About AEOS

UNCF’s An Evening of Stars^® Tribute to Lionel Richie is UNCF’s annual televised celebration of excellence in entertainment and education.

The headliner, Lionel Richie, will be honored by an all-star lineup of performers and presenters—names like Natalie Cole, Jesse McCartney, Ledisi, Akon, Chrisette Michele and Brian McKnight—paying tribute to Lionel by performing the songs he made famous.

Woven around the star-turned performances, UNCF ensures the message gets across—education is essential to success. An Evening of Stars^® is a concert with a cause, and the cause is education. Performers and presenters alike explain how important it is that every young person gets an education that starts in preschool and doesn’t end until college graduation. And they’ll pay tribute to the work of UNCF in making sure that our sons and daughters get the education they need to become our next generation of teachers, scientists, doctors and nurses—and leaders.

Celebrating its 31st season, AEOS has won two NAACP awards. The show has honored Patti LaBelle, Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones and Lou Rawls.

This year’s show includes appearances by Boney James, Cedric The Entertainer, Tom Joyner, Terrence Howard, Shaun Robinson and many more.

Behind the scenes, AEOS music director Rickey Minor puts his new-school twist on old-school R&B. And, returning for his 13th year as the executive producer and director of AEOS is six-time Emmy Award^® winner Louis J. Horvitz. One of the industry’s most accomplished and sought-after live television producer/directors, Horvitz has directed the annual “Academy Awards^®,” “Prime Time Emmy Awards^®,” “The Kennedy Center Honors^®” and the “American Film Institute (AFI) Life Achievement Award^®.”

The show airs nationwide Jan. 23 and 24, 2010, to an audience of millions.