Music Swings From Soul to Gershwin

Television fare this weekend includes something special for fans of soul music, a Gershwin tune, Irish dancing and ice skating.

LL Cool J, Gladys Knight and Brandy are the hosts of the 11th annual “Soul Train Music Awards,” airing Friday at 8 p.m. on Channel 5. Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds will receive the Sammy Davis Jr. Award as entertainer of the year, and Curtis Mayfield is the first recipient of the Quincy Jones Award for outstanding career achievements.

Michael York and Angie Dickinson host PBS’ “Ira Gershwin at 100: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall,” Saturday at 7:10 p.m. on Channel 28. The lyricist’s classic songs, including “Our Love Is Here to Stay” and “Embraceable You,” are performed by Rosemary Clooney, Michael Feinstein, Vic Damone and Christine Ebersole.

Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton headlines the new CBS skating special, “Scott Hamilton: Upside Down,” Saturday at 8 p.m. on Channel 2. Skaters Kristi Yamaguchi, Kurt Browning and Ekaterina Gordeeva join Hamilton in this salute to Hollywood movies.

Dancer-choreographer Michael Flatley, late of “Riverdance,” headlines the splashy Celtic dance special “Lord of the Dance,” Saturday at 9 p.m. on Channel 28.

Elsewhere this weekend:

Thursday

Sinbad hosts TNT’s live telecast of the “ShoWest Awards ‘97” at 7 p.m. Denzel Washington and Winona Ryder are set to receive the actor and actress of the year awards during the Las Vegas ceremony, originating from the annual convention devoted to motion pictures.

Vincent Spano, Mariska Hargitay and Lawrence Monoson headline NBC’s new series “Prince Street,” at 10 p.m. on Channel 4. The action-drama is based on the real-life stories of two undercover police detectives who are members of New York’s elite Intelligence Division. NBC’s top-rated series, “ER,” will return in May.

Saturday

Last month, USA aired coverage of the annual “Westminster Dog Show.” The network now gives equal time to felines with the “CFA International Cat Show,” airing at 1 p.m. The special was taped last November in Anaheim.

Sunday

Oscar winner Susan Sarandon hosts Lifetime’s “Women’s Film Festival,” airing at 8 p.m. The special features a collection of short films produced and directed by such female filmmakers as Adrienne Shelly, Anne DeSalvo, Kasi Lemmons and Patricia Smith.

Daniel J. Travanti (“Hill Street Blues”) joins the cast of Showtime’s supernatural series “Poltergeist: The Legacy,” as the new leader of the secret evil-battling society. The series kicks off its second season at 8 p.m.

Roger Rees (“Cheers”) joins the cast of NBC’s comedy “Boston Common,” at 8:30 p.m. on Channel 4, in the recurring role of the new college president, who clashes with campus handyman Boyd (Anthony Clarke).

Louis Gossett Jr. and Lonette McKee star in the CBS drama “To Dance With Olivia,” at 9 p.m. on Channel 2. Gossett plays a small-town lawyer whose marriage falls apart when his wife blames him for the death of their son.

David Morse, Marg Helgenberger and Peter Horton star in NBC’s thriller “Murder Live!,” at 9 p.m. on Channel 4. Morse plays a grieving father of a daughter who committed suicide after her rape was revealed on a TV talk show. After placing a bomb in the studio, he holds the show’s snippy host (Helgenberger) and her TV audience hostage.

The Discovery Channel documentary “Choppers on Patrol,” at 9 p.m., offers a whirlybird’s-eye view of the helicopters flying the skies of New York City. Filmmakers were granted unlimited access to U.S. Coast Guard, the New York Police Department and WNBC-TV choppers.

The History Channel’s “Newsreels to Nightly News,” at 10 p.m., is a six-part series examining the birth and growth of TV news. The series continues through Thursday at 9 p.m.