The Central New Jersey Home News from New Brunswick, New Jersey • 132

Music awards show plays again on ABC With six nominations, singer Mari-ah Carey leads the field as the 20th annual presentation of "The Ameri can Music Awards" airs Monday on ABC. Bobby Brown, Gloria Estefan and Wynonna host the event, which will also feature an appearance by Michael Jackson. The event will feature musical artists in poprock, soulrhythm blues, country, heavy metal, rap and adult contemporary. This year, the program will celebrate its 20th year with a look at some of the highlights of past shows. All three hosts are themselves winners of American Music Brown, a former member of "New Edition," has had a solo career marked by a series of chart-topping hits and awards.

Estefan was honored along with Miami Sound Machine with an American Music Award in 1989. Following a near-fatal bus accident, she made her comeback performance on the program in January 1991. Wynonna was for seven years part of the Judds; she and her mother and co-singer, Naomi Judd, were double winners of American Music Awards in 1987. Wy-nonna's solo career followed her debut solo performance on last year's show. For the awards show, artists representing all areas of music will appear as presenters or performers.

The event will be telecast from Hollywood's Shrine Civic Auditorium. The annual Award of Merit will be presented to rock promoter Bill Graham for his contributions to the music scene over a long period of time. Among those participating in a tribute to Graham are Dan Aykroyd, John Fogerry, The Greatful Dead's Jerry Garcia, Huey Lewis, Carlos Santana and Grace Slick. Previous winners of this award include James Brown, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, The Beach Boys, Paul McCartney, Loretta Lynn, Michael Jackson, Kenny Rogers, Stevie Wonder, Benny Goodman, Elvis Presley and Neil Diamond. Recipients of the awards are determined by a poll of record buyers.

A sampling of about 20,000 were sent ballots by the National Family Opinion Inc. In all, 25 awards will be presented. Besides scheduled to perform include: Michael Bolton, Bon Jovi, Boyz II Men, Billy Ray Cyrus, Kris Kross, Metallica and in a duet Vince Gill and Reba McEn-tire. The three hosts also will perform. Among those scheduled to serve as presenters on the show are: Alabama, Bell Biv DeVoe, Pat Benatar, Clint Black, Mary J.

Blige, Garth Brooks, Brooks Dunn, Peter Cetera, Celine Dion, Amy Grant, Jodeci, Patti LaBelle, Richard Marx, Motley Crue, Eddie Money, Mr. Big, The Pointer Sisters, Jon Se-cada, Michael W. Smith, Patty Smyth, TLC, and Dwight Yoakam. Continued from preceding page young daughter. You've been watching "Hunter" reruns.

Stepfanie Kramer left the show in 1990, supposedly to pursue a musical career (which is still in low gear) but also because Dryer had cut her part down to nothing while increasing his own. Q. How can I write to Martin Lawrence of A.M.D., Detroit. A. Write: Fox Broadcasting Box 900, Beverly Hills, Calif.

90213. Q. Who was Tom Hanks' co-star on "Bosom I have a bet going that it was the same actor who was in "The Bob Newhart Show" as the TV director. K.M., Austin, Texas. A.

You could lose on a technicality. Peter Sco- lari was in "Buddies" but it was in "Newhart" (seen 1982-90) that he co-starred, not "The Bob Newhart Show" (1972-78). Q. There was an actress named Peggie Castle a few years ago. She starred on a TV show with Dale Robertson.

Was that her real name? I knew a girl by that name in a town in Montana. R.G., Sunland, Calif. A. She was born Peggie Blair but changed her name to avoid confusion with Janet Blair. Castle was born in Virginia and grew up in Southern California.

She worked with John Russell and Peter Brown in the TV western "Lawman," not with Robertson. Castle died at 46 in 1973. Q. We've been discussing who played Rock Hudson's wife in "McMillan and Wife." I say Kate Jackson. Am I wrong? D.M.F., Jonesville, Mich.

A. Yes. Susan Saint James played Sally McMillan for five seasons, 1971-76. When Saint James departed in a contract dispute with the studio, Universal, McMillan became a widower and the name of the show became "McMillan" for the final season. Q.

I'd like to know about Mary Jo Keenen, Julie on "Nurses." Is she married? Where can I write? J.C., Tampa, Fla. A. Keenen, who is a native of Westfield, N.J., studied theater at Marymount Manhattan Col lege in New York City and made her professional acting debut in the soap "Search for Tomorrow." She's done guest roles in series TV and was a regular in "City" in 1990. Write: Touchstone Television, 500 S. Buena Vista Burbank, Calif.

91521. Q. What's happened to Herb Shriner? We haven't seen him in a long time. W.H., Seaside Park, N.J. A.

Hoosier comic Shriner was killed in an auto accident in 1970. His twin sons carry on the family name in show business: Wil is a humorist and Kin is a soap opera actor. 1 TV Data On Monday, NBC rebroadcasts "Full Exposure: The Sex Tapes Scandal." Vanessa Williams, Lisa Hartman, Anthony Denison and Jennifer O'Neill star in the 1989 drama. "In Censors We Trust," a documentary on recent censorship battles, premieres Sunday on cable's Entertainment Television. Ron Reagan hosts; interviewees include Keenen Ivory Wayans, Lee Grant, Tom Smothers, advertiser-boycott organizer Terry Rakolta and author John Irving.

Pierce Brosnan and Patrick Stewart star in "Alistair Mac-Lean's Death Train," a thriller premiering Tuesday on cable's USA Network. Oprah Winfrey hosts "Shades of a Single Protein," an "ABC Afterschool Special" in which teen-agers across the country discuss their views on race. It airs Thursday. Rutger Hauer, Rebecca DeMornay and Ron Silver star in "Blind Side," a psychological thriller premiering Saturday on cable's HBO. Send your questions to TV Questions, Detroit Free Press, 321 W.

Lafayette Detroit, Mich. 48226. Volume of mail prohibits personal replies..