Lou Gramm, One of Rock N Roll's most distinctive voices of the 70's and 80's. Lou was the lead singer and co-songwriter of the ironic band Foreigner and his huge solo career Gramm helped churn out seven multi-platinum albums and twenty Top 40 Hit Singles, like Cold as Ice, Feels like the First Time, Juke Box Hero, I Want to Know What Love Is, Double Vision, Midnight Blue, Urgent just to name a few. Rolling Stone Magazine called him " The Pavarotti of The Power Rock Ballad". Gramm wrote poignantly about his life and all of its ups and downs including his battle with addiction and how he recovered in his Best-Selling 2013 autobiography "Juke Box Hero My Five Decades of Rock N Roll" co-authored with journalist Scott Pitoniak.
Scott, a nationally honored columnist and best selling author in his 42 years as a journalist also hosts The Radio Press Box from 3-7 weekdays on ESPN Radio 95.7 FM,writes a weekly column for TheRochester Business Journal, covers the AFC East for USA Today, SportsWeekly, and the Buffalo Bills for WROC-TV. Scott, a Syracuse University Alumni has authored 18 books through out his career and is the member of four hall of fames and is the recipient of more than 100 national and state writing awards. Three times The Associated Press Sports Editors has named Scott one of the top ten columnists in America. Scott is heavily involved in community service helping such organizations as The Rochester Press Radio Children's Charities raise close to $700,000 in the past ten years.
"Lou Gramm and Scott Pitoniak getting together to write" Juke Box Hero" was absolutely the best thing that could have happened."said David Attridge, Director of The Rochester Recovery Film Festival. "With Lou having the courage to share his experience, strength and hope on a worldwide level and Scott able to take those words and bring them to life has definitely resulted in not only a best selling book but has broughy recovery awareness to light on a worldwide level and also possibly saved some lives by showing that recovery is not only possible but available" continued Attridge.
The Rob (G)iannotti Recovery Awareness Award is presented each year to individuals that show their community on whatever level that you can recover and services are their to help, no matter what your situation is or who you are.
The Recovery Awareness award is named after Rob (G)iannotti. Rob was a Recovering addict who if you had ever met Rob you never forgot Rob. When Rob began his journey into recovery, his whole goal in life was to better his life and those around him. Rob was the first contact with many, many newcomers entering this new life of recovery but that was not your last contact with Rob, Rob followed up with phone calls of encouragement and support. Rob made sure that you stayed on track and his amazing personality made you want to achieve that life. During Rob's recovery he was a student at SUNY Brockport College seeking a degree in order to help more people in finding out about Recovery and how to succeed in that new life. Rob never had a second thought about all the volunteer work and all of the beyond volunteer work he did for people living for the motto that you have to give it away to get it back.
"Rob was the first person I had contact with once I entered inpatient rehabilitation, I was so broken down after having had an overdose that landed me in a coma for so many days. I had never met Rob before but he made am impact on me with his contagious personality and never ending humor. Rob definitely showed me that life could go on and every step of the way was worth it. I can definitely tell you, if it wasn't for Rob being that first contact I had and his encouragement and his love for life, I wouldn't be here today, I wouldn't have the relationships I have today, I wouldn't have anything I have or have accomplished today. I know of many people that feel the same way and that is why I feel his legacy and his goal of helping others must be continued."said David Attridge, Director of The Rochester Recovery Film Festival
You can see Scott Pitoniak receive his award and hear his talk about how the emotional sessions he had with Lou discussing his addiction and how Lou recovered and continues to recover everyday. Along with the effect those sessions had on him at The Rochester Recovery Film Festival Award Banquet on Saturday September 13, 2014 at Monroe Community College in Rochester,NY.
The following day come Sunday, September 14, 2014 come see Lou accept his award at Monroe Community College and hear Lou speak of his addiction and how he continues to live a life of freedom from active addiction.
Weekend Passes, Daily Passes and Banquet Tickets are all available at the festival's website www.rochesterrecoveryfilmfestival.org
Award Banquet Tickets will not only get you a great evening of food,Awards and great talks but it will also get you a signed copy of "Juke Box Hero" by Lou Gramm and Scott Pitoniak. Also you will receive VIP Seating to hear Lou Gramm accept his award and hear his talk on his addiction and continued recovery.
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