Soul Train Announce Awards Show Co-Hosts
NEW YORK - CENTRIC announces the return of the SOUL TRAIN AWARDS, the classic music awards show that highlights R&B music's finest and bridges the gap between the soulful sounds of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Academy Award-nominated actors Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson will return to co-host the music special, which will tape at the Cobb Energy Center in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia on Wednesday, November 10 and will premiere on both CENTRIC and BET in a special simulcast at 9:00 PM* ET on Sunday, November 28.
The SOUL TRAIN AWARDS special will honor the longstanding careers and musical influences of legendary artists Anita Baker and Ron Isley. The special will also celebrate soul music's legacy and the hottest stars who have helped pave the way for today's crop of performers. The SOUL TRAIN AWARDS are guaranteed to take viewers on a soul-stirring ride marrying the sultry sounds of yesterday with the talent of today, as well as feature thrilling performances from the biggest names in music.
"We are excited to welcome the return of the SOUL TRAIN AWARDS to CENTRIC," stated Paxton Baker, CENTRIC's General Manager and Executive Vice President. "Last year's show was a stellar success and we're charged to be better this year. The Soul Train brand is part of the very fabric of American Culture, and has played a vital role in shaping the cultural framework and musical tastes of CENTRIC's 25- to 54- year old audience. It is our goal for this show to become a staple among television viewers."
"As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Soul Train, we are excited to have the opportunity to partner with CENTRIC again to present the iconic Soul Train Awards," said Kenard Gibbs, CEO of Soul Train Holdings. "The team at Centric clearly respects the legacy of the brand and we are eager to return this year with an even stronger show. This year's Soul Train Awards will embody the same energy, passion, and excitement that became the hallmark of the brand throughout its rich history."
Academy Award nominee Howard exploded onto the Hollywood scene in 2005 after delivering powerful performances in a number of film and TV productions. Howard has garnered multiple nominations including Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations, as well as awards for Breakthrough Actor by the National Board of Review, Movieline and the Gotham Awards. Crowned as the "Indie Film King" by Entertainment Weekly, he has also received the Rising Star Award from the Palm Springs International Film Festival, the Renaissance Artist Award from the Diversity Awards and the Career Achievement Award from the Chicago International Film Festival. He is currently starring in LAW AND ORDER: LA.
Taraji Henson earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress opposite Brad Pitt in David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. She starred in the hugely successful Karate Kid opposite Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan and in Date Night with Tina Fey and Steve Carrell. For her role in Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself, she received the 2009 Diversity Award for Best Actress. She also stars in the upcoming Peep World playing Rainn Wilson's love interest; The Good Doctor with Orlando Bloom; Once Fallen costarring Ed Harris; and Larry Crowne for director and star Tom Hanks. Taraji is currently in production in New Orleans on the bio-pic From the Rough about the first female Head Coach of an NCAA Division I men's golf team.
The SOUL TRAIN AWARDS is produced by Sunseeker Media and directed by Jonathan X, in collaboration with BET Event Productions. Paxton Baker, CENTRIC Executive Vice President and General Manager, Tami Willis-Arasli, CENTRIC Vice President of Special and Music Programming; Bart Phillips, Sunseeker Media; and Soul Train Holdings' Kenard Gibbs, and Anthony Maddox will all be the executive producers of the network telecast.
About CENTRIC
Centric is a 24-hour music and entertainment channel that reflects the lifestyle and sophistication of today's African-American and multicultural adult viewer. With a finger on the pulse of an ever-changing beat, its compelling music content fuses Soul, R&B, Neo-Soul, Hip Hop, Reggae, Gospel, Jazz, Old School, New School and everything in between with today's hottest artists. It is a unique of mix of music, culture and lifestyle programming that embodies the lives, tastes and aspirations of the CENTRIC viewer: All you. All day. All night.
About BET Networks
BET Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.
About Soul Train Holdings
Soul Train Holdings was formed in May 2008 by MadVision Entertainment and Intermedia Partners. Madvision was created by media and entertainment veterans, Kenard Gibbs, Peter Griffith, and Anthony Maddox. The group was created following the acquisition of the iconic franchise and catalog of more than 1,100 hours of archival footage from Don Cornelius Productions. Soul Train is a registered trademark of Soul Train Holdings, LLC, a limited liability company headquartered in Los Angeles, CA. Soul Train is the longest running, first -run, nationally syndicated program in television history. During its 37 year run, the show featured such staples as the Soul Train line and performers as important and diverse as: Al Green, Ike & Tina Turner, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Whitney Houston, David Bowie, Janet Jackson and Beyoncé, to name a few.
