LAS VEGAS, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The Parnelli Awards Board of
Directors announced that Dennis Sheehan will be receiving this year's
Lifetime Achievement Award honoring his four decades in the live
entertainment industry. Currently Tour Manager for U2, the venerable
professional will be honored for his work and contributions at an awards
ceremony at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas on October 24, 2008.
In 1982 Sheehan began his long career with U2, thanks to U2 manager
Paul McGuinness. "The band works incredibly hard, and they go to extreme
lengths to achieve what they want," Sheehan says. "With many bands, you get to a peak, and that's it. With U2 they are still climbing that mountain."
Sheehan is still climbing it with them. Not only does he take care of the
band's tours, he is also called on to help with various solo projects from
getting Bono in front of Congress to testify on behalf of Africa, to
working with The Edge as he supports and promotes Music Rising, a charity
for the central Gulf region.
In addition to the sheer logistical nightmare moving a supergroup like
U2 around the globe for spectacular concerts, Sheehan adds that through the
years he's done "odd little things" like getting members of the band to
South Africa for an event with Nelson Mandela to slipping inside the White
House for a private performance for President Bill Clinton.
So revered is he by U2 that for a recent birthday, they all dressed up
as members of Led Zeppelin in honor of the many stories he likes to tell
from that period of his life. Currently he's working with the band as they
record a new album, and he looks forward to going out with them next
spring. Of his success he says, "I think people knew I had a sense of
responsibility and always got the job done, regardless. I'm quite pleased
to have been a part of [the industry]."
The Parnelli Awards honor the highest achievement in concert production
technology. 18 awards are presented including lighting designer of the year
and audio mixer of the year as well as three lifetime achievement awards.
For more information on the Parnelli Awards go to
Parnelli Awards.
