This year's black tie event was held at the Sheraton Universal in Los Angeles and honored 3 top songwriters, composers and arrangers in the music 5industry - Diane Warren, Bill Holman and Alan Silvestri.

The evening started off with a social hour of cocktails and a silent auction, which included artwork by Tony Bennett, Hanna Montana & Elvis memorabilia, donations from Disney, Paramount, and Hearst Castle among other goodies.

Along with the honorees, luminaries in the attendance were Ron Fair, Chris Montan, Jon Charles, Amy Smart, Fawn, Stacy Keach, Johnny Mandel, Mort Sahl, Nancy Knutson, Sylvester Rivers, Eddie Reasoner, Mike Lange, David Blumberg, Nancy Holman, Jorge Calandrelli, Jimmy Demers, Donni Demers and Milt Nelson. After a delicious full course sit down dinner, the awards show began with a warm welcome by ASMAC President and 3 time Grammy nominated musician John Clayton who introduced the master of ceremonies, Stacy Keach.

The first Golden Score Award was presented to Bill Holman with stories and introductions by Johnny Mandel and Mort Sahl. It was quite a treat to hear Holman's spectacular arrangements as he conducted The Bill Holman band. The prestigious President's award was presented to Diane Warren, whose hit songs, have been recorded by such stars as Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Patti LaBelle, Christina Aguilera, Steve Tyler, Gloria Estefan and Faith Hill.

A video montage was played for the audience before a live rendition of two more of her songs were performed by singer Jimmy Demers, replacing Michael Bolton who was out ill. The final Golden Score award of the evening was presented to Alan Silvestri whose scores have included the hit Films and Television shows Tales From The Crypt, Chips, Starsky and Hutch, Forrest Gump, Night At The Museum, The Polar Express, Stuart Little, Cast Away and numerous others. A tribute video was shown of over 25 of his Film and Television masterpieces.

ASMAC was founded in 1938 and offers annual scholarships in both arranging and composing. ASMAC annually recognizes leaders in the music industry field by presenting one or more of the following: The Golden Score Award, The President's Award, and The Irwin Kostal Award. To find out more about the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers, visit their website at www.asmac.org.

Photos:

Top Photo: John & Tineke Clayton, Jon & Maureen Charles
2nd Photo: Fawn, Johnny Mandel
3rd Photo: Fawn, Judy & Amy Smart
4th photo: Bill Hollman, Fawn, Jimmy Demers
5th photo: Diane Warren, Fawn
6th photo: Ron Fair, MC Stacy Keach and Diane Warren

Photo Credits:
1st Two Photos: FFD Images
All Others: William Kidston at www.conventionstars.com

Plus-size advocate and BBW promoter Cher Rue will be seen this month on the TV Show “Secret Lives Of Women,” which airs on the Women's Entertainment Channel. The reality TV show will feature four different women, exposing their stories about being considered different from what society calls “normal.”

Growing up, Cher was conscientious about her weight and her body size fluctuated up and down. Over all, she believes that she’s been lucky, because people have seemed to look beyond her outer image and in most cases, seen her true essence as a person. Even so, Cher felt as though she did not quite fit in.

One night 10 years ago, she discovered the plus size community in an online chat room. She attended a BBW dance called the "Big Difference" and ironically, it really DID make a difference in her life. Cher found the plus-size community to be open, friendly. and accepting. As they opened their hearts to her and shared their various horror stories about growing up overweight, Cher had an “a-ha” moment and suddenly knew what her calling was. Knowing the plus-size communities struggles, hopes and feelings all too well, she began to help others feel good about themselves and their lives. One of her goals was to help each person to be proud of who they are and realize that it’s what on the inside that truly matters, not a body size. Cher says. “People need to see the soul and the heart of others not judge what they look like on the outside.”

After 5 years of promoting BBW nightclubs in her LA based area, appearing on various talk shows such as Dr. Phil and writing for several online magazines, she has now embarked on new journey to reach "mainstream" media. Cher is on a mission to show society and the general media that “you are you, a valuable person at any size!”

Separate from her passion for the plus-size community, Cher has made enough room in her compassionate heart to have co-founded a non-profit organization with her husband Jon Rue. The non-profit is called “Hollywood Cure For Pain” and through it, they have reached out to others suffering from chronic pain. Her husband currently suffers from five different immune system and pain disorders, which came about just with in the past 3 years.

After talking to Cher for a just a short time, it’s easy to see why the WE Channel would choose her as one of their features. She is an extraordinary woman doing extraordinary things.