This past week, the Charlotte Ledger announced the winners of their annual “Forty Over 40” Award and JazzArts Charlotte is excited to celebrate our President/CEO Lonnie Davis, as one of the deserving award winners this year.

The Charlotte Ledger Forty Over 40 award was created to celebrate local heroes aged 40+ who are striving to make Charlotte a better place in a variety of ways. This year’s group was chosen from an impressive slate of nominees and chosen by a distinguished panel of under-40 judges. Each nominee demonstrated awe-inspiring and thought-provoking stories of innovators and problem-solvers who toil humbly to lift others up, or find gaps in systems and work to fill them.

Lonnie Davis was honored as musician, arts education advocate and the founder and president of JazzArts Charlotte, serving the greater Charlotte region through educational and performance-based programs. “Over just 10 years, Lonnie has helped to build a strong and vibrant organization that has a reputation for high quality programs. Importantly, Lonnie also recognizes the important role that both jazz as an art form and the organization has to teach the community, beyond just music lessons.”

There were many familiar names we are excited to see on that list, such as Larry Farber, jazz’s exciting new partner in performance via Middle C Jazz. We were thrilled to share the page with Glenn Burkins of Q City Metro, and Tim Minor and Matt Olin who give voice to the important creative community of Charlotte in Charlotte is Creative. We enjoyed learning of Reverend Ben Boswell’s work in inclusion through the medium of jazz music in a recent Conversation with Curtis, and this recognition demonstrates his impact. Truly, every name on that list represented the work Charlotteans are doing to enhance the community we enjoy.

For more details on that entire list of individuals making waves in our community, visit the Charlotte Ledger’s full announcement:  Introducing The Ledger’s 40 Over 40 winners.