‘King of the Soundtracks’ to be honored in renowned Las Vegas Strip event
Kenny Loggins recorded the theme for “Top Gun,” and he’ll fill that role for the 30th anniversary of the Keep Memory Alive Power of Love gala.
The man know as “King of the Soundtrack” is to be honored at the city’s pre-eminent fundraising event, set for Feb. 14 at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
“Danger Zone,” a No. 2 Billboard hit from the 1986 blockbuster “Top Gun,” reprised in “Top Gun: Maverick” is among Loggins’ collection of chart-topping tunes. And, Loggins’ “Footloose” from the movie of the same name, just surpassed 1 billion streams on Spotify.
“I’m Alright” from “Caddyshack” is another movie-boosting hit. “This is It,” co-written with Michael McDonald, hit No. 11 on the Billboard charts in 1979.
Loggins has carved out a legacy in contemporary music since his days with Jim Messina in Loggins and Messina in the 1970s. But Loggins took off as a soloist in the mid-’70s. The 77—year-old recording superstar has won two Grammy Awards, claiming Song of the Year, with McDonald, for “What a Fool Believes” in 1980 and Best Vocal Performance for “This is It” the next year.
Last month, Loggins was been announced as a nominee for the the Songwriters Hall of Fame, set for June in New York. He’s long been a supporter of the Ruvo Center and co-founders Larry and Camille Ruvo. In 2021, Loggins appeared in a show-closing rendition of “Get Ready” honoring Smokey Robinson and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds.
Loggins has announced he’s stepping down from major tours after his “This is It” series closed in 2023. He’s most recently headlined Encore Theater at the Wynn in June 2022.
The annual gala takes over the floor of the Grand Garden Arena. The event is the leading fundraiser for the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, raising tens of millions of dollars for the clinic in Symphony Park in downtown Las Vegas (pricing and support intel at keepmemoryalive.org).
The event is rooted in a 1996 dinner at Postrio at The Venetian, co-hosted by Larry Ruvo and star chef Wolfgang Puck. The event was a celebration of Larry’s father, Lou Ruvo, who died in 1995 from Alzheimer’s disease and is the inspiration for the clinic named for him.
Jimmy Kimmel was honored last year at the MGM Grand. Over the years such famous figures as Blake Shelton (joined by Gwen Stefani), Neil Diamond, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Muhammad Ali, Tony Bennett, Quincy Jones and Michael Caine, Lionel Richie, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Andre Agassi and Siegfried Fischbacher have been honored.
Loggins is a natural fit in that legendary lineup.
“Five decades ago, I began a musical journey that’s been nothing short of magical,” Loggins said in a statement. “I’m incredibly humbled to see these songs continue to find new life with new fans after all these years. A billion streams for ‘Footloose,’ a Songwriters Hall of Fame nomination, and these upcoming honors — it all reminds me how lucky I’ve been to share this music with people for so long.”
Center of attention
NFL legend, seven-time Super Bowl champ, Raiders minority partner AND Hall of Excellence at Fontainebleau partner Tom Brady spent three hours touring the Ruvo Center on Tuesday.
The Raiders primary owner, Mark Davis, is on the clinic’s board of directors and joined Brady on his first look at the clinic. Dr. Charlie Bernick and Dr. Lucy Carriere presented the center’s pro sports coalition brain study to the NFL reps.
Tease this …
A rock band whose breakout album is an all-time classic is making a 2026 tour stop at a significant Las Vegas venue …
GGM (Great Gala Moments)
Catching up with this bid from Jewel’s “Not Alone” gala VIP dinner Nov. 12 at Boa Steakhouse at The Venetian’s Grand Canal Shoppes. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak donated an original, signed original Macintosh computer for $75K. I need to check with IT to see if these things still work. They were introduced in January 1984 and retailed for $2,495 (about $7,800 today).
Also at the event, a private dinner with restaurant partner Lee Maen and Flavor Flav at Boa went for $25,000. How you achieve a “private” dinner with Flav is a mystery, but wind the clock and pass the pepper.
The dinner and auction drew 150 dignitaries, raising $2 million for Jewel’s Inspiring Children mental-health foundation.
From the Nov. 13 Camelot gala at Opportunity Village’s Linda Smith and Christopher Smith Campus: I was seated next to John O’Hurley, who famously played J. Peterman in “Seinfeld,” and whom I well remembered as King Arthur in “Monty Python’s Spamalot” at Encore Theater. We’d spoken a few times since, and as I sat down, I said, “I really enjoyed covering you in ‘Spamalot.’”
The actor’s eyes narrowed. “What? I don’t recall this.”
I went on about covering him in the show, from its March 2007 opening through its closing night in July 2008. “What is it you do?” he asked. I told him I was a reporter, that I’d interviewed him, yada-yada.
“Oh!” O’Hurley said. “I thought you meant you were my understudy.” The term “covered” means just that, theatrically.
English in Miami
There was a time not so long ago when the Todd English his stamp was on Olives at Virgin Hotels, The Beast at Area15 and Pepper Club at The English Hotel. Today, the restaurateur has nothing going on in Las Vegas. English says he’s focusing on Miami, where new ventures will be announced “soon.”
Cool Hang Alert
Michael Nugent returns to El Cortez from 5-9 p.m. Wednesday. Vintage vibes, vintage price. No cover. Go to elcortezcasino.com for intel.
