The Living Legends Foundation

What The Living Legends Foundation does

The Living Legends Foundation (LLF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in Los Angeles in 1991 by record industry icon Ray Harris and executives Barbara Lewis, C.C. Evans, and Jerry Boulding, and officially incorporated in 1992. The foundation is structured around three pillars: Service (confidential financial assistance to Black music and radio industry professionals in need), Scholarship (college scholarships for students pursuing behind-the-scenes careers in entertainment, communications, and media), and Legacy Preservation (recognition and archival of Black music industry pioneers). It serves a four-part audience: Black music/radio industry veterans requiring financial aid, college students pursuing entertainment careers, honorees and their families, and a donor/member base of industry professionals, corporations, and individuals.

The foundation's product surface includes the annual LLF Awards Dinner/Gala (its 35th anniversary edition scheduled for October 2, 2026, in Atlanta), the Music Day Podcast distributed on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music, the A.D. Washington Celebrity Golf Tournament benefiting the scholarship fund, the Heroes Behind The Culture content series, the Black Radio Hall of Fame Air Checks archival collection, a financial assistance program, a scholarship program, and a tiered membership program. Technology is not a differentiator; the foundation relies on standard web infrastructure, podcast hosting platforms, and email/newsletter distribution, with no proprietary software, no API or SDK, and no AI/ML capability disclosed.

The business model is donation- and event-driven. Pricing is publicly disclosed: donation tiers from $10 to $500+ (plus custom amounts), $100/year industry membership with free student membership, and $350 per-person gala tickets plus table and journal sponsorship packages. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, leveraging the board's deep industry network, annual gala, golf tournament, podcast, and social media to drive awareness, member enrollment, and fundraising. The foundation is governed by a Board of Directors, operates with 11–50 employees from its Los Angeles headquarters at 187 S. Oxford Avenue, and has event presence in Atlanta and Hampton, Georgia.

Name

The Living Legends Foundation

Legal name

Living Legends Foundation Inc.

Website

https://livinglegendsfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Living Legends Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides financial assistance to Black music and radio industry veterans, college scholarships to students pursuing entertainment careers, and preserves industry legacy through an annual awards gala, podcast, and archival programs. Founded 1991 in Los Angeles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ), College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

Keywords

• Nonprofit foundation services
• Financial assistance programs
• Scholarship programs music
• Legacy preservation events
• Industry membership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Individual and corporate donations are the primary revenue source. The foundation states that all donations go directly to making a difference for causes and programs.
2. Membership Fees: Annual membership dues of $100 for industry members and FREE for students, providing access to the members-only directory and other perks.
3. Event Revenue: Tickets to the annual Awards Gala ($350 per person), table reservations for 10 guests, journal ad placements, and sponsorship packages generate significant revenue.
4. Golf Tournament Revenue: The annual Celebrity Golf Tournament featuring NFL, NBA players and entertainers serves as an alternative fundraiser.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Living Legends Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to Black music and radio industry professionals in need, scholarships to college students pursuing behind-the-scenes entertainment careers, and legacy preservation through an annual Awards Gala, content series, and archival audio collection. The organization operates these programs under three pillars: Service, Scholarship, and Legacy Preservation, and funds them through donations, membership fees, event ticket sales, and sponsorships.

