- 1966 After leading U.S. State Department delegation to establish a cultural liaison between Brasilia and the District of Columbia, Felix Grant was declared an honorary citizen of Brasilia. While in Rio de Janeiro, he was featured on the television program Close-Up on Canal 9.
- 1972 Grant was asked by the Brazilian American Cultural Institute to conduct a lecture tour of Brazil’s museums and universities entitled “100 Years of American Music” with an emphasis on jazz. During this trip, an unscheduled event took place in São Paulo––a hijacking that held 86 passengers (including Felix Grant) captive for six hours.
- 1974 WMAL-AM honored Grant by celebrating both the twentieth anniversary of The Album Sound with a benefit concert at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In planning the concert, music from Brazil was an important feature, and Luiz Bonfá performed.
- 1978 Felix Grant was the only American broadcaster invited to participate in the First International Jazz Festival in São Paulo, Brazil during September.
- 1979 The twenty-fifth anniversary of The Album Sound was once again celebrated with a concert at the Kennedy Center–this time, including Dom Um Romão and Brazilian Hotmosphere.
- Felix Grant served as President of the Washington, D.C. Partners of Brasilia; on the Executive Board of its parent organization, the National Association of the Partners of the Alliance (NAPA); and on the Board of Directors of the Brazilian American Cultural Institute (BACI) in Washington, D.C.
Quotes
Felix Grant’s interest in Brazilian music and culture continued throughout his life. “Felix is a wonderful symbol of Brazilian-American friendship. He used to go to Brazil every year, where he became friends with all the great musicians. He would go to the café where the famous song ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ was written by Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes. There he would just hang out until word got around that he was in town, and all the musicians in Rio would go there to see him. That’s how beloved he was by the top composers and performers.”
Dr. José Neistein Executive Director
Brazilian American Cultural Institute