Morgan James to Perform at Hall of Fame Gala

July 13, 2015  by in Industry, Special Events   

The gala event, taking place Oct. 18 at the Grandover Resort & Conference Center in Greensboro, N.C., will include the formal induction of five industry leaders into the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame. Joining the current 97 Hall of Fame members are Aminy I. Audi, CEO and chairman of L. & J.G. Stickley; Michael Massood, chairman of MGM Transport Corp; Laurence “Larry” Za Yu Moh, the founder of Universal Furniture; and Barry Tatelman, former co-president and co-CEO of Jordan’s Furniture Inc., and Eliot Tatelman, president and CEO of Jordan’s Furniture Inc.

“This year’s banquet, for the first time, will include entertainment by a world-class performer — the very talented Morgan James,” said Michael Amini, president of the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame Foundation and CEO of AICO/Amini Innovation Corp. “The event will be highly inspirational and entertaining, reflecting the energy of the new Hall of Fame, which is our industry’s premier organization of leaders. It will be an exciting evening of celebration.”

A New York-based entertainer who the New York Times describes as “a phenomenal talent whose feel for classic soul music is bone deep,” James has appeared in numerous Broadway productions, including “Motown The Musical.” Her first studio album, “Hunter,” was released by Epic Records in November 2014. The 11-track album is her first album featuring all-original solo material — a mix of retro R&B and 1970s-influenced singer/songwriter soul.

The Idaho native discovered her passion for music early on and pursued it at the prestigious Juilliard School. While in the midst of the institution’s academic program, she soon realized that her path would diverge from the classical world. In 2008, Morgan booked her first Broadway show, appearing in “The Addams Family” alongside Nathan Lane. That was followed by roles in “Wonderland,” “Godspell” and Berry Gordy’s “Motown The Musical.” Playing Teena Marie in “Motown” set the stage for James to launch her solo career, as Gordy introduced her to renowned music executives Doug Morris and L.A. Reid, leading to a deal with Epic Records in 2012.

Around the same time, Morgan booked a landmark show at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, where she paid tribute to Nina Simone with a set of songs closely associated with the legendary artist. The show was recorded and released as the critically acclaimed “Morgan James Live” on Epic Records.

“I sing like I’m never going to sing ever again,” Morgan says about her zeal for performing. “I want to capture that power and passion every time. At some moments, it might sound flawless; at others, it might sound like it’s going to break. I’m revealing something about myself with every song.”

Tickets for this year’s American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame gala are priced at $250 per ticket for members ($2,500 for a table of 10) and $300 per ticket for non-members ($3,000 for a table of 10). More information about the banquet, ticket purchasing or sponsorship opportunities is available online. 

Sponsors to date for this year’s banquet are:

• Presenting Sponsor:  Ashley Furniture Industries

• Banquet Underwriter:  Lacquer Craft

• Cocktail Sponsor:  International Market Centers

• Platinum level sponsors are headlined by AICO/Amini Innovations Corp.; Leggett & Platt, Inc..; and Nourison Industries.

• Gold sponsors are: A.R.T Furniture, Inc.; Casana Furniture; Culp, Inc.; FurnitureDealer.Net; Sunny Lu & Associates; Zenith Global Logistics; and Zuo Modern Inc. 

• Silver sponsors are: L. & J.G. Stickley Furniture; Steinreich Communications; and Wolf Furniture/AFC.