Annual Out Music Awards Set for World AIDS Day on December 1

The LGBT Academy of Recording Arts (LARA) Chairwoman Diedra MerEdith Announces today that the biggest night in LGBT entertainment will take place on December 1, 2010 on World AIDS Day. The annual OUTmusic Awards will celebrate 20 years of music history in the heart of Times Square at Town Hall NYC (123 West 43rd Street). The OUTmusic Awards celebrates honors and documents the contributions of openly LGBT recording artists and performers in the music industry.

The OUTmusic Awards ceremony is the biggest night in LGBT entertainment and only organization of its kind in the world. The highest and most prestigious honor in the LGBT music industry, the 2010 OMAs will be hosted by comedians Julie Goldman and Jonny McGovern with co-host comedian Tammy Peay with special appearance by the legendary Dr. Carol Channing. A complete list of performers and nominees will be announced in November at the foundation's national press conference, November 1, 2010.

This year, the OMA will honor several exceptional individuals for their excellence in the art of recording, performing and championing for equality. This year's honorees include Melissa Etheridge - Lifetime Achievement Award, Sheryl Lee Ralph - Pillar Award, Wayne Besen - Visionary Award, Chely Wright - Vanguard Award, international disco icon SYLVESTER - OUTmusic Icon Award, Cyndi Lauper - Person of the Year Award, Randy Jones of the Village People Cowboy - Heritage Award and 2005 Kennedy Center 'Women In Music' Honoree Paula 'Sticks' Hampton - The OUTMusic Living Legend Award.

This year, the awards are being held on World AIDS Day to bring attention the increasing number of homeless youth being affected with HIV/AIDS daily. Currently, there is close to 2.5 million homeless people (40 percent LGBT identified) between the ages of 13-25 in America. In advocating for equality in the music industry, the organization is "creating the CHANGE we want to see" with the launch of its Sponsor A Young Person's Initiative. The Sponsor A Young Person Initiative is a series of PSA that include both mainstream and LGBT celebrities, entertainers, musicians and "real" people who work tirelessly daily to help and support homeless youth abandon by their family and love ones. The foundation will put a spotlight on the Next 20 years to celebrate and uplift the NEXT generation. Additional details and participates of the Sponsor A Young Person Initiatives will be announced later this month.

OUTmusic is the premier 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization created to empower, honor, and celebrate the achievements of openly LGBT recording artists and performers. OUTmusic is an advocate on behalf of these artists to raise awareness of their contributions to music and entertainment history.

The Academy encourages and supports openly gay artists and our friends and allies to work together for LGBT equal rights and to help erase the stigma that perpetuates homophobia throughout the world. LARA currently boasts a membership base of over 1,000 recording artists and performers worldwide and is continuously growing.

Founders and life partners Daniel Martin and Michael Biello started OUTmusic 20 years ago in their east village living room to give queer singers, musicians and performers a safe space to authentically express themselves. That one night has evolved into an international organization and is the only organization of its kind in the world.

For updates and information on the 2010 OUTmusic Awards, please visit the newly launched OUTmusic Awards web site www.outmusicawards.com and its social networks on Twitter (www.twitter.com/OUTmusicawards), Facebook (www.facebook.com/OUTmusic).