The North American International Auto Show today announced multiple Grammy-winning composer, producer, arranger, and guitarist Nile Rodgers & CHIC will bring their celebrated dance-floor anthems and chart-topping hits to the signature Black-Tie Charity Preview on Friday, Sept. 16, at Huntington Place in downtown Detroit.
As co-founder of CHIC and chairman of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Rodgers has pioneered a musical language that’s generated hits like “Le Freak,” (the biggest-selling single in the history of Atlantic Records) and sparked the advent of hip-hop with “Good Times.”
Rodgers has transcended all styles of music across every generation with a body of work that has garnered him inductions into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
His production for artists like David Bowie, Diana Ross, and Madonna have sold more than 500 million albums and 75 million singles worldwide, while his collaborations with Daft Punk, Avicii, Keith Urban, Disclosure, Sam Smith, and Lady Gaga reflect the vanguard of contemporary music.
Tickets to the Black-Tie Charity Preview are $400 each or $700 a pair and are available at naias.com. Huntington is the presenting sponsor of the 2022 Charity Preview, and WXYZ-TV Channel 7 is the official television partner of the gala.
New for 2022, Charity Preview will be expanded to both indoors and outdoors. Entertainment will be featured on three stages, including one on the main auto show floor in Huntington Place, a second in the Huntington Place Atrium, and a third in Hart Plaza (that is open to the public).
Inside on the auto show floor, Rodgers & CHIC will get the crowd on their feet while indoor vehicle activations take them for a drive in some of the industry’s latest vehicles. Longtime Detroit Auto Show favorite Your Generation in Concert also will entertain Charity Preview guests from the Huntington Place Atrium stage, highlighting five decades of pop, rock, dance, and R&B hits.
Outside in Hart Plaza, the public is invited to join in celebrating Detroit with a variety of entertainment, including homegrown Detroit artists. Some of the city’s most popular street food will also be available for purchase.
“This year’s Charity Preview will be three parties in one,” says Joe Lunghamer, 2022 chairman of the Detroit Auto Show. “We wanted to make this first-year back (from COVID-19) an event to remember by celebrating with the entire community and by featuring artists that have multi-generational appeal. It’s going to be a great night for supporting the children in Southeastern Michigan and our local businesses, not to mention, a great night for some serious dancing.”
Schedule of Events for 2022 Charity Preview
Huntington Place (Open to ticketed Charity Preview guests):
- 5 – 6 p.m. – Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in Huntington Place Atrium
- 6 – 9 p.m. – Auto show floor open
- 8 – 9 p.m. – Nile Rodgers & CHIC perform on auto show floor
- 9 – 11 p.m. – Your Generation in Concert perform in Huntington Place Atrium
Hart Plaza (Public Invited):
- 6 – 11 p.m. – Outdoor entertainment featured and street food available for purchase
Charity Preview has raised more than $100 million for children’s charities in southeastern Michigan over the past 25 years alone. In total, the event has generated $121 million-plus since its inception in 1976. Beneficiaries for this year’s Charity Preview include:
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan
- The Children’s Center
- The Children’s Foundation
- Detroit Auto Dealers Association Charitable Foundation Fund, a fund of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan
- Detroit PAL
- University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital
The North American International Auto Show is one of the most influential annual automotive events in the world and a showcase for emerging technologies.
This year’s event ushers in the next-generation auto show in Detroit featuring a totally transformed indoor and outdoor experience, including brand-defining vehicles, product ride-and-drives, and experiential activations.
The reimagined event includes: AutoMobili-D, an inside look at future mobility platforms; Media Day, an opportunity for automakers and industry suppliers to debut new products and technologies; Industry Tech Days, a chance to preview emerging mobility technologies and engage with innovators; Charity Preview, a signature fundraising gala for children’s charities; and the Public Show, a nine-day mobility and community celebration with activations and entertainment citywide. For more information, visit naias.com.
Dates for the 2022 Detroit Auto Show are:
- Media Day, Wednesday, Sept. 14
- AutoMobili-D and Industry Tech Days, Wednesday, Sept. 14 and Thursday, Sept. 15
- Charity Preview, Friday, Sept. 16
- Public Show, Saturday, Sept. 17 through Sunday, Sept. 25
For more information, including ticket sales, visit www.naias.com.
