Lionel Richie set to headline Power of Love gala at MGM Grand

Hit-maker for the ages and Strip resident star Lionel Richie and will be the headliner at the Keep Memory Alive Power of Love gala March 16 at MGM Grand Garden Arena. The annual event raises funds for Keep Memory Alive, the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health’s charitable foundation.

Ruvo Center founder Larry Ruvo and his wife, Camille, have a personal bond with Richie.

“We have always loved his music, and have become friends with him over the years,” Ruvo said Friday. “Two years ago I had my birthday at his house. My 4-year-old granddaughter, Angelia, was singing and dancing to Lionel Richie songs. When I saw that, I realized he has appeal that goes from birth to 100-plus.”

Wolfgang Puck of Spago and Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park head up the culinary team.

Over the years, such stars as Tony Bennett, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Bublé, Celine Dion, Snoop Dogg, Cee Lo Green, Enrique Iglesias, Jon Bon Jovi, LL Cool J, Lenny Kravitz, Barry Manilow and Stevie Wonder have performed at the Power of Love event. Ruvo is not finished with his outreach program. On his wish list for the March event is an act very popular in America. We’ll update as events merit.

Making book

The MSG Sphere at Venetian is a massive project in every which way. As Gov. Brian Sandoval noted, the rounded venue will be as tall as The Venetian tower. “Think about that!” Sandoval said.

We have! And we’ve also put our brain to the 18,000-seat capacity for a music-exclusive venue on the Strip. The Sphere joins a healthy competition among such live-entertainment Vegas venues as T-Mobile Arena, MGM Grand Garden Arena, Mandalay Bay Events Center, The Park Theater, the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Zappos Theater, Pearl Concert Theater and The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel.

But MSG has an ace to play in Irving Azoff. The entertainment exec runs five companies, including Full Stop Management and is also chairman and CEO of Azoff MSG Entertainment, a joint venture with The Madison Square Garden Company. Thus, Azoff is uber-connected with such clients as the Eagles, Christina Aguilera, Journey, John Mayer, Bon Jovi, Jimmy Buffet, Harry Styles, Jennifer Hudson, Gwen Stefani, Van Halen and Lindsey Buckingham.

Azoff stepped down as CEO of Live Nation at the end of 2012. He told Variety magazine this summer that he has three generations of artists: The “Young Squad” with Styles and rapper Travis Scott; the “Middle Squad” with Stefani and Mayer; and the “Sweet Spot” of legacy artists, including the Eagles, Bon Jovi, Journey and Steely Dan.

The Sphere’s target opening is fiscal 2021 (between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021), so those lists will shift — maybe Mayer will be in with the “Sweet Spot” team by by then. Regardless, it’s still an all-star lineup.

Million-dollar gig

Our rocking brethren Jacob Tolliver, Ben Hale, Chris Davis and the single-named Cole headed up a “Million Dollar Quartet” reunion for a private party for the Vision Expo West convention at Brooklyn Bowl on Thursday night. Those three were in the cast during the show’s run from 2012-2016 at Harrah’s Showroom.

Tolliver, forging through serious Vegas Throat problems, was back as Jerry Lee Lewis (he opens for Lewis on tour these days). Hale returned as Johnny Cash, and Cole closed the hourlong set as Elvis. Backing this band was drumming legend Kenny Aranoff, who has performed for years with John Mellencamp and returns with John Fogerty to Encore Theater Oct. 10-20.

The event was sponsored by Vision Source, so it was great to, you know, see everyone.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.