GEORGE

CLINTON

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC AWARD

George Clinton is a pioneering musician, songwriter, producer, and cultural icon whose groundbreaking work with Parliament/Funkadelic transformed Funk into a globally celebrated genre. As the architect of the P-Funk sound, Clinton fused elements of soul, rock, psychedelia, and rhythm and blues to create an unmistakable musical style that has influenced generations of artists. His legendary career has earned him induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

From classics such as “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker),” “Flash Light,” “One Nation Under a Groove,” and “Atomic Dog” to his profound influence on Hip-Hop as one of the most sampled artists of all time, Clinton’s impact on popular music is immeasurable. More than six decades into his career, he continues to tour, create, and inspire audiences around the world. Today, his creative vision extends beyond music into the visual arts, where his vibrant work has been featured at major galleries and exhibitions, further cementing his status as one of America’s most innovative and enduring cultural figures.

NICOLE 

ATKINS

OUTSTANDING MUSICAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD​

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 Atkins is a singer songwriter who Bruce Springsteen once said possesses “a truly singular voice.”

Think Roy Orbison's "Cryin' if he was a woman. The orchestral sweep of the wall of sound, the bleak vision of Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen; the darkly mysterious girl group-on-acid musings of Julee Cruise and Lynch composer Angelo Badalamenti; the sorrow of Patsy Cline, the rock-a-ballads punk of The Pretenders and the '60s psychedelia of Love and Nuggets. All with a redeeming sense of hope amidst the emotional wreckage…

She most recently opened for Stevie Nicks on her latest arena tour as well as headlining a series of residency shows in Nashville.

There she just finished recording her new album “Drama” with producer Pat Sansone of Wilco. Featuring members of her band, Dr. Dog and the Texas Gentlemen, it will be released this fall on Chris Isaak’s new imprint, Wicked Game via the legendary Sun Records.

DOROTHEA BONGIOVI

OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

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Dorothea Bongiovi is the Founder and Program Director of the JBJ Soul Kitchen, a Pay-it-Forward community restaurant model that serves in-need and paying customers. With 2 locations in NJ and one on the campus of Rutgers University-Newark, these restaurants have served over 200,000 meals to address student food insecurity.

Dorothea is a recipient of the NJ and National Jefferson Award for Volunteer Leadership.  She also received a Silver Stevie Award, which recognizes women in leadership roles. She is the wife of Jon Bon Jovi and the mother of 4.

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PNC BANK

ARTS CENTER

 DISTINGUISHED CULTURAL LANDMARK AWARD
 

Since opening in 1968 as the Garden State Arts Center, PNC Bank Arts Center has remained one of New Jersey’s most iconic live entertainment venues. Designed by renowned architect Edward Durell Stone, the open-air amphitheater has welcomed generations of music fans and hosted legendary performers including Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, Pearl Jam, Dolly Parton, and countless others.

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Today, PNC Bank Arts Center continues to serve as a cultural landmark in Monmouth County, drawing more than half a million visitors annually through concerts, community programming, and seasonal events such as the Magic of Lights holiday spectacular. Monmouth Arts is proud to honor PNC Bank Arts Center for its enduring impact on the region’s arts and cultural landscape.

HARLAN

COBEN

 OUTSTANDING LITERARY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD​

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Harlan Coben is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of the world’s leading storytellers. His suspense novels are published in forty-six languages and have been number one bestsellers in more than a dozen countries, with one hundred million books in print worldwide. His Myron Bolitar series has earned the Edgar, Shamus, and Anthony Awards.   Coben is also the creator and executive producer of many television shows, including adaptations on Netflix of the # 1 global hit Fool Me Once, Missing You, Stay Close, The Stranger, The Innocent, Gone for Good, Hold Tight, Caught, Just One Look, and The Woods as well as Lazarus and Shelter on Amazon Prime. New TV series include Run Away and coming soon, I Will Find You on Netflix. He is also the host of the CBS/Paramount+ original series Harlan Coben’s FINAL TWIST.​