Spotlight
On The Muhammad Ali's Celebrity Fight Night XXI
In Phoenix, AZ Photos by
Glenda S. Paradee (except where noted)
$7 MILLION RAISED AT MUHAMMAD
ALI'S CELEBRITY FIGHT NIGHT XXI JOSH GROBAN, RUSSELL WILSON AND
GLENN AND MINDY STEARNS HONORED
PERFORMANCES BY BLAKE SHELTON, KELLY
CLARKSON, JOSH GROBAN AND MORE
(PHOENIX) - On Saturday, March 28, 2015 stars and athletes from
around the country converged at the J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge
Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona for Muhammad Ali's 21st
Anniversary of Celebrity Fight Night. GRAMMY® Award winning
superstar of country music Reba McEntire returned for her tenth year
as emcee and celebrated her 60th birthday last night. A resounding
LED Drummers patriotic performance kicked off the night that was
immediately followed by a stirring tribute to our country's wounded
veterans. Multi-Platinum recording artist Josh Groban, Seattle
Seahawk's quarterback Russell Wilson, and philanthropists Glenn and
Mindy Stearns were honored with 2015 Muhammad Ali Celebrity Fight
Night Awards. Reba was surprised with video of Happy Birthday wishes
from friends including Carol King, Tom Hanks, Keith Urban, Dolly
Parton, Rascal Flatts, Miranda Lambert, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw,
Carol Burnett, The Band Perry and President George H. W. Bush and
Barbara Bush.
Following the awards guests were treated to a host of
performances under the direction of the multiple GRAMMY®
Award-winning songwriter and producer David Foster, who returned for
his 16th consecutive year as the evening's Musical Director.
Performances opened with Kelly Clarkson who sang hits "Since You've
Been Gone," "Walk Away," and "Stronger," followed by Ronnie Runn who
sang "Red Dirt Road," and "Boot Scootin Boogie." Josh Groban then
took the stage to perform "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," "All I Ask
Of You," and "You Raise Me Up." Additional performances included,
Quinton Aaron singing "Let's Stay Together," Brenna Whitaker with
"This Is A Man's World," and Frank Caliendo who performed a comedy
set and impressions. Blake Shelton wished friend, Reba, a Happy
Birthday, and sang "Drink On It," "Home," and his new single "Boys
‘Round Here." The night concluded with birthday-girl Reba McEntire
singing "Going Out Like That," "Time On Her Hands," and "Radio."
Finally Gloria Gaynor brought the crowd to their feet, closing out
the evening with an incredible performance of "I Will Survive."
The black tie event also featured a cocktail reception, a silent
auction, an elegant dinner and an exciting live auction including
one-of-a-kind luxury items. The live auction featured a trip
to the Himalayas with Robert Kennedy Jr. and Cheryl Hines, a VIP
Seattle Seahawks game experience with Russell Wilson, a getaway
vacation with Richard Branson on his private Caribbean Island and
more. The two highest selling live auction items of the night were a
dinner with Reba McEntire and a Valentine's Day trip to Miami with
Andrea Bocelli - going for $1 million (twice for a total of $2
million) and $500,000 respectively. Celebrity Fight Night XXI
raised a total of $7 million benefiting the Muhammad Ali Parkinson
Center at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, as well as
several other worthy charities. Each year dozens of celebrity guests
attend the event that has raised $107 million in 21 years.
Additional celebrity guests included Bruce Arians,
Calais Campbell, Michael Carbajal, Gennady Golovkin, Greg Jennings,
Robert Kennedy Jr. and Cheryl Hines, Nancy Lieberman, Sam Moore,
Carson Palmer, Bob and Renee Parsons, George Schlatter, Jane
Seymour, Kevin Sorbo, Mayor Stanton, Mindy and Glenn Stearns, Dick
and Stacy Stevens, Vern Troyer, and many more.
 Photo by Ethan
Miller/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight
Night |
 Photo by Ethan
Miller/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight
Night |
 Photo by Ethan
Miller/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight
Night |
 Photo by Ethan
Miller/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight
Night |
 Photo by Ethan
Miller/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight
Night |
 Photo by Michael
Buckner/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight
Night |
 Photo by Michael
Buckner/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight
Night |
 Photo by Ethan
Miller/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight
Night |
 Photo by Michael
Buckner/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight
Night |
 Photo by Michael
Buckner/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight
Night |
 Photo by Michael
Buckner/Getty Images for Celebrity Fight
Night |
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About Celebrity Fight Night
Celebrity Fight Night Foundation is a nonprofit organization that
was founded in 1994 by Jimmy Walker to support the Muhammad Ali
Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, as
well as numerous other charities. For more information, visit www.celebrityfightnight.org.
Sponsors of this year's event included The Bob and
Renee Parsons Foundation, the Argyros Family Foundation, USA Today
Sports, Patrón, GoDaddy, Etihad Airways, and M Group Scenic
Studios.
Thanks For The Music! |