Society of Voice Arts & Sciences (SOVAS™) hosted the 2017 Voice Arts® Awards at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Fredrick P. Rose Hall this past Sunday (11/5). Critically acclaimed documentary filmmaker Ken Burns was in attendance to accept the prestigious Muhammad Ali Voice of Humanity Honor. This special segment of the Awards featured a tribute to Burns by three time Emmy® winner Keith David, who is currently starring in Oprah Winfrey’s hit show “Greenleaf” on OWN. Burns’ attendance was a highly anticipated highlight at this year’s show, where he received a standing ovation. 

“What is so extraordinary about this evening is the name of this award for Muhammad Ali is one of the people who took this world and widened it so that everyone in the world could see, that he spoke his voice even when he no longer had one,” Burns said during his inspiring acceptance. 

“This award was created in collaboration with the Champ himself before his passing and has the full support of the Ali Center. We were truly honored to present this award to the Ken Burns this year,” said Emmy® Award-winning producer and SOVAS™ CEO Rudy Gaskins.

Actress Lily Tomlin also took the stage at this year’s event to accept the Voice Arts® Icon Award. Bob Bergen, also known as the voice of Porky Pig, introduced a video of Tomlin’s lifetime achievement in film and television before she was presented with the Award by SOVAS™ founders, Gaskins and Joan Baker. “I am floored by the caliber of talent and competition tonight,” said Tomlin when she took the stage to accept the award.

Music, and stage superstar Deborah Cox brought glamour to this year’s red carpet. She was on hand as a presenter as were Inside Edition’s sr. correspondent Les Trent, and legendary voiceover star Nancy Cartwright, best known as the voice of Bart Simpson on Fox’s hit show “The Simpsons.”

The 2017 Voice Arts® Awards featured more than 50 winners across multiple media genres. Previous award winners include Jon Hamm, Kate Winslet, James Earl Jones, Lena Dunham, and William Shatner. Good Morning America called the Voice Arts® Awards, “The Oscars of voiceover acting.”

Click here for a list of the 2017 Voice Arts® Awards winners.