Sun Nan Receives President's Merit Award at GRAMMY Salute to China

Sun Nan, this year's winner of "China Star," a pop music TV show authorized by The Recording Academy® in China, was honored with the Recording Academy's President's Merit Award yesterday (11). The honor also marked the successful partnership between The Recording Academy® and China Recording Association of building an effective channel for Sino-US cultural exchange.

"China Star" was produced by Starry Production, in partnership with Dragon TV, China Recording Association and The Recording Academy. It provided an outlet for Chinese musicians to receive international attention and introduce them to the world by building a platform for international music and cultural exchange. An international judging panel was formed with judges from China Recording Association and The Recording Academy, including Peter Asher, Harvey Mason Jr., Mindi Abair and Beth Cohen.

After 12 rounds of competitions, Sun Nan won the championship, garnering the President's Merit Award presented by Neil Portnow, the President and CEO of The Recording Academy.

Sun Nan, a well-known singer of China, released his first album, the moon, in 1990. He sang the end-title song for the 1999 film Be There or Be Square directed by Feng Xiaogang. Sun Nan has received many music awards, including the CMA best male singer and CCTV-MTV best male singer. He's performed eight times on a most important stage in China: the Spring Festival Gala. In his over 20 years career, Sun Nan devotes himself to public welfare undertaking, helping the poor and young.

About The Recording Academy
Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, songwriters, producers, engineers, and recording professionals dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards - the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music - The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education, and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @TheGRAMMYs on Twitter, "like" The GRAMMYs on Facebook and join the GRAMMYs' social communities on Google+, Instagram, Tumblr, and YouTube.