Hollywood Christmas Parade Announces Talent Lineup for 85th Anniversary Celebration

The 85 th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade, the largest Christmas event in America, announces the 2016 talent lineup for its landmark anniversary celebration. With Olivia Newton-John as Grand Marshal, musical performances will be featured during the parade and national telecast, and will include the following artists: Olivia Newton-John; Cyndi Lauper; Kenny G; WAR; Eric Bent; Scotty McCreery; The Empty Hearts super group with All Star membersfrom Blondie, The Cars, Chesterfield Kings and The Romantics; Band Of Merrymakers; and more. The parade will also showcase a special magic performance by the stars of the CW's hit series, "Masters of Illusion."

Olivia Newton-John has been named this year's Grand Marshal, and the event will be presented and produced by Associated Television International, in association with The City of Los Angeles. Thelive parade, taped for network television, will take place on Hollywood Boulevard on Sunday, November 27, 2016, at 5:00 p.m. The parade's telecast will be hosted by Erik Estrada, Laura McKenzie, Dean Cain and Montel Williams, with special co-hosts Elizabeth Stanton and Garrett Clayton.

The 85th Annual HOLLYWOOD CHRISTMAS PARADE will premiere as a two-hour primetime special onThe CW Network onFriday, December 16, 2016 at8:00 p.m. ET/PT/7:00 Central, repeating on the Hallmark CHANNEL on a date TBA and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel on Wednesday, December 21, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. ET/PT/2:00 p.m. Central.

The parade, benefiting the Marine Toys for Tots program, which is essential in providing gifts to less fortunate children everywhere, will also air to more than one million American servicemen and women worldwide on American Forces Network. A true Hollywood yearly tradition, the parade attracts more than one million in attendance each year, with larger than life inflatable character balloons, award winning bands, colorful equestrians, ornate floats, popular characters/novelties, celebrity filled cars and, of course, Santa Claus making the much heralded trek down the over three mile parade route.

There are a limited number of Grandstand Seats for the 2016 HOLLYWOOD CHRISTMAS PARADE still available for purchase. Tickets range in price from $45 - $85, depending on your seating location. Tickets can be purchased online at: http://thehollywoodchristmasparade.org/tickets-pricing/ and through Ticketmaster at http://www.Ticketmaster.com/HCP or by calling 800-745-3000. A limited number of tickets are available at $24.50 through Groupon at
https://www.groupon.com/deals/gl-the-hollywood-christmas-parade-on-11-27-16

For information about Group Rates and general questions, please call the 24/7 HOLLYWOOD CHRISTMAS PARADE Hotline toll free at 1-866-PARADE1 (1-866-727-2331). For highlights of past parades, and to learn more about this year's 85th Anniversary, please visit the parade's official website at www.thehollywoodchristmasparade.org. Stay in touch with us via
https://www.facebook.com/xmasparade/ and https://twitter.com/HlywdChristmas @HlywdChristmas #HollywoodChristmasParade #The HCP2016

About the performers:

Olivia Newton-John (http://www.olivianewton-john.com/)

With a career spanning more than five decades, and more than 100 million albums sold, Olivia's successes include four Grammys, numerous Country Music, American Music, Billboard and People's Choice Awards, an Emmy Award, 10 #1 hits and more than 15 Top 10 singles. She recently scored another #1 hit, this time on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, with "You Have to Believe," a duet with her daughter Chloe Lattanzi. In 1978, her co-starring role with John Travolta in Grease catapulted Olivia into super-stardom and to date remains the most successful movie musical of all time. In 1992, Olivia was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her personal triumph against cancer led her to announce her partnership with the Austin Health and the creation of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre (ONJCWRC) in her hometown of Melbourne, Australia. After nearly 10 years of fundraising close to $200 million, the ONJCWRC opened its doors in 2012. The Centre provides a comprehensive range of services and facilities for cancer treatment, education, training and research as well as a dedicated wellness center (oliviaappeal.com). In 2014, the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, a not-for-profit medical research institute within the Centre was launched. Olivia also launched the Liv Aid, a breast self-examination aid that assists women to exercise breast self-exams correctly. She is now cancer free, and has become a passionate advocate in creating awareness for early detection and encouraging women to take a more active role in their breast health.

Cyndi Lauper (http://cyndilauper.com/)

Cyndi Lauper is a Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning artist who, after 30 sterling years and global record sales in excess of 50 million albums, has proven that she has the heart and soul to keep her legion of fans compelled by her every creative move. With her first album, She's So Unusual, Lauper won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist and became the first female in history to have four top-five singles from a debut album. Her 11 th studio album released this year titled Detour, features her signature take on country classics from the '40s, '50s, and '60s and includes collaborations by some of country music's most-celebrated artists such as Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, and Alison Kraus.

