LAS VEGAS—The Parnelli Awards Board of Directors announced that Stan Miller, longtime sound engineer for Neil Diamond, will receive the Parnelli Audio Innovator Award. Nominations for other Parnelli award categories are now open at www.parnelliawards.com, and new sponsors have been named. “Stan wasn’t on the cutting edge, he was on the bleeding edge,” said Larry Italia of Yamaha Pro Audio, who Miller consulted with in developing digital audio technology. “He is fearless, has remarkable instincts, and possesses a wonderfully curious mind.”
For Neil Diamond, Miller designed the sound system and worked the sound console for his record-breaking world tours. Miller was also one of the first to hang speakers, and was the first to use multi-core snakes allowing for easier cable hook up.
Later, Miller consulted with the pro audio company JBL to create advanced speakers and rigging for touring as well. He pioneered the used of fiberglass covering for road cases and loudspeakers, making them so reliable that many of his boxes are still on the road 30 years later. He is known for his pioneering work in digital audio, and his work with Yamaha led directly to today’s popular PM1D and PM5D pro audio all digital consoles.
Miller will receive his Parnelli Award at ninth annual Parnelli Awards presentation and dinner, which is set to take place at the Peabody Resort in Orlando, Fla. on Nov. 20, 2009.
The nominating process for other Parnelli awards categories has just begun. To nominate a worthy recipient, go to www.parnelliawards.com and click on the appropriate link. The deadline for nominations is Aug. 31. Shortly thereafter the nominees will be announced and the voting will begin.
The categories include best monitor mixer, sound company, system tech, FOH mixer, coach company, trucking company, freight forwarding, tour manager, and production manager. The “IT” Awards are new this year. Standing for “Indispensable Technology,” these awards recognize innovative and road-worthy audio gear.
“Launching the nomination process is always an exciting time, and we are just as excited to see who gets nominated as anyone else,” said FOH publisher Terry Lowe, who is also executive producer of the Parnelli Awards. “Since the nominating process, and then the voting for who shall take the Parnelli home that night, is done strictly by professional peers, it makes the award that much more of any honor.”
Sponsorship opportunities for the event are still available for the 2009 Parnelli Awards in the Gold, Silver and Production Partner levels.
To date, the Gold Sponsors include: EFM Management, Strictly FX, Brown United, Precise Corporate Staging, Dedicated Staging, Sound Image, Rock-It Cargo, Sennheiser and the Harman International Industries Inc., which includes AKG, BSS, Crown, dbx, DigiTech, JBL, Soundcraft and Studer. All Access Staging & Production and Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems are Silver Sponsors. Production Partner Sponsors include Paradise Sound & Lighting (audio); Techni-Lux (lighting); Aerial Rigging (rigging); Stage Crew (labor); and PRG (projection).
“We are grateful to have such an array of industry pillars show their support for the Parnellis and give back to the live event community like this,” said Lowe. “These are all innovative, progressive companies who appreciate the value of taking an evening out once a year to honor those talented professionals who work behind the scenes to entertain and inform so many audiences.”
For more information, go to www.parnelliawards.com.
