Cher will present Tom Corson with the 2025 Spirit of Life Award at City of Hope’s annual Spirit of Life gala on Oct. 15.
The icon has worked closely with the Warner Records co-chairman/COO since Corson started the last few years, most notably on her hugely successful holiday album, 2023’s Christmas, her first set to include original material since 2013.
Fellow Warner Records superstar Michael Bublé has already been announced as the evening’s performer. Labelmates Linkin Park are also expected to be in attendance.
The event will be held at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, Calif., and will raise money for City of Hope. Founded in 1013, City of Hope is one of the largest cancer and research treatment facilities in the U.S. The music industry has raised nearly $170 million for City of Hope in more than 50 years since the founding of City of Hope’s Music, Film and Entertainment Industry group.
“It is a profound honor to be recognized as this year’s Spirit of Life honoree,” Corson said in a statement when the honor was first announced in May “At Warner Records, we often say it’s not just about the song — it’s about the artist. In the same way, City of Hope isn’t just about treatments — it’s about the people, their dreams, and their futures. When I sit down with an artist, we talk about their goals and aspirations, and we work to make those dreams a reality. That same spirit of transformation is at the core of City of Hope’s mission: turning hope into tangible breakthroughs for patients fighting cancer. The music industry has always been about more than entertainment; it’s about connection, transformation, and impact. I am proud to stand with my peers in championing this cause and supporting the vital and lifesaving work City of Hope does every day.”
Past honorees include Jay Marciano, Lyor Cohen, Shelli and Irving Azoff, Edgar Bronfman Jr., Coran Capshaw, Eddy Cue, Clive Davis, Sir Lucian Grainge, Allen Grubman, Quincy Jones, Rob Light, Monte and Avery Lipman, Doug Morris, Mo Ostin, Bob Pittman, Jon Platt and Sylvia Rhone.