BOSTON, MA, September 23, 2005 — Abraham Laboriel, Patrice Rushen, and Steve Gadd received honorary doctor of music degrees for their outstanding contributions to contemporary music, and treated the crowd to a surprise performance at Berklee College of Music's 2005 Entering Student Convocation, Friday, September 9, 2005, at the Berklee Performance Center. The three honorees, Berklee President Roger Brown, and Vice President for Student Affairs Lawrence E. Bethune, welcomed approximately 815 students from more than 75 countries, at the ceremony.

Press: to inquire about photo availability and usage, please e-mail us. From left: Steve Gadd, Patrice Rushen, Honorees Abraham Laboriel Photo by Phil Farnsworth

Accepting his honorary doctorate from President Brown, 1972 Berklee graduate Abraham Laboriel, who with over 600 album credits is one of the most recorded and influential electric bassists of all time, said, "As a student, Berklee gave me the foundation to be current and change with the times. Also, across the street from my dorm I saw and met the love of my life — my wife, Lynn — so it is also here that I got the foundation for the rest of my life. We have given Berklee our biggest endorsement. My sons Mateo and Abe Jr. [currently Paul McCartney's drummer] went through the Berklee experience and now they're thriving in their careers."

"I learned a lot about music here, but most importantly, I met so many teachers and students who cared about me while I was figuring out who I was," said Laboriel. "Music is not a competitive sport, it is a communal activity. So love one another and give rise to music that is worth making."

In her acceptance speech, renowned recording artist, composer, producer, and music director, Patrice Rushen, extended a profound "thank you" to the entire Berklee community and encouraged the college to keep doing exactly what its doing. "Keep feeding the environment of musicianship and excellence. As a professional, it's inspiring to feel that energy, and to know that there's a place we can go to go to plug into that energy," said Rushen. "Thank you for making me a part of your Berklee family."

Steve Gadd, one of the most in-demand drummers in the world, and who has worked with such artists as Joe Cocker, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, and Aretha Franklin, among many others, said after accepting his degree that the honor was extra-special because he was sharing the moment with Rushen, and Laboriel, two of his closest musical peers. "This is probably my only chance to get a honorary degree because I'm not the greatest student in the world," said Gadd. "But I love music. I found one thing that I loved and I just kept on doing it … and if I can do it, I believe you all can do it. Welcome aboard."

For the concert portion of the ceremony, Laboriel, Rushen, and Gadd — who throughout their careers have played together a countless number of times — joined Berklee upperclassmen on stage for an exhilarating surprise performance. The three honorees turned in memorable solos on "Bye Bye Blackbird," as well as on Laboriel's composition "Anunciaco," which featured his son and 2004 Berklee graduate, Mateo, on guitar. As the evening came to a close, an ecstatic crowd thanked the musicians with a long standing ovation.

Berklee College of Music was founded on the revolutionary principle that the best way to prepare students for careers in music was through the study and practice of contemporary music. For over half a century, the college has evolved constantly to reflect the state of the art of music and the music business. With over a dozen performance and nonperformance majors, a diverse and talented student body representing over 70 countries, and a music industry "who's who" of alumni, Berklee is the world's premier learning lab for the music of today — and tomorrow.

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