Product overview

The Living Legends Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operating as a single unified entity focused on preserving Black music industry legacy. The organization's core offerings consist of: the Music Day Podcast (a video/audio podcast series), the annual LLF Awards Dinner/Gala, the A.D. Washington Golf Tournament, the Heroes Behind The Culture content series, a Membership Program, the Black Radio Hall of Fame Air Checks archival collection, plus a Financial Assistance Program and Scholarship Program. These programs work together under the Foundation's three pillars: Service (financial assistance), Scholarship (education support), and Legacy Preservation (annual gala and initiatives).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Financial Assistance Program Provides confidential financial aid and critical resources to Black music and radio industry professionals in need, upholding their dignity while protecting their present during life's hardest moments. Designed for industry veterans who made their primary livelihood in the music or radio industry.
• Scholarship Program Awards scholarships to Black college students attending accredited colleges and universities pursuing behind-the-scenes careers in the entertainment, music, communications, and media industries. Ensures new talent continues to flourish in the industry.
• LLF Awards Dinner/Gala Annual awards gala celebrating and preserving the legacy of Black music executives, fostering intergenerational dialogue with current and future leaders. Features honoree recognition, dinner, table sponsorships, and journal ad placements. The 35th anniversary gala is scheduled for October 2, 2026 in Atlanta at Florish Atlanta.
• A.D. Washington Celebrity Golf Tournament Annual celebrity golf tournament fundraiser featuring players from the NFL, NBA, and music entertainers, with proceeds benefiting the LLF Scholarship Fund. Serves as an alternative fundraising vehicle for the foundation.
• LLF Membership Program Industry and student membership program offering annual dues ($100 for industry professionals, FREE for students), membership cards, members-only directory inclusion, ability to recommend honorees, and networking and professional development opportunities.
• Music Day Podcast A verified hit podcast featuring discussions with independent artists and aspiring music executives about the music and entertainment business. Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music.
• Heroes Behind The Culture (HBTC) A content series celebrating heroes of Black music and culture during Black Music Month and throughout the year, featuring profiles of industry professionals making significant contributions to the industry.
• Black Radio Hall of Fame Air Checks An archival collection of audio recordings featuring legendary Black radio personalities including Frankie Crocker, Tom Joyner, Herb Kent, Donnie Simpson, and others, preserving the history of Black radio broadcasting.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $100,000 in financial assistance provided to industry professionals in need
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Florish By Legendary (Event Venue)minorOthers · 2 October 2026Event venue partner hosting the 35th Anniversary Awards Gala on October 2, 2026 at 3143 Maple Drive Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30305.
• Crystal Lake Golf and Country ClubminorOthers · 18 April 2026Golf tournament venue partner for the 13th Annual A.D. Washington Golf Tournament benefiting the LLF Scholarship Fund.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MusiCares: MusiCares is the Recording Academy's charitable arm, providing financial assistance, health programs, and rehabilitation services to music professionals in need — the closest structural and functional analog to LLF's financial-assistance pillar.
• The Actors Fund: The Actors Fund provides social services, financial assistance, and emergency support to professionals across performing arts and entertainment — directly comparable in mission and beneficiary profile, though broader than music.
• Country Music Association Foundation: The CMA Foundation supports music professionals and music education within the country music genre, mirroring LLF's music-genre-specific philanthropic and educational model with comparable gala-driven fundraising.
• The Blues Foundation: The Blues Foundation preserves blues music history and supports blues musicians through grants and education programs, paralleling LLF's combined legacy-preservation and assistance model within an adjacent Black-music genre.
• Jazz Foundation of America: The Jazz Foundation of America provides financial aid, housing support, and emergency assistance to elder jazz and blues musicians — directly parallel to LLF's focus on aging Black music-industry pioneers, with a similarly cultural-preservation lens.
• Sweet Relief Musicians Fund: Sweet Relief provides direct financial assistance to musicians and music industry workers facing illness, disability, or hardship, operating a similar donation-driven model with comparable service population to LLF's veteran assistance program.

Regional players

• Help Musicians UK: Help Musicians is the UK's largest charity for working musicians, providing financial aid, health and welfare support, and career development — directly parallel in model, but serving UK-based music professionals rather than US.
• Unison Fund: Unison Fund provides counseling, financial assistance, and health resources to Canadian music professionals, operating as a geographic twin to LLF's mission but serving the Canadian music industry exclusively.

Emerging players

• National Museum of African American Music: NMAAM is a Nashville-based institution preserving Black music heritage through exhibitions and programming, offering a venue-based complement to LLF's event-and-archive preservation model.

Broad incumbents

• GRAMMY Foundation (MusiCares Foundation / Recording Academy): The GRAMMY Foundation funds music education and research while its sibling MusiCares provides direct assistance; together they form the broader incumbent infrastructure that LLF operates alongside in entertainment philanthropy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@thelivinglegendsfoundationinc
• Xx.com/thellfinc
• Facebookfacebook.com/LivingLegendsFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-living-legends-foundation-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Living Legends Foundation