Seven-time GRAMMY Winner Chaka Khan to Be Honored at Ebony Magazine's Annual Mothers & Daughters Empowerment Seminar & Awards on May 12



LOS ANGELES--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--April 24, 2001--



Music Legend Khan Also Slated to Perform at the `Hello Friend'/Ennis William Cosby Foundation Benefit on April 24
and the Essence Magazine Awards on April 27



Multiple-GRAMMY(R)-winning international vocal legend and diva extraordinaire Chaka Khan will be honored at the Chicago Hilton on May 12, 2001, as part of Ebony Magazine's annual Mothers & Daughters Empowerment Seminar & Awards Luncheon.



Khan, who originally hails from Chicago -- the city that declared Oct. 19 "Chaka Khan Day" -- will be among five Windy City natives being cited both as outstanding mothers and professional trailblazers in their respective fields. Of the upcoming ceremony, Khan said, "I am delighted to be receiving this lovely honor for two things that are so dear to my heart -- raising my wonderful children, and being passionate about making music."



Ebony Magazine, the leading publication for African-American women, is committed to embracing family, and this inspiring event highlights the precious bond shared by mothers and daughters. Throughout the course of a one-day enrichment and empowerment forum, attendees will enjoy programs covering a broad range of topics from fashion to finance, entertainment to education.



Khan, a proud mother of two who heads her own record label, Earthsong Entertainment, receives Ebony's prestigious award in recognition of her remarkable career in the entertainment industry. The day's other honorees include noteworthy women in the fields of philanthropy, education and health.



Khan, known and adored worldwide for hits including "Tell Me Something Good," "I Feel For You," and "I'm Every Woman," will lend her talents to Ebony's Mothers & Daughters Empowerment Seminar & Awards Luncheon with a very special live performance; as an added treat that beautifully underscores the theme of the day, Khan's daughter Indira Milini Kahn will also perform a song.



Chaka Khan will also perform live at the `Hello Friend'/Ennis William Cosby Foundation benefit on April 24 at New York City's Chelsea Piers. Named after the oft-used greeting of the late Ennis Cosby, the `Hello Friend' Cosby Foundation was established by Ennis' parents Bill and Camille Cosby in 1997 to continue their son's legacy and fulfill his dream that no one with learning differences be denied the lifelong joy of learning.



Funds raised at this year's gala will endow a graduate certificate program at Fordham University to equip kindergarten through second grade teachers with the tools to help young students with reading difficulties. The evening's honoree is AOL-Time Warner Co-COO Richard Parsons, and comedian Jerry Seinfeld will emcee. Khan will perform along with maestro Quincy Jones and jazz vocalist Diane Schuur.



Later that week, on April 27, Khan will appear at the Essence Magazine Awards at the Theater at Madison Square Garden, where, among others, Samuel L. Jackson, Venus and Serena Williams and Human Rights Activist Randall Robinson will be honored as exemplary positive images of African-American achievement.



Khan, along with Gladys Knight and Jennifer Holliday, will participate in a musical performance of the song "Missing You" as part of a special segment paying tribute to Mothers Against Violence, specifically honoring four mothers who have lost children to violence. The Essence Magazine Awards will air on FOX Television on May 24.



Just over 25 years ago, Khan shot to fame as part of the group Rufus, winning her first GRAMMY(R) in 1974 for the Stevie Wonder-penned super hit "Tell Me Something Good." Khan and Rufus continued to pump out hits -- including five No. 1s -- until Khan launched her solo career at the end of the decade, making her mark with another bonafide smash, "I'm Every Woman."



Over the years she has released 10 solo albums, won a total of seven GRAMMYs, recorded more than 15 movie soundtracks, and collaborated with, among others, Ray Charles, Joni Mitchell, The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, De La Soul, Eric Clapton, Miles Davis, Lionel Hampton, Me'Shell Ndegeocello, Dizzy Gillespie, Phil Collins and Gladys Knight.



Her songs have been covered by a new generation of vocal stars including Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston, Latin music's India, and hip-hop sensation Erykah Badu. A consummate artist who effortlessly bridges the gaps between R&B, soul, pop, jazz, funk, fusion and more, Khan is one of the pre-eminent vocalists of our time.



Two years ago, Khan established The Chaka Khan Foundation to support a variety of assistance programs and educational initiatives for at-risk individuals, as well as to foster curriculum aimed at preventing racial discord, and she continues to be deeply committed to its efforts.



Today, artistically, Chaka Khan's plate is more than full, with a number of upcoming projects that include a collaboration with Mary J. Blige, and a historic reunion with Rufus. In Chicago, New York, and all over the world, 2001 is poised to be another brilliant year for the legendary Chaka Khan.



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