The 2012-2013 Heritage Award goes to Alice Cooper

The annual Heritage Award honors a distinguished individual whose accomplishments and commitment to Arizona are recognized within the state, nation and world. Past recipients include Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, Bil Keane, Senator John McCain, Ambassador Bob Fannin and Frank Kush to name a few. This year’s Heritage Award will be presented to Alice Cooper on April 26th at the University of Phoenix Stadium, a venue fit for a rock star of Cooper’s stature.

Alice Cooper is best known around the world for his special brand of theatrical rock’n’roll, which earned him a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. He is the original shock rocker and continues to enjoy a successful onstage career. However, rock’n’roll is not the only thing that sets Alice apart. He is a film actor, a restaurateur, a golfing celebrity, and also a popular radio DJ. Alice Cooper is the recipient of this year’s Heritage Award due to his longtime positive influence on the State of Arizona through business, entertainment, and his unceasing charitable work in the community.

A resident of Phoenix since the age of 10, Alice attended Squaw Peak Elementary and Madison School No. 2 before going to Cortez High School. It was there that he and four track and field teammates started a band called the Earwigs, which went on to become the Alice Cooper Band and enjoyed enormous success. Alice has continued to record and perform ever since.

He has been married to the same woman, Sheryl, for over 30 years and has three children: Calico, Dashiell, and Sonora Rose. Throughout his illustrious career he has always remained a dedicated husband and father.

He founded Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Non-Profit Organization in 1995 with Chuck Savale, fellow long-time Arizona resident, with the goal of creating a faith-based organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of kids and teens in the community. Alice describes it as a Christian nonprofit organization to help inner city kids stay out of gangs and away from guns and drugs.

What started out as a fundraising operation raising money for organizations with like-minded missions has since become much more with the addition of the Rock Teen Center. The Rock is a place that allows teens to build confidence and discover their passion through music, dance, self-expression, and creativity.

Alice has a popular syndicated radio show, “Night’s with Alice Cooper,” that broadcasts on over 100 stations, film and television credits from multiple popular movies and television series, and owns the popular restaurant, Alice Cooperstown, in downtown Phoenix.

We at the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry look forward to honoring Alice Cooper on April 26, 2013 with the 2012-2013 Heritage Award and hope that you will join us at 6:00 p.m. for Registration and a Reception and 7:00 p.m. for the night’s program.