Drum roll, please…. Ta Dah! This year we’re celebrating the 15th annual Parnelli Awards. This is a fact I am very proud of, and I am sure Parnelli Awards co-founder, Patrick Stansfield, is looking down at us from his production office in the sky, smiling as well. It seems just yesterday the Parnelli Awards were a gleam in our collective eyes. But now, 15 years later and with 37 of the top production people in our field honored, we have hit a milestone year.
Magical Memories
There have been some magical moments on the Parnelli stage, and no, I am not talking about Keith Kevan! (I know only a few of you will get that.) There was the night Gerry Stickells, disability and all, took the stage. Paul Anka singing “My Way” to his original sound engineer, Al Siniscal. Kenny Chesney bringing Ed Wannebo a margarita during his acceptance. Brooks & Dunn telling Baja Fletcher stories before handing him his Parnelli Lifetime Achievement Award and, of course, Frankie Valli presenting to Bob Goldstein last year. Those and so many more are moments that will live within my mind forever.
The Parnelli Awards are deeply rooted in to our industry Zeitgeist. I am sure there is not a recipient who is not deeply honored to have been a part of this ceremony. Unfortunately, as father time marches on, many of them are no longer here for us to learn from their accomplishments. This has been a particularly hard year for the Parnelli family, for we have lost Bob See and Dennis Sheehan. Of course, all of our recipients who are on the big tour bus in the sky are dearly missed — Bruce Jackson, Patrick Stansfield and Gene Clair.
Onward and Upward!
However, the Parnelli Awards keep moving forward, and our board members keep our traditions growing. Embracing the future of our awards is our new chairman of the Parnelli Advisory Board, Mr. Marshall Bissett. Marshall lends a great hand to the Parnellis in many ways, not only in chairing the board meetings, but in the preparation of the show.
As always, I can’t thank our sponsors, production partners and the staff of PLSN and FOH magazines — especially Kevin Mitchell — enough for the fine job they do every year.
Of course, your participation is the key. If you didn’t take the time to vote for our awards and nominate companies, there would be no Parnelli Awards. So thank you, too!
If you haven’t yet been to the Parnelli Awards, please come and join us. It is a night that will make you proud to be a part of this industry. This year it is at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas on Oct. 24.
All in all, it has been a pretty darn good first 15 years. So bartender, I’ll take another 15 years, and give the same to all of my friends!
Reserve your spot at www.parnelliawards.com/reservations today!
