Renowned record producer Daniel Lanois will present the coveted Les Paul Award to musician/composer Robbie Robertson at the 18th Annual Technical Excellence and Creativity (TEC) Awards, to be held Monday, October 7, at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in Los Angeles. The charity event, to be hosted by actor and comedian Harry Shearer, recognizes outstanding achievement in music and audio production and product design.
Lanois, a musician/producer whose deeply stirring, sonically pure soundscapes helped create some of the most groundbreaking works by artists such as U2, Bob Dylan and Peter Gabriel, and whose solo performances have drawn a devoted following, has worked with fellow Canadian Robertson since he produced his first self-titled solo album in 1987. The Les Paul Award, sponsored by Gibson Musical Instruments, is presented to artists and others whose body of work exemplifies the creative application of audio technology.
Also being honored is legendary engineer/producer Geoff Emerick, famous for his innovative work with The Beatles, Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello, among numerous others. Emerick will be inducted into the TEC Awards Hall of Fame by fellow engineer Al Schmitt, winner of 11 Grammy Awards, and producer/engineers George Massenburg (Linda Rondstadt, Little Feat, Frank Sinatra) and Elliot Scheiner (The Eagles, Billy Joel, George Benson).
Presenters in 24 categories of technical and creative achievement comprise an all-star lineup of accomplished artists, arrangers, producers and engineers, including: Dweezil Zappa and Lisa Loeb, DJ Muggs (Cypress Hill), Ken Jordan (Crystal Method), Damon Elliot (Destiny’s Child), Ron Fair (Christina Aguilera), John Neff (David Lynch), Ed Cherney (Rolling Stones), Allen Sides (Aerosmith, Goo Goo Dolls), Frank Filipetti (Celine Dion, James Taylor), Nathaniel Kunkel (Lyle Lovett), Angela Piva (Mary J. Blige), Don Was and David Was of Was (Not Was), and live sound engineer extraordinaire and past TEC Award winner Dave Morgan.
Proceeds from the awards ceremony support hearing-conservation programs of the House Ear Institute of Los Angeles and Hearing Education Awareness for Rockers (H.E.A.R.) of San Francisco, as well as numerous audio scholarship programs.
