Power of Love® Gala 2020

Keep Memory Alive’s 24th annual Power of Love® gala brought top artists and performers Billy Ray Cyrus, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Kelsey Grammer, Sammy Hagar, Derek Hough, Chris Isaak, Jimmy Kimmel, Katlyn Nichol, Greg Phillinganes and more together to honor music legend Neil Diamond and raise crucial funds and awareness for Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.

Also in attendance were Paula Abdul, star of E!’s hit TV show “Botched” Paul Nassif, M.D.,  “Bar Rescue” star Jon Taffer, British singer Matt Goss, jeweler Steven Lagos, chef Hubert Keller, magician Hans Klok, photocomposer Ryszard Horowitz and owner Mark Davis, president Marc Badain and coach Jon Gruden of the Las Vegas Raiders.

Keep Memory Alive Founder and Chairman Larry Ruvo and Kimmel presented Diamond with an award in honor of his impactful musical contributions to the world, followed by a proclamation of March 7 as “Neil Diamond Day” in Las Vegas.

Diamond said, “I’m feeling great. This is an important thing they’re doing and I feel honored to be part of it and take part in it.”

Diamond then took to the stage, delivering a surprise mini concert of his hits including, “Hello Again,” “Forever in Blue Jeans,” “Cracklin’ Rosie,” “Love on Rocks,” “I Am…I Said” and “September Morn.” The audience jumped to their feet and sang along for a finale of “Sweet Caroline,” as Cyrus, Hagar, Isaak, Kimmel and Nichols joined him on stage. Marking his first live performance since announcing his retirement from touring in 2018 due to his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, Diamond looked great, wearing a black leather jacket and sounding as if no time had passed.

Earlier in the evening, Larry Ruvo and Keep Memory Alive Vice Chairwoman and Co-Founder Camille Ruvo presented Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson with the Keep Memory Alive Community Leadership award. 

Stars shared their personal connections to the cause, including Isaak who talked about playing music for his mother currently in a memory care facility; Klok, whose mother passed away from Alzheimer’s in December; and Abdul, whose father was treated at Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, saying, “It’s the one disease that’s so unforgiving. You never get to wear a shirt that says I survived Alzheimer’s.”

Celebrity chefs Wolfgang Puck and Masaharu Morimoto prepared exquisite cuisine paired with wines from Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits, followed by a showstopping dessert from MGM Grand Pastry Team that featured a cocktail wrapped with cotton candy.

Guests bid on exceptional experiences and items during the silent and live auctions, including a private dinner with Vegas Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, lunch with David Beckham in Miami, a seven-day cruise off the coast of Australia aboard a superyacht and a luxury suite for the Las Vegas Raiders season home opener.