(Reuter) Musicians Kenneth ``Babyface'' Edmonds, Whitney Houston and Wynton Marsalis are among those who have been honored at the annual Trumpet Awards honoring black achievers. Retired General Colin Powell got the Living Legend award in Atlanta at the ceremony sponsored by Turner Broadcasting System. Houston and Marsalis got special honors. The program at a hotel ballroom was hosted by Gladys Knight and Robert Guillaume.

Trumpet Awards honor African American achievers
submitted by: Sella
by By Mike Cooper       -- Monday January 12 11:23 PM EST
from: Yahoo News

ATLANTA, Jan 12 (Reuters) - Musicians Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Whitney Houston and Wynton Marsalis were among those honored at the sixth annual Trumpet Awards honoring black achievers Monday.

Event sponsor Turner Broadcasting System said the awards are intended to honor blacks who, through consistency and longevity, have inspired others and achieved success in a chosen profession or career.

Edmonds credited his mother with instilling "a spirit in me of not ever giving up" as she raised six boys after the death of her husband.

"When I look at this Trumpet Award, I think we all are like instruments. We have notes that we want to play and notes that we want to sing and sometimes it takes a push from somebody else to make those notes come out," Edmonds said.

Special awards went to retired Gen. Colin Powell as well as to Marsalis and Houston.

"All of the awards and honors I receive are important to me," Houston said in accepting her "Pinnacle" award. "The ones I treasure most are those which are a result of my contributions to the well-being of children."

The ceremony was hosted by singer Gladys Knight and actor Robert Guillaume. A 90-minute version of the event is scheduled to air on Turner's TBS cable network on Feb. 8.

Reuters/Variety