The AMAs partnered with the Easy Day Foundation to shine a national spotlight on former military and active-duty personnel while raising funds for the veteran community.
Founded in 2023 by Frank Fertitta IV and Landon Gyulay, the Las Vegas-based grant-making nonprofit helps service members transition to civilian life by providing funding and resources to partner organizations that support veterans.
The charity serves as the first official foundation partner of the AMAs, which will air live on May 26 during Military Appreciation Month on CBS and Paramount+.
A portion of the award show’s ticket sales will benefit the Easy Day Foundation. The program will also feature several in-show fundraising moments for some of the nonprofit’s beneficiaries, including the Folded Flag Foundation, the Bob Woodruff Foundation, the Boot Campaign, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’s Military and Veteran Services Center.
In an interview with The Epoch Times, Fertitta said the partnership marks an incredible milestone for his foundation.
“To now be aligned with the American Music Awards, the world’s biggest fan-voted music event, is exactly the kind of platform we’ve envisioned to fulfill our mission,” he explained.
Fertitta, an executive at Red Rock Resorts, said the show will allow the Easy Day Foundation to amplify its message on a broader scale and be a guiding light for patriotism by building “community, visibility, and tangible support” for the brave men and women who have risked their lives for this country.
“Our mission at the AMAs is to turn inspiration into impact, and that starts with awareness,” he said. “We want to inspire a new generation of philanthropic leaders and hope that viewers walk away with a deeper understanding of the challenges Veterans face after service and why continued support is so critical.”
“That’s why our partnership with the AMAs is so important,” Fertitta said. “It amplifies visibility on Easy Day Foundation’s three mission pillars—mental health, job placement, and family support, which directly address the urgent needs of those who have served and sacrificed.”
Gyulay noted that his foundation’s efforts go far beyond raising awareness for the struggles many veterans face each day.
“It’s about action,” he told The Epoch Times. “Ultimately, real change starts with understanding, and our goal is to shed visibility on the crucial need for support as veterans transition from military to civilian life.”
In addition to fundraising opportunities, Gyulay said the 2025 AMAs will also feature special performances tied to themes of service, resilience, and unity.
“What’s most important to us is that Veterans aren’t just being talked about, they’re being included, front and center,” he said. “This show is for them. And we hope it sparks a wave of compassion and commitment that lasts far beyond the broadcast.”
Veteran television personality Dick Clark launched the AMAs in 1974.
This year’s show, hosted by singer and actress Jennifer Lopez, will take place at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, a luxury resort on the Las Vegas Strip.
The broadcast will mark the award show’s return to television for the first time in almost three years, following the expiration of its previous contract with ABC.
Presenters will include actress Cara Delevingne, singer Ciara, and comedians Nikki Glaser, Tiffany Haddish, and Wayne Brady.
A variety of entertainers are slated to take the stage, including country stars Blake Shelton and Lainey Wilson, rising pop-rock star Benson Boone, and Latin pop singer Gloria Estefan, who will be performing at the AMAs for the first time in more than 30 years.
Singer-songwriter Janet Jackson is also expected to perform, marking her first television performance in almost a decade. The 11-time AMA-winner will receive the show’s prestigious ICON Award, which is given to artists whose music has had a significant cultural and global influence on the music industry.
British singer Rod Stewart will take home the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his nearly six-decade career.
