The TEC Foundation for Excellence in Audio and NAMM will co-present the 27th Annual TEC Awards on Friday, Jan. 20, 2012, in the Pacific Ballroom of the Anaheim Hilton. The awards honor outstanding achievement in professional audio production and product innovation. An annual highlight of the ceremonies is the Les Paul Award. This year’s recipient is famed guitarist, composer and producer Steve Vai.
Supported through events and donations within the pro audio and music industries, the TEC Foundation perennially succeeds in drawing top-name talent to the awards, which will be hosted by bassist/composer Will Lee of The Late Show with David Letterman. Among the award presenters confirmed for the show are producers Phil Ramone, Eddie Kramer and Jeff “Skunk” Baxter; and musicians “Weird” Al Yankovic, Lisa Loeb, Bootsy Collins, Phil Collen (Def Leppard), Billy Sheehan, and guitarist/ex-NY Yankee Bernie Williams, with more surprise guests expected.
"We're excited to be presenting such a star-studded show in our second year at Winter NAMM," says Hillel Resner, president of the TEC Foundation, "and we're expecting a great turnout. We think our partnership with NAMM is symbolic of the marriage of music and technology that's driving much of today's product innovation."
Thirty-four pro audio companies are involved as sponsors this year, sustaining sponsor Harman Professional and platinum sponsors Sennheiser/Neumann and the Les Paul Foundation. Gold sponsors include Avid, Shure, Broadjam, and Hal Leonard.
The TEC Foundation for Excellence in Audio is a 501(c) (3) public benefit corporation dedicated to recognizing and furthering excellence in audio, video, music and other communications media arts. It endows scholarship programs and supports programs aimed at the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss, having contributed more than a half-million dollars to these causes.
Tickets to the TEC Awards include dinner and live entertainment and are still available; they can be purchased online through Jan. 17. NAMM attendees can buy tickets at the TEC Foundation booth, #172, located near the music stage in the lobby outside Hall B at the Anaheim Convention Center.
