BBA Set To Salute Black Music At Awards Dinner

(l-r): Vicki Mack Lataillade, Byron J. Smith and Lisa Collins

Los Angeles, CA — The Black Business Association (BBA), the oldest ethnic business organization in the State of California, will host its Annual “Salute to Black Music Awards Dinner” on Tuesday, June 18, 2019, at the California African American Museum, 600 State Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90037. Reception is at 6 p.m. and the dinner is at 7 p.m. The event is held in recognition of African American Music Appreciation Month, featuring a Celebration of Gospel Music legends, “The Business Behind the Music.”

Special confirmed honorees are: Vicki Mack Lataillade, co-founder of GospoCentric Records is receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award, Lisa Collins, Publisher of L.A. Focus will receive the Outstanding Gospel Publication Award and Byron J. Smith, President of National Association Negro Musicians will receive the Outstanding Artistic Vision Award.

Awards dinners have been held by the BBA for many years recognizing Black Music Month. This year we are honoring the significance of Gospel music founded by the “Father of Gospel Music,” Thomas Andrew Dorsey. Gospel is the root, the soul of music. Gospel is the shining beacon of hope of a fantastic journey of joy divine in triumph victory in God that comes from deep down in the souls of God’s chosen people.

African-American Music Appreciation Month is a commemoration that takes place annually in the United States, throughout the month of June. Originally proclaimed “Black Music Month” by President Jimmy Carter on June 7, 1979, U.S. presidents have issued proclamations for the celebration under that name until President Barack Obama announced the observance under a new title: “African-American Music Appreciation Month.”

Music icons who have been honored by the BBA include: Clarence Avant – Godfather of Black Music; Berry Gordy - Founder of Motown Records; Smokey Robinson – Acclaimed singer/songwriter and Janet Jackson - world-renowned singer, songwriter, dancer and actress; Siedah Garrett - GRAMMY-winner and twice Academy Award-nominated singer/songwriter, among others.

About Gospel Music 

Gospel is the development of our faculties and powers through a relationship with God. It reinforces the belief that God is the Master of our Faith and the Captain of our soul. We need, incidentally, to know whose we are and what we are here for. This new music had its crossover into the world of entertainment through such stars as Ray Charles, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, The Edwin Hawkins Singers (“O Happy Day”) and Andrae’ Crouch (“The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power”, which was composed by him when he was only thirteen years of age).

There has never been a time when Gospel Music has not been a part of the African American Experience. When we consider the tragic, dreadful, and catastrophic experiences which occur to so many that may believe that there is no way out, Gospel Music is there to “Take our Hands and Lead us On.”

Gospel Music is not a mere form of entertainment to be had when desired. It is a form of character, obedience, and spirit. It follows upon the long discipline, which gives a people self - possession, self - mastery, a habit of order and peace and common counsel and reverence for God’s will that directs our lives.

"My roots were religious; the gospel in the church certainly provided for me a training ground as a singer.” - Aretha Franklin.

About Vicki Mack Lataillade

Vicki Mack Lataillade, the founder and owner of GospoCentric and B-Rite Music, has changed the face of gospel music. One of their first projects was from a little-known artist named Kirk Franklin and his self-titled project changed the game forever! Mack’s artist roster includes; Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers, Kurt Carr, Byron Cage, Trin-i-tee 5:7, Kelly Price, David Hollister, Dorinda Clark Cole (B-Rite), Papa San, Gospel Gangsters, God's Property (B-Right), - Special songs & tracks with Bono, Mary J. Blige, R. Kelly, etc...(partial list), Soundtrack-Kingdom Come- Jill Scott, Tamar Braxton, Kirk Franklin, Preacher's Wife, Whitney Houston (Consultant), and Get On The Bus- (Spike Lee). Lataillade, a Los Angeles entrepreneur, reigns as President with 4Ground LLC (Music & Script Placement for TV & Film), LillyMack Publishing and Central South Distribution (May 2007 to Feb 2017) in Nashville.

About Lisa Collins

In 1995, Lisa Collins founded the L.A. focus Newspaper, which boasts a readership of 120,000+, provides coverage that mirrors the concerns and issues facing the African American community, reflecting the importance of the church as both its heart and cornerstone. In addition to traditional circulation stops, L.A. Focus gets to the heart of the African American Community via its strongest institution: the church, with distribution in more than 350 churches. No other newspaper can make that claim and can back it up with numbers, with influence, and with trusted relationships, while our “Ultimate Guide To Churches in Los Angeles” has become a key resource for those seeking to understand and navigate L.A.’s Black faith community. In 1998, L.A. Focus established its first annual First Ladies High Tea, which draws upwards of 1,000 women and 90 churches together each year for an afternoon of inspiration and praise.

Collins, a Los Angeles native and resident, also publishes “The Gospel Music Industry

Roundup” (dubbed “the Bible of the gospel music industry”) and has served as a segment producer for BET while contributing well over 300 articles on a variety of issues for a number of national publications from Essence to Upscale, including a 12-year stint at Billboard Magazine. Her background in the field of entertainment reporting is extensive, featuring cover stories and interviews with the likes of Richard Pryor, Michael Jackson, and Prince.

Her career in gospel began in 1988, with her creation of “Inside Gospel”, a daily/weekly syndicated radio series that provided news, profiles and product updates relative to the gospel music community. For the next eight years, she would also serve as executive producer of the show that was broadcast in more than 100 markets nationwide. For more information or to buy tickets visit: http://firstladieshightea.com

About Byron J. Smith

Byron J. Smith is a native of Los Angeles, is the National President of the 100-year old /oldest African American Musicians’ organization, The National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc. He is an associate professor of music at Los Angeles Harbor College for the last 35 years. There he specializes in commercial music, teaching music industry courses such as "The Business of Commercial Music", Song Writers Workshop, Choir and Commercial, and Classical piano and voice.

Byron freelances as music director, studio musician, arranger, and producer; working with numerous artists including Wynton Marsalis, Barbra Streisand, Clifton Davis, Barry Manilow, the late Daryl Coley, Bebe Winans, Brenda Jackson and many more. He is a versatile musician and his experiences span the gamut of all styles of music. He has received rave reviews for his music direction of both theatrical and live productions. Byron is the composer of the musicals "Shades", "Black Pearls" and the award-winning musical, "Children of the Night" where he won the NAACP Theater Image Award for best original score and best music direction. Byron’s latest musical "ONE" starring the late Daryl Coley and Henrietta Davis was staged and received with rave reviews. This original gospel musical is the story of Peter and his memories of Christ 50 years after his death.

Mr. Smith's choral works have sold tens of thousands of copies throughout the country and the world. He is the resident orchestrator for numerous community orchestras in southern California. Byron is the owner of the Pro Pianist Entertainment Group and Onyx Music Publishing Co.; a musicians contracting organization which both performs and publishes outstanding music of African - American Composers, young and old. His professional ensemble, “The Spirit Chorale of Los Angeles” has been a well - respected ensemble for 28 years. This 16 member ensemble of outstanding solo voices has received rave reviews throughout the world and have released 4 CD projects.

Byron is also a member of many music and performance organizations including AFM, SAG - AFTRA, ASCAP, NAMM and Chorus America. He is the Music Coordinator, organist, and director of the Grant A.M.E. Church of Los Angeles and also directs a choir at the Macedonia Baptist Church for the last 40 years.