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Rock star Bono honoured as person of the year for humanitarian work
ANGELA PACIENZA
Canadian Press
Friday, February 21, 2003
NEW YORK (CP) - A slew of A-list celebrities, including Tony Bennett, Sheryl Crow and B.B. King, turned out Friday night to honour U2's Bono as this year's MusiCares person of the year.
The tribute - organized by the Recording Academy, the charity arm of the Grammy Awards - recognizes the singer's accomplishments as a humanitarian. For many years, Bono has been the celebrity mascot for debt cancellation in Third World countries and AIDS charities.
Mary J. Blige, Elvis Costello, Diana Krall, Wynonna, Evander Holyfied and Patti LaBelle were among the dozens of stars gushing about Bono's work on the red carpet outside the Marriott Marquis hotel.
Bennett said famous artists like Bono need to use their power and influence to make political statements.
"I like his humanitarian ways. It's wonderful. I think it's the best thing an artist can do," said the singer.
Isaac Hayes added, "I applaud Bono. He's doing the responsible thing. He knows he has influence and he uses that."
Shirley Manson, lead singer of Garbage, said the U2 frontman was an inspiration for other artists.
"I don't know if we can say enough good things about U2 as a band or people," she said. "Unlike a lot of celebrities at their status, they're super sweet people with their feet on the ground. Bono's activism is to be marvelled at."
Saying he didn't want to toot his own horn, Bono declined to host a news conference prior to the dinner and concert, as previous honorees have done.
Instead, he shook hands with fans lined outside the hotel and stopped briefly to chat with media.
"MusiCares is about looking after our own kind so that's pretty good," said the Irish singer, who arrived with his wife and two daughters, about the tribute.
"I'm hanging with a lot of un-hip company trying to do the political work that I do, business people, congressmen and politicians. But this is my own tribe. I feel, in truth, more comfortable here."
Bono has been known to go tete-a-tete with world leaders. U.S. President George W. Bush increased foreign aid spending by $5 billion US after meeting with the rock star.
The singer also said he was overwhelmed when he saw his name on the short list of Nobel Peace Prize candidates.
"It's just a huge honour to be even mentioned in the same list as people like (chief UN weapons inspector) Hans Blix and Pope John Paul," he said. "People are respecting, not so much my work, but the work of the organizations I represent."
A group of 20 Ugandan school children, all orphaned after AIDS killed their parents, attended the lavish dinner. They cheerfully sang for the TV cameras on the red carpet.
? Copyright 2003 The Canadian Press
Rock star Bono honoured as person of the year for humanitarian work
ANGELA PACIENZA
Canadian Press
Friday, February 21, 2003
NEW YORK (CP) - A slew of A-list celebrities, including Tony Bennett, Sheryl Crow and B.B. King, turned out Friday night to honour U2's Bono as this year's MusiCares person of the year.
The tribute - organized by the Recording Academy, the charity arm of the Grammy Awards - recognizes the singer's accomplishments as a humanitarian. For many years, Bono has been the celebrity mascot for debt cancellation in Third World countries and AIDS charities.
Mary J. Blige, Elvis Costello, Diana Krall, Wynonna, Evander Holyfied and Patti LaBelle were among the dozens of stars gushing about Bono's work on the red carpet outside the Marriott Marquis hotel.
Bennett said famous artists like Bono need to use their power and influence to make political statements.
"I like his humanitarian ways. It's wonderful. I think it's the best thing an artist can do," said the singer.
Isaac Hayes added, "I applaud Bono. He's doing the responsible thing. He knows he has influence and he uses that."
Shirley Manson, lead singer of Garbage, said the U2 frontman was an inspiration for other artists.
"I don't know if we can say enough good things about U2 as a band or people," she said. "Unlike a lot of celebrities at their status, they're super sweet people with their feet on the ground. Bono's activism is to be marvelled at."
Saying he didn't want to toot his own horn, Bono declined to host a news conference prior to the dinner and concert, as previous honorees have done.
Instead, he shook hands with fans lined outside the hotel and stopped briefly to chat with media.
"MusiCares is about looking after our own kind so that's pretty good," said the Irish singer, who arrived with his wife and two daughters, about the tribute.
"I'm hanging with a lot of un-hip company trying to do the political work that I do, business people, congressmen and politicians. But this is my own tribe. I feel, in truth, more comfortable here."
Bono has been known to go tete-a-tete with world leaders. U.S. President George W. Bush increased foreign aid spending by $5 billion US after meeting with the rock star.
The singer also said he was overwhelmed when he saw his name on the short list of Nobel Peace Prize candidates.
"It's just a huge honour to be even mentioned in the same list as people like (chief UN weapons inspector) Hans Blix and Pope John Paul," he said. "People are respecting, not so much my work, but the work of the organizations I represent."
A group of 20 Ugandan school children, all orphaned after AIDS killed their parents, attended the lavish dinner. They cheerfully sang for the TV cameras on the red carpet.
? Copyright 2003 The Canadian Press
