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Legendary Multi-Platinum R&B/Hip-Hop Star DJ Jazzy Jeff To Serve As Evening’s Official DJ…RIAA To Produce & Sponsor January 21st Invitation-Only Event At the 9:30 Club

Washington, D.C. – Musicians On Call today announced that internationally-famed recording artist Ke$ha will be the headline performing act at the organization’s Presidential Inaugural Charity Benefit in Washington, D.C.  The benefit is produced and sponsored by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Based in New York with branches in Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, Nashville and Washington, D.C., Musicians On Call is a charity that brings the healing power of music to the bedsides of patients throughout the country.  Through its Bedside Performance Program, Musicians On Call’s volunteer musicians have played for more than 350,000 individuals to date, including for wounded soldiers at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Veterans Administration Hospitals, and other healthcare facilities.  The event will help raise money for Musicians On Call to expand its Bedside Performance Program to other cities and facilities and encourage others to give back by getting involved at www.musiciansoncall.org.

Global superstar Ke$ha has taken the world by storm since the release of her debut album Animal in 2010.  That year she was declared Billboard’s Hot 100 Artist of the Year.  Her smash debut single “TiK ToK” was named Billboard’s #1 Hot 100 Song, was the most played song of 2010, and also was the biggest-selling digital track in the world.  Her debut album Animal on Kemosabe/RCA Records has sold more than 2.5 million units worldwide.  Ke$ha has had 7 consecutive Top 10 hits, including four #1 singles: “TiK ToK”, “Your Love Is My Drug,” “We R Who We R” and her latest “Die Young” which has sold more than 2 million tracks.  Ke$ha has toured the world, playing over 200 live shows in support of Animal and its companion album Cannibal.  She took home the MTV Europe Music Award for Best New Act in November 2010 and has been nominated for 2 American Music Awards, 3 MTV Video Music Awards and 6 Billboard Awards.  She has performed on dozens of television programs all over the world including MTV Europe Music Awards, Much Music Awards (Canada), Echo Awards (Germany), X Factor (Australia), American Music Awards, Billboard Awards, American Idol, Saturday Night Live and The Today Show Summer Concert Series.  She has more than 22 million Facebook likes, over 3 million Twitter followers and more than 330 million views on VEVO.  She has sold over 27 million combined tracks and ringtones in the United States alone and more than 34.5 million worldwide to date.  Ke$ha is an international powerhouse: Animal has been certified Gold, Platinum or multi-Platinum in 15 markets (including Platinum in the United States) and was the biggest-selling debut album from an international female in 2010 in the United Kingdom.  In November 2012, Ke$ha released her first book through Touchstone Publishing.  The full-color photo journal/scrapbook entitled My Crazy Beautiful Life sheds light on Ke$ha’s hectic, non-stop life on tour and provides an exclusive look into the creative process of her latest album, Warrior.  Also in late 2012, Ke$ha announced Kesha Rose by Charles Albert®, a new jewelry line that reflects the singer’s distinctive personality throughout the collection.  Ke$ha was also recently named the first global ambassador for Humane Society International.  More information about Ke$ha is available here:  http://www.keshasparty.com/us/home.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with our friends at the RIAA and other sponsors for our charity benefit to help showcase the work we do to bring to life the healing power of music, and we’re so excited to have Ke$ha as the headlining performer at this year’s event,” said Dr. Leslie Faerstein, Executive Director of Musicians On Call.  “Ke$ha is a queen hit-maker who will no doubt help shine a strong spotlight on our great charity. We’re looking forward to an exciting and fun-filled event.”

The invitation-only event will also feature legendary multi-Platinum hip-hop/R&B DJ, record producer and actor DJ Jazzy Jeff as the evening’s official DJ.  Since 1985, DJ Jazzy Jeff has wowed fans with his flawless turntable skills, innovative production and musical versatility.  From the success of “DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince” with partner Will Smith, to the critical acclaim of his production company “A Touch of Jazz”, Jeff proved time and time again that he would always be a force to be reckoned with.  And he continues to shine with his solo projects, collaborations, mixtapes and live shows.  Over the course of his career, DJ Jazzy Jeff has achieved many accomplishments including a Disco Mix Club DJ Championship and multiple GRAMMY and American Music Awards and nominations.  But he is a humble man who is still doing it as his 2002 hit said: “For Da Love of Da Game.”  More information about DJ Jazzy Jeff can be found here: http://www.djjazzyjeff.com/.

The event will take place the evening of January 21st (Monday) at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.  If you are a member of the news media and would like to request media credentials to attend the pre-show red carpet, please contact Cara Duckworth Weiblinger at cduckworth@riaa.com.   Please note:  there will be absolutely no photography allowed inside the venue during the benefit.  This is an invitation-only event; coverage of the red carpet does not include entry into event.