You have all heard of the expression: “A Once in a Lifetime Event” or “A Once in a Lifetime Experience” – well this event certainly lives up to those exact words! Last night at the Los Angeles Convention Center was the 32nd annual MusiCares Persons of the Year benefit gala, honoring Motown founder, GRAMMY® Award nominee, Recording Academy® President’s Merit Award honoree, and recipient of the GRAMMY Museum®’s Architect of Sound®: Vision Award Berry Gordy, and GRAMMY Award winner and seven-time GRAMMY Award nominee, and Music Legend: Smokey Robinson:
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson’s career spans over four decades of hits. He has received numerous awards, including the GRAMMY Living Legend Award, NARAS Lifetime Achievement Award, Honorary Doctorate (Howard University), Kennedy Center Honors, and the National Medal of Arts Award from the President of the United States. He has also been inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame.
Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Robinson founded The Miracles while still in high school. The group was Berry Gordy’s first vocal group, and it was at Robinson’s suggestion that Gordy started the Motown Record dynasty. Their single of Robinson’s “Shop Around” became Motown’s first #1 hit on the R&B singles chart. In the years following, Robinson continued to pen hits for the group, including “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me,” “Ooo Baby Baby,” “The Tracks of My Tears,” “Going to a Go-Go,” “More Love,” “Tears of a Clown” (co-written with Stevie Wonder), and “I Second That Emotion.”
GRAMMY® Award-winning artists: Brandi Carlile, Sheryl Crow- being interviewed on the red carpet by our reporters in the below photo: 
Lalah Hathaway, the Isley Brothers, John Legend, Michael McDonald, PJ Morton, Mumford & Sons, Lionel Richie, the Temptations, Trombone Shorty, GRAMMY Award-winning artist and 2019 Recording Academy® Lifetime Achievement Award recipient: Dionne Warwick – being interviewed on the red carpet by our reporters in the below photo: 
and current GRAMMY Award nominees Samara Joy, Molly Tuttle, Sebastián Yatra, and previous GRAMMY Award nominees Jimmie Allen – who we all meet during the dinner, before the show started, in the below photo: 
and Chloe x Halle, and previous GRAMMY Award nominee and 2019 Trustees Award recipient Valerie Simpson, previous GRAMMY Award nominees and 2009 Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recipients Four Tops – being interviewed on the red carpet by our reporters in the below photo: 
and singer/songwriter Rita Wilson – who gave a great singing performance, being interviewed on the red carpet by our reporters in the below photo: 
Rita’s husband: Tom Hanks, was there to support her. Tom has won 50 major awards, including 2 Oscars! You can see in the below photo, from the red carpet- that Tom (in the middle) is talking to Jimmie Allen (on the left) – who his wife Rita is collaborating on music projects with: 
Along with Music Legends Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Domi & JD Beck, MC Lyte, Ray Parker Jr., Tyga, Stephen Sanchez, PHEELZ, Michael Bolton, Jordin Sparks, and Jimmy Jam.
Our favorite interview was with Guitarist and Singer Richie Sambora, who was the Co-Leader of the Rock Band Bon Jovi, from 1983 to 2013, and whose wife was Heather Locklear from 1994 to 2007: 
The highlight of the evening is when Margie & Renee got to sing together with the Four Tops and the Temptations! As you can see in the below photo from the red carpet, during our interview with the Four Tops:
Our 1st. interview of the night was with Russell Simmons – who is an business entrepreneur, writer and record executive. He co-founded the hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings, and created the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and Tantris. Simmons’ net worth was estimated at $340 million in 2011. Here is is being interviewed by our reporters Margie & Renee, who you can see were really having a great time talking to him! (^^^above^^^)
During the show our reporters Margie & Renee were able to talk to: Gayle King, who is on CBS Mornings, and before that its predecessor CBS This Morning. She is also an editor-at-large for O, The Oprah Magazine, and she is Oprah’s best friend: 
During the show- at her table- I was lucky enough to meet Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi who served as the 52nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023, having made history in 2007 when she was elected the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House, and made history again in January 2019 when she regained her position second-in-line to the presidency! Nancy has represented San Francisco in Congress for more than 35 years, and previously served as House Democratic Whip. She has been a Representative (D-CA 11th District) since 2023, and a Previous Representative, CA 12th District (2013–2023): 
On this TV show episode you can see interviews from the Red Carpet, with most of the above music legends, by our TV Show host: Margie Rey, and our Entertainment News Reporter: Renee Esebag, and then see some clips from this show and concert that was truly a “Once in a Lifetime Event” and “A Once in a Lifetime Experience” that was live from the LA Convention Center – West Hall!
There were 23 amazing musical performances by the legends of the music world, the current superstars and Grammy Nominees, and so many Multi Grammy Winners! Our concert portion of our show starts off with Michael McDonald, followed by: John Legend, Ronald Isley of the Isley Brothers, Rita Wilson together with Sebastián Yatra, Trombone Shorty, Dionne Warwick, The Four Tops, and then we were lucky enough to get only 4 feet away from the center of the stage, right in front of the one and only Music Legend: Stevie Wonder, who performed 2 songs! – 
Then GRAMMY Award winner, seven-time GRAMMY Award Nominee, Music Legend, and the 2023 Grammy MusiCares Honoree: Smokey Robinson said some very touching words, and sang a special song to honor his friend, and the man who started him in the music business: Motown founder, and the 2023 Grammy MusiCares Honoree: Berry Gordy – that you can see in the below photo-hugging each other at their table:
Then all of the Music Legends came up on the stage to sing a final song together to close this amazing show. We were all so happy and privileged to be part of this great Once in a Lifetime Event, and Once in a Lifetime Experience: 
Below are some photos of us, all having fun on the red carpet: 
