Yank Berry nominated for Nobel Peace Prize for the second time. The "Louie, Louie" singer might join Dalai Lama
Written by Carla Haratau on Thursday, March 28 2013. Posted in Events / Venues
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Yank Barry, the philanthropist along with his friend and partner Muhammad Ali have fed over 910,000,000 documented meals to the needy around the world over the last twenty years.
Yank Barry has been a writer, composer, publisher, member of ASCAP since 1971, and a member of NARAS, CARAS, American Federation of Musicians and is featured in the Museum of Canadian Music.
Yank Barry was nominated for the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize and recently nominated for the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize having very real chance of joining the ranks of past winners including The Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa.
“I was very surprised. It was gratifying,” said Barry. “It is not often that I am left speechless, but this was one of them. It’s overwhelming to think about.”
While back in his Hollywood heyday, Yank never “in his wildest dreams” envisioned such a career in worldwide philanthropy, but after thirty years entertaining, he realized there was much more he could do to make a difference.
“I was topping out in music and I wanted to get out before I became a ‘has been.’ I just didn’t have the passion anymore. By mistake I ended up in the food business,” Barry continued. “Mohammed Ali and I talked about feeding people and the food company makes that possible. I have a passion for the food company only because it has enabled us to feed so many
people.”
Even though Barry’s work with the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Tom Jones and Englebert Humperdinck might be better known to the American public, he has already earned more than twenty international humanitarian peace awards, such as the 2010 Gusi Peace Prize and being named a Red Cross Humanitarian.
He has 30 awards for his humanitarian work but he prefers to help quietly, without the need for trumpets and Hollywood backpatting.
“I don’t need the limelight. I would much rather our champions get the limelight. I am very happy leading a private life,” Barry said. “It is just an amazing feeling to save lives. In Haiti, I held the hand of a twelve-year-old girl while her leg was amputated. All they had to give her was Motrin because that’s all that was available. And I was also there when she died.”
However, this singer-turned-philanthropist is convinced someone else deserves the esteemed Nobel nod more than him.
“Mohammed Ali is the greatest. I've never been with anyone who turns heads of state – kings, presidents – into little children. There’s an aura about him, and he has really been the driving force of Global Village,” Barry told us. “If he weren't sick he would be out there today. He’s the one who deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.”
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