Stevie Nicks and Jackson Browne perform at gala honouring Larry Mestel
Developing story first seen 3 hours ago
The City of Hope gala honoured music executive Larry Mestel, who said recent cancer deaths in his family had made the cause personal and called the award a call to action. Stevie Nicks closed the Los Angeles event with an acoustic performance of “Landslide” and spoke about the organisation’s importance to her.
Jackson Browne and Melissa Etheridge also performed, while Pete Townshend appeared virtually. The gala aimed to raise $10 million for CAR T cell therapy, other cellular immunotherapies and advanced breast cancer research and care; some donations were matched by Primary Wave staff, and public auctions offered music memorabilia.
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In short
- Larry Mestel was honoured for supporting City of Hope.
- He said cancer had become personal after family losses.
- The gala aimed to raise $10 million for cancer care and research.
How this story developed
- 1 hour ago Mestel said City of Hope’s work had changed how he viewed his legacy, while organisers set a $10 million fundraising target for cellular immunotherapies and advanced breast cancer research and care, supported by staff donation matches and public auctions.
- 1 hour ago City of Hope’s Los Angeles gala honoured music executive Larry Mestel, who said cancer deaths in his family had made the cause personal, and featured performances by Stevie Nicks, Jackson Browne and Melissa Etheridge, plus a virtual appearance by Pete Townshend.
Full account
City of Hope’s annual Spirit of Life gala took place at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood on Tuesday, 27 October, with Primary Wave founder and chief executive Larry Mestel receiving the organisation’s Spirit of Life award. The event brought together music industry figures and artists whose careers have crossed paths with Mestel and his company, including Stevie Nicks, Jackson Browne and Melissa Etheridge.
Mestel used his acceptance speech to describe how cancer had become a personal cause after his sister and uncle died from the disease within the past year. He said the award represented a responsibility to do more, and spoke about wanting his business to make a positive contribution beyond its commercial success. He also praised City of Hope doctor Leo Wang, joking that Wang was the night’s real rock star because he treated children with cancer, while Mestel bought music catalogues.
Etheridge, who has spoken publicly about surviving breast cancer, performed before introducing Mestel. She recalled knowing him since his time at Island Records and praised his support for artists. Browne also performed, while Nicks closed the programme with an acoustic version of “Landslide”. She described the importance of City of Hope to her, citing four people close to her who had received care there. Pete Townshend contributed a performance recorded remotely; Paul Anka also sent a video tribute and song.
The gala supports City of Hope’s cancer research and treatment, including CAR T-cell therapy and other cellular immunotherapies. Mestel had set a fundraising goal of $10 million for the campaign. City of Hope’s music, film and entertainment industry group has raised more than $180 million over its history, though the reported accounts did not give a final total for this year’s event.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
Source 1 foregrounds Mestel’s reflections on legacy, grief and philanthropy, and gives more detail about Nicks’s closing performance and City of Hope’s research priorities. Source 2 places the gala in the context of past Spirit of Life recipients and the entertainment executives attending, and gives greater prominence to Etheridge’s remarks and the recorded contributions from Paul Anka and Townshend.
The accounts describe Townshend’s remote appearance differently: Source 1 says he could not attend for a medical reason, while Source 2 says he and Anka recorded video messages and performances without stating why Townshend was absent. Source 1 says the gala aimed to raise $10 million; Source 2 notes that no amount raised had yet been disclosed.
Explained simply
City of Hope is a US cancer research and treatment organisation. Its annual Spirit of Life gala brings together supporters and performers to raise money for its work.
Larry Mestel founded Primary Wave, a music publishing and talent management company. He was recognised for supporting City of Hope; the gala’s fundraising was intended to support cancer research and care, including CAR T cell therapy, a type of treatment that uses a patient’s immune cells to target cancer.
Coverage · 2 sources
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Billboard as “Inside the City of Hope Gala: Stevie Nicks, Jackson Browne & More Honor Primary Wave’s Larry Mestel”.