# City of Hope Gala Honors Larry Mestel

> Larry Mestel, Primary Wave CEO, receives Spirit of Life award at City of Hope gala.
- Title: City of Hope Gala Honors Larry Mestel · Billboard | Shortify
- Summary: Larry Mestel, Primary Wave CEO, receives Spirit of Life award at City of Hope gala. Larry Mestel, Primary Wave founder, honored at City of Hope gala for…
- Keywords: city of hope, larry mestel, primary wave, spirit of life gala, cancer research, car t cell therapy, breast cancer, City, Hope, Gala, Honors, Larry
- Source: Billboard — https://billboard.com/pro/stevie-nicks-honor-larry-mestel-2026-city-of-hope-gala
- Author: Kristin Robinson
- Published: 2026-10-28T21:52:47+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: city of hope, larry mestel, primary wave, spirit of life gala, cancer research, car t cell therapy, breast cancer
## Gala Event
City of Hope hosted its annual Spirit of Life gala at Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles.
## Larry Mestel Honored
Larry Mestel, Primary Wave founder/CEO, received Spirit of Life award for philanthropic impact on cancer research.
## Mestel's Tribute
Mestel called Dr. Leo Wang 'the real rock star tonight' and shared personal cancer losses.

> He cures cancer in children, and I buy music catalogs
## Performances
Melissa Etheridge, Jackson Browne, Stevie Nicks, and Pete Townshend performed at gala.
## Mestel's Motivation
Mestel explained his shift from building music company to creating philanthropic impact.

> I want them to say: 'Our dad built something meaningful, but more importantly, he was a good person'
## Fundraising Goal
Event aims to raise $10 million for CAR T cell therapy and breast cancer research.
## Auction Highlights
Auction features rare items from Bob Dylan, Sting, and Little Big Town.
## Key takeaway

Larry Mestel, Primary Wave founder, honored at City of Hope gala for philanthropic impact on cancer research.