The Living Legends Foundation, Inc. (LLF) proudly announces its highly anticipated 35th Anniversary Awards Dinner & Gala, set to take place on Friday, October 2, 2026, in Atlanta, GA. To celebrate this milestone year, the Foundation returns to Flourish by Legendary for another unforgettable evening honoring the influential leaders shaping the music, radio, and entertainment industries.
"Time not only flies when you’re having fun but when you’re doing something noble. For 35 years, the Living Legends Foundation has been honoring and protecting the men and women who bring Black music to the world, while funding the future of the industry with scholarships," said Living Legends Foundation Chairman, David C. Linton. “We are delighted to be returning to Atlanta for a celebration not many thought we’d be seeing back in 1991 when we started. The industry has undergone and is still going through many changes. Many organizations have come and gone yet the Living Legends Foundation has stood the test of time! I’m delighted as Chairman to invite you all to join us on October 2nd, as we honor & celebrate a special group of professionals who continue to make Black music culture the envy of the world."
A cornerstone event for over three decades, the Living Legends Foundation Gala continues to serve as a premier gathering for industry executives, creatives, and changemakers from across the country—celebrating excellence while supporting the next generation of leaders.
This year’s distinguished honorees represent a dynamic cross-section of visionaries and innovators whose impact continues to shape the culture and business of entertainment:
Ray Harris Lifetime Achievement Award — Louis Carr, President of BET
A.D. Washington Chairman’s Award — Black Promoters Collective
(Shelby Joyner, Gary Guidry, Troy Brown, William “Bill” Ingram, Sulaiman Mausi, Shahida Mausi, Lionel Bea, Janice Cotton, Walt Reeder Jr.)
Jerry Boulding Radio Executive Award — Kenny Smoov, Vice President of Urban Programming, Cumulus
Frankie Crocker Radio Personality Award — Greg Street, Air Personality, V-103 Atlanta
Impact Player Award — Juliette Jones, COO, Alamo Records
Music Executive Award — Tim Reid, SVP, Repertoire & Marketing, BMG Recorded Music
Mike Bernardo Female Executive Award — Phylicia Fant, Global Head of Music Industry & Culture Collaborations, Amazon Music
Kendall Minter Entertainment Advocate Award — James McMillan, Esq., CEO, ART@WAR Entertainment
Hip-Hop Visionary Award — Ted Lucas, Founder & CEO, Slip-N-Slide Records
Entrepreneur Award — Ralph McDaniels, Executive Producer, Video Music Box
The 2026 celebration builds on the momentum of last year’s powerful honoree class, which included industry icons such as Multi-GRAMMY® Award-winning producers and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, recipients of the Living Legends Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. That moment reinforced LLF’s ongoing commitment to recognizing excellence, celebrating cultural impact, and elevating leaders across every facet of the music and entertainment industry.
The Living Legends Foundation has long served as the premier advocate for diversity, mentorship, and recognition within the black music and entertainment industries, cementing an enduring legacy since its founding in 1991. The Annual Awards Dinner & Gala remains a marquee, must-attend event—bringing together luminaries, executives, and cultural leaders to celebrate not only individual achievement, but the collective impact shaping the future of music, media, and entertainment.
For more details about the Dinner and Gala, please visit livinglegendsfoundation.com.