Kenny G (http://www.kennyg.com/splash)

In a recording career that spans almost three decades and 23 albums, Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Kenny G has grafted elements of R&B, pop and Latin to a jazz foundation solidifying his reputation as the premiere artist in contemporary jazz. Since the early '80s, his combination of unparalleled instrumental chops and indelible melodies has resulted in sales of more than 75 million records worldwide (45 million in the U.S. alone) and more than a dozen climbs to the top of Billboard's contemporary jazz chart.

WAR (http://www.war.com/)

With its multi-ethnic line-up, and groundbreaking styles, including jazz, rock, funk, soul, R&B and Latin, WAR is the quintessential Los Angeles street band featuring lead singer/keyboardist Lonnie Jordan, percussionist SAl Rodriguez, percussionist Marcos Reyes, guitarist Stuart Ziff, bassist Rene Camacho, saxophone/flutist David Urquidi and harmonica player Stanley Behrens. WAR has achieved 31 Gold, Platinum and Multi-Platinum RIAA sales honors; 11 Top 10 pop hits; and 20 Top 10 R&B hits, including "Low Rider," "Spill the Wine," "Why Can't We Be Friends," "The Cisco Kid," "The World is a Ghetto," "Gypsy Man," and "Summer."

Eric Bent (http://www.ericbenet.net/)

Grammy nominated R&B crooner, songwriter and actor Eric Bent is currently preparing for the release of his eighth studio album. Eric's most recent CD, THE ONE, was released in 2012 on Jordan House Records created in partnership with EMI. His debut solo album on Warner Bros. Records, TRUE TO MYSELF was released in 1996. His 1999 album, A DAY IN THE LIFE, featured his smash hit "Spend My Life with You (ft. Tamia)," which rose to #1 on the US Billboard R&B chart, was certified gold, and nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group." The album also won a Soul Train Music Award for "Best R&B/Soul Album, Male."

Scotty McCreery (http://www.scottymccreery.com/)

Scotty McCreery burst onto the national music scene in 2011 at age 17, quickly establishing himself as one of country music's hottest new stars. Now in his early 20s, the talented singer/songwriter has album sales approaching three million, and received both Platinum and Gold album certifications, debuted three consecutive albums at No. 1 on a Billboard chart, and achieved one Gold and three Platinum-certified singles as well as two Top Ten hits. McCreery has toured with Brad Paisley and Rascal Flatts, headlined his own tours, earned industry and fan accolades, and was named "Best American Idol" by the readers of The Los Angeles Times and "Country Music's Sexiest Man" by the readers of NASH Country Weekly Magazine. He has amassed more than three million followers on Facebook and Twitter, and received more than 150 million Youtube views. And with the release of his first book Go Big or Go Home: THE JOURNEY Toward the Dream in 2016, he can also add the title of "author" to his resume.

Band of Merrymakers (http://bandofmerrymakers.com/)

Band of Merrymakers is a rotating holiday supergroup of travelling troubadours, led by Sugar Ray front man Mark McGrath and hit songwriters/producers Kevin Griffin (Taylor Swift, Sugarland, James Blunt, Howie Day...also of Better Than Ezra) and Sam Hollander (Train, One Direction, Panic! At the Disco, Pentatonix). Band of Merrymakers will perform throughout the holiday season on televisionin relation to their new Christmas album A VERY MERRY MEDLEY. The album features special guests: 3OH!3, Alex & Sierra, Andrew McMahon (Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness), Bebe Rexha, Charles Kelley (Lady Antebellum), Christina Perri, Dan Wilson (Semisonic), David Hodges (Evanescence), David Ryan Harris, Firekid, Jason Wade (Lifehouse), Lisa Loeb, CONSTANTINE Maroulis, Michael "Fitz" Fitzpatrick (Fitz and The Tantrums), Natasha Bedingfield, Nick Hexum (311), Owl City, Sinclair, Smallpools, Streetcorner Symphony, The Grand Southern, The Mowglis and Tyler Glenn (Neon Trees).

The Empty Hearts (www.theemptyhearts.com)

The Empty Hearts is a super group featuring members of Blondie, The Cars, Chesterfield Kings and The Romantics, whose name was christened by Little Steven Van Zant. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer Clem Burke; two-time GRAMMY nominee, MTV Video of the Year Award-winning and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee guitarist Elliot Easton; bassist Andy Babiuk; and lead singer/rhythm guitarist Wally Palmer, have parlayed a combined lifetime in rock. Produced by Ed Stasium (The Ramones), the band's forthcoming release titled "It's Christmastime," was co-written by Little Steven Van Zant and the band; with special guest vocals by The Bangles' Debbie and Vickie Peterson.

SOURCE Associated Television International

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