Seth Adam
Senior Manager of Communications, GLAAD
(646) 871-8018
adam@glaad.org

New York, Thursday, March 28, 2013 – GLAAD, the nation's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy organization, today announced it will honor singer, songwriter, and stage performer Adam Lambert at the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards, presented nationally by Ketel One Vodka and Wells Fargo.

Adam Lambert will receive the Davidson/Valentini Award at the San Francisco ceremony on May 11, 2013 at the Hilton San Francisco - Union Square, presented locally by Southwest Airlines. The Davidson/Valentini Award is named after Craig Davidson, GLAAD's first executive director, and his partner Michael Valentini. The award is presented to an openly LGBT media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equality for the LGBT community. Previous Davidson/Valentini honorees include Lee Daniels, Chad Allen, Ilene Chaiken, Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, Alec Mapa, B.D. Wong, and Sandra Bernhard.

"Adam Lambert's continued success as one of the world's best-selling pop stars shows LGBT people that they can be themselves and make it in a mainstream industry that many feel unfairly rejects them," said GLAAD's Wilson Cruz. "Adam is fearless on stage and astonishes audiences in every country he performs in."

Upon the release of Lambert's second album Trespassing, of which he is the executive producer and principal writer, Lambert became the first out LGBT artist to reach number one on the Billboard 200. The album made numerous year-end "best of" lists, including Rolling Stone and People, and Lambert supported the album by embarking on a successful world tour. Lambert also performed with legendary rock band Queen in critically-acclaimed sold-out shows across Europe. He has also established himself as one of the few high-profile Western acts across Asia with recent TV performances on the finale of “The Voice of China” and the MNET Music awards, reaching more than three billion viewers.

As an out mainstream pop star, Lambert has used his status to help advance equality and raise visibility of the LGBT community. In September 2012, he participated in a benefit performance to raise money for marriage equality efforts in Maryland and engaged in several interviews, in which he spoke about the importance of empowering and supporting LGBT young people. Lambert has also been recognized by other LGBT advocacy organizations, including Equality California's Los Angeles Equality Awards and the PFLAG National Los Angeles event. In December, he performed at "Cyndi Lauper and Friends: Home for the Holidays," a benefit concert supporting homeless LGBT youth.

In addition to his music, Lambert has appeared on stage and television. His guest spot on the Halloween special of Pretty Little Liars on ABC Family was the highest rated annual Halloween special ever for the network. He also hosted and performed during VH1's Divas, a show benefitting the Save the Music Foundation.

Adam Lambert is a two-time GLAAD Media Award nominee, garnering nominations for both of his albums. He performed two of his songs during the GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles in 2010.

Additional honorees and special guests for the San Francisco event will be announced.

Nominees for the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards were announced in January and are available here: www.glaad.org/mediaawards/nominees. The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives. Each year, the GLAAD Media Awards in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco bring together more than 5,000 advocates and allies to raise critical funds for the organization's work.

The 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards are executive produced by Marc Honaker, Director of Creative Development at GLAAD, and by Josh Wood, founder and president of Josh Wood Productions. Emmy Award-winning production designer James Connelly will design this year's set across the three cities. Acclaimed producer and editor Brett Henrichsen will also contribute to this year's GLAAD Media Awards.

To receive the latest updates on the GLAAD Media Awards, follow @glaad on Twitter and use the hashtag #glaadawards.

More than 100 corporate partners are showing their support, including National Presenting partners Ketel One Vodka and Wells Fargo, New York and Los Angeles Presenting partner Delta Air Lines, and San Francisco Presenting partner Southwest Airlines. GLAAD is also grateful to the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Platinum Underwriter corporate partners Anheuser-Busch, Inc., NBCUniversal/Comcast, Prudential and Sheppard Mullin, as well as Underwriter corporate partners: Allstate Insurance Company, AT&T, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Caesars Foundation, Disney-ABC Television Group/ESPN, Kirkland & Ellis, New York Marriott Marquis & Renaissance Hotel, PwC and VPI Pet Insurance. Gold Patron partners include 1800Flowers, CBS/Showtime, Citi and Viacom. For a full list of corporate partners and information on how to become a corporate partner, purchase tickets and place a tribute in the tribute book, please visit www.glaad.org/mediaawards.