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Ray Charles Tops List of Stars Shining Brightly in Atlanta

Aired July 19, 2002 - 11:51   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The legendary Ray Charles topped the list of stars shining brightly last night right here in Atlanta. Now Ray is used to picking up statues. He is a 12-time Grammy winner. And in the music world, the Grammy is the ultimate honor. Same groups sponsoring that award honors heroes of the music industry. And last night, we had a front row seat to see some of the industry's brightest stars.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS (voice-over): Music icon Janet Jackson, boxing champion and record label owner Evander Holyfield, just a couple of the heavyweight stars on hand to give a heroes welcome to recipients of the Hero's Award. It was a night of magic and music, sponsored by the Atlanta chapter of the recording academy, the first annual awards honoring those in music industry showing excellence and integrity in their work and support programs that the benefit music community.

Heroes like the man said to the soul if soul music: twelve-time Grammy winner and music pioneer Ray Charles.

RAY CHARLES, HEROES AWARDS RECIPIENT: Hello, y'all. This is good stuff. I just love it, and I'm so grateful. I'm so proud. And it's so nice to hear those wonderful things.

HARRIS: Charles, who happens to be a Georgia native, was serenaded by R&B pop star Usher, who did it, appropriate enough, with Charles's famous tune, you guessed it "Georgia on My Mind."

Also honored, Hip-Hop mega producer and Atlanta native Jermaine Dupri. On hand to present his heroes award, five-time Grammy winner Janet Jackson.

JANET JACKSON, SINGER: You are still so very young and you have so much within you to share with the rest of the world, and I just want to let you know that I look up to you and I truly admire you for that alone, and you are very deserving of this honor.

HARRIS: I asked the founder of So So Def records about being dubbed a hero.

JERMAINE DUPRI, PRODUCER: There are a lot of people here, and a lot of artists came up, you know. It is big, it was big for the city; it's big for me. I'm a hero, I guess. HARRIS (on camera): Over the last decade, Atlanta has become one of the world's music capitals. All of the honorees have ties to area, and they've made a role in making "Hotlanta" what it is today.

ED ROLAND, SINGER: You go to L.A. or New York or somewhere like that, people are like, you're from Atlanta. They're excited that you're from there, because they go, man, the music scene is amazing, and it is.

USHER, SINGER: It's just another step in making Atlanta the Motown of the south, as we all know it is.

HARRIS: It's praises like these that give the ATL its reputation for talent, pride and a heroes dose of southern hospitality.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And joining us now, one of the performers you just saw -- I think you might recognize this guy -- Ed Roland of the Georgia- based group Collective Soul.

How are you doing this morning?

ROLAND: Waking up.

HARRIS: I see the dark glasses this morning.

ROLAND: That's not for rock star reasons, but for look reasons. You don't want to see the puffy eyes this morning.

HARRIS: It's not a Bono thing you've got going there?

ROLAND: Yes, it's the Bono thing.

HARRIS: OK, cool. I got tell you this much. I have to make a confession to you, first off. When they told me I was going to be interviewing a group called "Collective Soul," I expected to walk up to about four or five black guys, and I did not.

ROLAND: Sorry to disappoint you.

HARRIS: Not a disappointment, man.

ROLAND: As white as they come.

HARRIS: Not a disappointment. And from what I got a chance to hear, not a disappointment with the music that you guys pumped out either. Nice going last night. You did something different. This is "Shine," but you did it with an acoustic arrangement as opposed...

ROLAND: Yes, first time I have done that. There are four guys in the band. They were there last night. But they asked know to do it acoustically, and I thought, I will give it a shot, and see what happens. I thought it was all right.

HARRIS: What was the reaction? ROLAND: I don't know, I ran off stage and cried real quick. I don't know, I think it was fine. It is about how I looked. I think I looked all right. The Bono thing, still keep that going.

HARRIS: I think it does work for you, man.

You know, I was amazed last night to see how many different artists there were there that did have connections to Atlanta. You grew up in Stockridge, right, south of town.

ROLAND: That's right, where we're from.

HARRIS: You decided to stay here in this town and just make it on your own in this town. Why?

ROLAND: Atlanta has always had great music scene. When I was growing up, I remember it was based out of Athens. But I mean, there were bands like Love TRACTOR, REM, B-52s, Swimming Pool Cues (ph), bands like that, that were really opening the doors for rock music, a new type of rock music, college music, bands. And with those kind of bands, why should you leave?

And then our family is here, you know. And you travel so much when you are in a band, when you come home, you want to be able to see your family as much as possible. So there was really no reason. And I think that's the good thing about what happened last night. I think it's time Atlanta recognizes what Atlanta has done in the music industry in the state of Georgia, because any time we travel, people say, we are from Atlanta, and they go, oh, man, I hear the music scene is great there, you know, And they mention all the bands, and it is.

HARRIS: But is the music scene still great here for rock music? I know hip-hop has pretty much blown up in the this city. In fact, this is probably the hip-hop capital of the world.

ROLAND: Yes, there's bands like Injected that just came out this year, a new rock band. Butch Walker from here. So I think there is a lot untapped music still. Rock bands still out there.

HARRIS: Do you all work together? I know there is so many different genres here in town. Is there ever any ever cross- pollination, if I can use a big word here, where you all work with each other and maybe trade ideas or steal ideas.

ROLAND: When we get together, we usually just have fun. That's the main idea.

HARRIS: Like last night.

ROLAND: Exactly. A fun thing, instead of work. You don't want to talk about work, you want to talk about other things. But maybe one day, who knows. Sit down with Jermaine, I'd always love to do something like that.

HARRIS: You and Jermaine Dupri hang out?

ROLAND: Yes.

HARRIS: Talk about when world's collide, man. I wouldn't imagine that.

ROLAND: We are both very shy guys. That's why it works. We're very shy.

HARRIS: Yes, your nose is growing Pinocchio.

ROLAND: It can't get any bigger. Please don't do that for me.

HARRIS: Ed Roland, thanks for coming in, man.

ROLAND: Thanks for having me.

HARRIS: You were a blast last night.

Get some rest.

ROLAND: Thank you.

HARRIS: Thanks for staying with us this morning. We sure appreciate it.

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