Carole King appears in...
Indie Spotlight: Rachel Platten

Beautiful, but not brazen. Passionate, but never preachy. Populist, but definitely not prosaic. New York City singer-songwriter, pianist and beatboxer Rachel Platten is by no means your average headliner-in-the making. Her Rock Ridge Music debut, Be Here, is a bewitching collection of 10 wise-beyond-their-years piano-driven pop songs that echo elements of Alanis Morissette, Carole King, Tori Amos and Regina Spektor, while…
Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil to Receive SongHall’s Johnny Mercer Award

BMI songwriting giants Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil will receive the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award, presented by the Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHoF) during the organization’s 42nd annual ceremony on Thursday, June 16 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. Through their lives as professional songwriters and the standard-defining caliber of their work, Weil and Mann epitomize BMI’s commitment to depth and…
Allen Toussaint to be Inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame

BMI great Allen Toussaint will become the newest member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame at the organization’s 42nd Annual Induction and Awards Dinner. The star-studded event is slated for Thursday, June 16 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. Additional special award honorees will be announced soon. A giant among giants, Allen Toussaint has helped define the New Orleans’ sound and influenced legends on…
Don Kirshner Dies

Legendary BMI music publisher and songwriter Don Kirshner has died. He was 76. The future rainmaker began his career as a songwriter, writing with high school friend Robert Cassotto, who would became known to pop fans as Bobby Darin thanks to breakout hit “Splish Splash.” In 1958, Kirshner co-founded music publishing house Aldon with Al Nevins. Housed near the Brill Building during that creative…
Taylor Swift to Receive Hal David Starlight Award

Taylor Swift will receive the prestigious Hal David Starlight Award during the 2010 Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards dinner, slated for Thursday, June 17 at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel. In making the announcement, Hal David, Chairman/CEO of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, emphasized the magnitude of Swift’s breakthrough: "Taylor Swift is one of the brightest musical talents to emerge in recent years, and represents the…
Crosby, Stills & Nash Enter Songwriters Hall of Fame

Holland-Dozier-Holland Receive Johnny Mercer Award Crosby, Stills & Nash numbered among the elite few inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on Thursday, June 18 in New York. Folk-pop pioneer James Taylor officially inducted the trio after performing a medley of CSN classics including “Love the One You’re With,” “Long Time Gone,” and “Teach Your Children.” Members of the Rock and Roll Hall of…
Colbie Caillat

She’s a contemporary pop Cinderella; a singer/songwriter whose soul-melting voice and easy rocking songs transformed her into the most popular unsigned artist on the net. Now, with her signing to Universal/Republic Records, Colbie Caillat officially begins her glass-slippered procession to international stardom. Colbie’s debut album, Coco, features the singer delivering bashful, girl-next-door sentiments in a bewitching r&b voice. Upon its summer 2007 release, the album shot to…
L.A. ‘Industry Insider’ Spotlights Latin Music
BMI, Gibson Guitar and Billboard magazine will present a Latin music-focused “Industry Insider” panel series on Wednesday, October 17. Focusing on Latin music, the “Producers Roundtable” will be held from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Gibson Guitars Showroom in Beverly Hills. The showroom is located at 9350 Civic Center Drive, Suite 130. The panel will be moderated by Billboard Latin music correspondent Ayala Ben-Yehuda, and will feature some of…
BMI Songwriters Dominate Mojo’s “100 Records That Changed The World”
Mojo, the prominent and influential British music magazine, has selected a list of “100 Records That Changed The World” in their June issue.. The list is described as “The most influential and inspirational recordings ever made, they changed music – the way it was played, bought or even imagined.” A group of prominent songwriters and performers – which include such BMI veterans as Chuck…
BMI Participation Boosts Jazz Appreciation Month
BMI is proud to once again be an anchor sponsor of Jazz Appreciation Month, to be celebrated throughout April. The month-long celebration pays tribute to jazz as a true American art form and features a variety of activities, including performances, film and displays in venues around Washington, D.C. BMI’s Robbin Ahrold plays an active role in the proceedings, representing the company at a number of related events. More information about…
