STARS HONOR GLORIA AND EMILIO ESTEFAN AT KEEP MEMORY ALIVE’S
18TH ANNUAL “POWER OF LOVE” GALA IN LAS VEGAS
On Saturday, April 26, 2014 Keep Memory Alive, the fundraising arm of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, and Bill Edwards Presents hosted an all-star tribute in honor of Gloria and Emilio Estefan at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The star-studded gala brought together entertainment and music legends to honor the Estefan’s advocacy for spinal cord injuries and research, and raise funds for Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and its fight against degenerative brain diseases.
Highlights from the night include an unforgettable duet from Gloria Estefan and Carole King singing “Natural Woman,” with Gloria and Emilio’s daughter Emily, guest performing on the bass guitar. Show opener Rita Moreno surprised audiences, reprising her role as Anita from West Side Story in a classic performance of “Somewhere.” Entertainment stars Ricky Martin, Queen Latifah and Jordin Sparks also took the stage, bringing guests to the dance floor with iconic dance songs and heartfelt tributes. Attendees were also treated to a performance from Emilio Estefan’s newest artist Fantine, who belted out new songs from her debut album. To close the evening, Jon Secada joined Gloria and the Las Vegas Mass Choir on stage, singing a special rendition of “Coming out of the Dark.” Celebrity supporters who also attended the event included Quincy Jones, Andy Garcia, Christopher Meloni, Dermot Mulroney, Kenny “Baby Face” Edmonds, Steve Schirripa, Sandra Lee and Siegfried & Roy.
Guests enjoyed a Dom Perignon pre-reception and silent auction, where they bid on one-of-a-kind items such as a trip to Steve Irwin’s Australian zoo, an original painting by renowned artist Vladimir Kush and a recording session with Kenny “Baby Face” Edmonds. Celebrity chefs Wolfgang Puck and Masaharu Morimoto prepared an exquisite dinner menu, including fresh Alaskan king crab and an extravagant dessert presentation. Throughout the evening, everyone sipped on remarkable wine and cocktails and toasted to the spectacular event.
