as the representative of the City of Los Angeles. The Walk of Fame is a tribute to all of those who worked diligently to develop the concept and to maintain this world-class tourist attraction. Fans of the Hollywood Walk of Fame will be thrilled to know that The Official Hollywood Walk of Fame application is now available. The application which can be downloaded from the iPhone store, is the best resource for information and news about all of the 2,400+ stars on the Walk of Fame.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign are registered trademarks of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.