It was a resounding success for the Los Angeles Chapter and the GRAMMY Foundation when 800 L.A. public high school students attended national GRAMMY Career Day on Feb. 8 at USC. With 14 interactive workshops, there were an unprecedented 55 presenters and panelists. All of the participating music business pros exemplified the spirit that songwriter/keyboardist and GRAMMY nominee Sacha Skarbek expressed during the event's "Write On Top" songwriting workshop: "We have the best jobs in the world. We gotta work, and we gotta have fun!"

Among the many artist/creative participants were 49th GRAMMY nominees Taylor Eigsti, Alexandra Patsavas of "Grey's Anatomy," Corinne Bailey Rae, Christian Scott and Timbaland; GRAMMY-winning producer/engineer Paul Brown; songwriter/producer Sean Garrett; "American Idol" winner/Arista recording artist Taylor Hicks; and My GRAMMY Moment winner Robin Troup, who subsequently performed with multi-GRAMMY-winning performer Justin Timberlake on the GRAMMY Awards show.

In their workshops, imaginative singer/songwriters and GRAMMY nominees Imogen Heap and Ne-Yo emphasized perseverance, speaking about how early music-business disappointments served as catalysts for renewed efforts that eventually yielded successes. GRAMMY nominee jazz/R&B vocalist Patti Austin, GRAMMY-winning songwriter Lamont Dozier and the GRAMMY-nominated production/songwriting team StarGate delighted the students with music on the spot during their workshops.

Intel sponsored the re-vamped Pro Tools workshop where L.A. Chapter Governor Mike Clink brought together GRAMMY nominees singer/songwriter Sarah Kelly and engineers Manny Marroquin and Andrew Scheps. Kelly recorded live and the students each took home a copy of their personal mixes.

In the long list of industry-heavyweight Career Day facilitators were "American Idol" co-host and Chapter Governor Randy Jackson; Recording Academy Vice Chairman and multi-GRAMMY-winning producer Jimmy Jam; Head of Urban Music for EMI Music Publishing Big Jon Platt; Executive Vice President of Music for Paramount Pictures Randy Spendlove; Dreamgirls original soundtrack arrangers/producers the Underdogs (Harvey Mason Jr. and Damon Thomas); and "Grey’s Anatomy" Executive Producer Betsy Beers.

All told, a record-breaking 100 volunteers made GRAMMY Career Day possible, announced West Coast Regional Director Lizzy Moore, including the dedicated L.A. Chapter Governors who helped put together the workshops.