Amy Winehouse Foundation Gala Honors Nas + Tony Bennett

The American branch of the Amy Winehouse Foundation held a gala and Inspiration Awards ceremony in New York City this past weekend honoring Winehouse collaborators Nas and Tony Bennett amongst others. The foundation focuses on steering young musicians away from substance abuse and promotes music education. The singer's parents Mitch and Janis Winehouse spoke of their daughter as a champion of these causes well before her untimely death in 2011. A $25,000 grant from the foundation has sponsored the Teen Jazz Program at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. Monies raised during a silent auction at the gala will go toward continuing to fund the program as well as others, including the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. Performances from Tony Bennett and Jennifer Hudson highlighted the evening. Harry Belafonte appeared to present Bennett with his award. Foundation honorees included Bennett, Nas, Moe Kane and Salaam Remi - early Winehouse collaborator and primary producer for most of her first two albums.

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