Kristin Chenoweth Earns Grammy Award for Philanthropy

Kristin Chenoweth's work to bolster and support the arts in her hometown of Broken Arrow earned her recognition from the Grammy Awards on Tuesday. 

Chenoweth was presented with a Grammys on the Hill Philanthropist Award at a a Washington, D.C., ceremony that also recognized gospel singer Yolanda Adams, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., for their advocacy for various issues that benefit and support the arts and arts creators. 

Chenoweth's "leadership in the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center has made it the focus of a revitalized arts district," according to a statement on the Grammy Awards website.

Chenoweth's annual Broadway Boot Camp, which she conducts each summer to help young performers understand how to audition and pursue careers in theater, was also singled out for praise. 

Adams was presented the Recording Academy's Creators Leadership Award in thanks for her advocacy on behalf of artists in tandem with her philanthropic giving. 

Grassley and Jeffries were recognized for their efforts in passing the Music Modernization Act into law.

The act will create a new and transparent collection entity to ensure songwriters always get paid for mechanical licenses when digital services use their work, close the "pre-1972 loophole" so that digital services will pay legacy artists and give copyright protection to producers and engineers for the first time in history, among other rights.