LAS VEGAS — Timeless Communications presented the 2006 Parnelli Awards on Friday, October 20, at the Venetian Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Named in honor of production and tour manager Rick "Parnelli" O'Brien, the awards are meant to acknowledge the achievements of the best in the business, and this year's ceremony accomplished precisely that. Topping the list of honorees were Jere Harris, of Production Resource Group, as winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award and Bill Hanley, legendary sound engineer, as winner of the Audio Innovator Award.
Other individual winners of the evening included Steve Cohen (Lighting Designer), Bruce Rodgers (Set/Scenic Designer), Breckinridge Haggerty (Video Director), Earl Neal (Monitor Mixer), Dirk Durham (FOH Mixer), Mick Potter (Sound Designer), Dale "Opie" Skjerseth (Production Manager) and David Milam (Tour Manager).
Company awards went to Bandit Lites (Lighting), Brown United (Staging), All Access (Set Construction), Screenworks NEP (Video Rental), Branam West Coast (Rigging), Delicate Productions (Regional Lighting), Pyrotek Special Effects (Pyro), Sound Image (Sound), Clearwing Productions (Sound), Hemphill Brothers Coach Company (Coach Company), Upstaging (Trucking) and Rock-It Cargo (Freight Forwarding).
With as many as 370 in attendance, the evening began with a cocktail gathering, but it also included the Showlites reunion and the production surrounding the awards themselves. Befitting the guests of honor for the evening, the gala event came complete with full lighting, video and sound, with Kent Black serving as production manager.
Congratulations to all the nominees, winners and to those who put the show itself together.
