FRONT AND CENTER SEASON EIGHT FINALE FEATURES SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE NILE RODGERS

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Front and Center, Public Television’s critically acclaimed concert series, will air the finale of its star studded eighth season on March 9^th.  The episode features highlights from Nile Rodgers’ induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, performances of “We Are Family” and “Le Freak,” as well as insightful storytelling about his songwriting process and an intimate performance from the McKittrick Hotel in New York City.   View the trailer for this episode here:  https://youtu.be/O8xOnx9H_k0

“Nile is respected and admired by his fans and peers alike not only for his multi-/cross-genre music, but also for his curiosity and eagerness to discover the next new wave of music,” said SHOF President and CEO Linda Moran. “It is most fitting that Nile kick off our new partnership with Front and Center as there is no one better than Nile Rodgers to get the message across loud and clear, with unbridled passion and extreme eloquence, that it all begins with a song!”

“It’s an honor to partner with The Songwriters Hall of Fame and Nile Rodgers as part of the Front and Center series” said Executive Producer Don Maggi.  “Nile’s show reinforces why he’s a musical pioneer and member of the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.  His passion, talent and unique ability to tell a story is on full display in this episode.  It was our pleasure to work with Nile, Linda Moran and her team at the Songwriters Hall of Fame.  We look forward to additional shows in 2018.”

Among music legends, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Nile Rodgers is truly exceptional. He amplifies his legacy as a multiple GRAMMY-winning composer, producer, arranger and guitarist by constantly traversing new musical terrain and successfully expanding the boundaries of popular music. As the co-founder of CHIC, Rodgers pioneered a musical language that generated chart-topping hits like “Le Freak,” sparked the advent of hip-hop with “Good Times”.  His work in the CHIC Organization and his productions for artists like David Bowie, Diana Ross and Madonna have sold over 300 million albums and 50 million singles worldwide while his innovative, trendsetting collaborations with Daft Punk, Avicii, Sigala, Disclosure and Sam Smith reflect the vanguard of contemporary music.

Season eight of Front and Center boasted an all new line-up of Grammy Award winners, Billboard chart toppers, CMA Awards winners, and emerging artists.  The 10 new episodes included intimate performances from Liam Gallagher, Mike + the Mechanics, Beth Hart, Sheryl Crow, Seal, Jack Johnson, and Nile Rodgers as well as Miranda Lambert, Clint Black and a twin bill featuring Kane Brown and Luke Combs, as part of Front and Center’s ongoing partnership with the Country Music Association and the CMA Songwriters Series presented by U.S. Bank.  All air dates and times are available here: http://www.pbs.org/show/front-and-center/

Videos and more information about Front and Center are available at www.frontandcenter.com and www.youtube.com/frontandcentertv.

Front and Center is a production of Front and Center Entertainment, LLC in association with WLIW LLC for WNET. The series is distributed by American Public Television.

Front and Center funding is provided by U.S. Bank, Asbury Park Music and Film Festival, Student Transportation, and Citi.

About Front and Center Entertainment:

Front and Center Entertainment, LLC produces the popular music performance television series Front and Center as well as the groundbreaking talk show Speakeasy and the monthly series MTV Live: Setlist. Since 2012 Front and Center has presented an eclectic mix of Grammy, Country Music Association, American Music and Academy of Country Music Award winners, rock icons and multi-platinum sellers including Keith Urban, Steven Tyler, Cyndi Lauper, Counting Crows, Rob Thomas, and The Avett Brothers. Speakeasy, which began airing in January 2015, features an iconic talent chatting intimately with an interviewer of their choice.  Included are conversations with Roger Waters and Bill Weir, David Crosby and Wynton Marsalis, Nile Rodgers and Valerie Simpson, and Robbie Robertson with Warren Zanes. MTV Live: Setlist spotlights rising artists spanning multiple genres including St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Dua Lipa, and Muna.

About APTAbout WNET
WNET is America’s flagship PBS station and parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21. WNET also operates NJTV, the statewide public media network in New Jersey. Through its broadcast channels, three cable services (THIRTEEN PBSKids, Create and World) and online streaming sites, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to more than five million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, PBS NewsHour Weekend and a range of documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings. WNET’s groundbreaking series for children and young adults include Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase as well as Mission US, the award-winning interactive history game. WNET highlights the tri-state’s unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Theater Close-Up, NJTV News with Mary Alice Williams and MetroFocus, the daily multi-platform news magazine focusing on the New York region. In addition, WNET produces online-only programming including the award-winning series about gender identity, First Person, and an intergenerational look at tech and pop culture, The Chatterbox with Kevin and Grandma Lill. In 2015, THIRTEEN launched Passport, an online streaming service which allows members to see new and archival THIRTEEN and PBS programming anytime, anywhere: www.thirteen.org/passport.

American Public Television (APT) is the leading syndicator of high-quality, top-rated programming to the nation’s public television stations. For more than 10 years, APT has annually distributed one-third or more of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles in the U.S. Founded in 1961, among its 250 new program titles per year, APT programs include prominent documentaries, performance, news and current affairs programs, dramas, how-to programs, children’s series and classic movies. America’s Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated, Cook’s Country, AfroPoP, Rick Steves’ Europe, Chris Kimball’s Milk Street Television, Front and Center, Doc Martin, Nightly Business Report, Midsomer Murders, A Place to Call Home, Lidia’s Kitchen, Globe Trekker, New Orleans Cooking with Kevin Belton, Simply Ming, and P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home are a sampling of APT’s programs, considered some of the most popular on public television. APT licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service. Entering its 13^th year, Create®TV — featuring the best of public television’s lifestyle programming — is distributed by American Public Television. APT also distributes WORLDâ„¢, public television’s premier news, science and documentary channel. To find out more about APT’s programs and services, visit APTonline.org.