About the panelists:

KC Porter - This Grammy Award-winning producer, arranger and composer has chart-topping works with such Latin superstars as Carlos Santana, Ricky Martin, Luis Miguel, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Ana Gabriel, and the late Selena. Porter has also worked his magic with English-language stars, including Lara Fabian, Bon Jovi, Janet Jackson, Chaka Khan, 98 Degrees, Brian McKnight, Toni Braxton and Boyz II Men, crossing their hits over to Spanish-speaking and international audiences. One of his latest projects was co-writing and producing Ozomatli’s latest album, Don’t Mess with the Dragon.

Rafa Sardina – Sardina, a Los Angeles based, ten-time Grammy Award-winning mixer/engineer has built an eclectic and impressive client list in the recent years: Macy Gray, Stevie Wonder, Dr Dre, Dru Hill, Jessy Moss, Mariah Carey, Luis Miguel, Sheryl Crow, Soul Coughing, Marc Antoine, Angie Stone and Alejandro Sanz, among others. He has worked with numerous high-profile artists and producers, including Dr Dre, Camara Kambon, Lulu Perez, Babyface, Scott Litt and David Foster. Most recently, Sardina has launched a production company focusing on developing new talent in his state-of-the art studio, open since 2006.

Mark Portman - This Los Angeles-based, Grammy Award-nominated producer/songwriter/musician has worked on over 130 albums, several movies and TV shows. His roster of Latin stars includes Luis Miguel, Julio Iglesias, Alejandro Sanz, Jaci Velasquez, Cristian Castro, Luis Fonsi, Olga Tanon, Pedro Fernandez, Reik, Ednita Nazario, and Los Temerarios. He has collaborated and worked with renowned producers including David Foster, Phil Ramone, Quincy Jones, Teddy Riley and Latin producer Rudy Perez. Among his other roster of superstars are Barbra Streisand, Carole King, Carole Bayer Sager, Blackstreet, Diana Ross, Christina Aguilera, Brenda Russell, Dave Koz and others.

Sebastian Krys - Based in South Florida, this multiple Grammy Award-winning producer has over 20 top ten Billboard Latin Hits, including 9 No. 1 singles and albums. Krys has worked with artists including Marc Anthony, Carlos Vives, Sandy & Junior, Shakira, Mana, JD Natasha, Jeremias, Long Beach Dub All Stars w/Black Eyed Peas, Aterciopelados, Ricky Martin, Will Smith, Obie Bermudez, Gian Marco, Luis Fonsi, Gloria Estefan, Soraya, Mandy Moore, Jennifer Lopez, and more.

Homero Patrón – This Grammy Award-winning musician, director and composer has worked with artists such as José José, Emmanuel, Marco Antonio Muñiz, Rocío Durcal, Ray Conniff, Barry White, Tom Jones, Nana Moskoury, Raphael, Nelson Ned, Juan Gabriel, Manoella Torres, Vicky Carr, Gualberto Castro, Angélica María, César Costa, Alberto Vazquez, Charles Aznavour, and Jose Luis Rodríguez “El Puma,” to name just a few. Patrón has also produced albums for such superstars as Juan Gabriel, Lucha Villa, Javier Solís, Angeles Ochoa, Ana Gabriel, Yuri, Pedro Fernandez, Vicky Carr, Olga Tañon, Vicente and Alejandro Fernández, Pepe Aguilar, Lucero, Alicia Villarreal, Pablo Montero, Ana Bárbara, Laura Flores, Nana Mouskouri and Marco Antonio Solís.

Kiko Cibrian - Multi-talented producer, musician and vocal producer who has worked with Luis Miguel, Christian Castro, and up-and-coming artists Innis, Jesse & Joy, Patricia Manterola, Souljahz, and Frankie J, Reik, along with projects such at Billboard’s Latin Series: Best of 1997, Billboard’s Latin Series: Best of Pop 1996, along with the Sinatra Duets.

Marco Flores - Flores has produced and written over 400 songs, four of which placed number one on Billboard's charts in the same year (2000), and has achieved an impressive 14 platinum albums and 22 gold albums. His roster includes works with Richard Marx, Luther Vandross, Selena, Barrio Boyzz, Donna Summer, Toni Braxton, Bonnie Raitt, Thalia, Gloria Estefan, Carlos Ponce, Jordi, Ricky Martin, Jose Feliciano, and many more.

By Rob Patterson

From the dawning days of rhythm & blues through today's multifaceted urban music scene, BMI has been at the forefront of music from the African American tradition, styles and community. A continuity of teamwork between BMI and Black music-makers extends from Aretha Franklin to Janet Jackson, from Motown hitmakers Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier & Brian Holland to R. Kelly, and from Miles Davis to Terence Blanchard.

B.B. King

Busta Rhymes

Janet Jackson

Eminem

When r&b, in its formative years, was the province of budding independent labels, small publishers, and adventurous radio stations, BMI opened its ranks to the musical movement when the existing performing rights organization failed to recognize the legitimacy and potential brewing in Black American music. The considerable fact that 90 percent of the R&B Foundation's Pioneer Awards have been bestowed on BMI artists attests to BMI's historical commitment to Black music.

Eric Benet

Macy Gray

Mariah Carey

Michael Jackson

The BMI Black music rosters reads like a musical honor role: Jazz giants such as Billie Holiday, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Dinah Washington and John Coltrane; blues icons like Leadbelly, Muddy Waters, B.B. King and T-Bone Walker; r&b pacesetters such as Ray Charles, Fats Domino and James Brown; soul sisters Etta James, Irma Thomas and Diana Ross; rock pioneers like Chuck Berry and Little Richard.

Mya

R. Kelly

Snoop Dogg

Toni Braxton

The BMI bloodlines can be traced from then to now, from Carla Thomas to Donna Summer to Vanessa Williams, from Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff to LA Reid and Babyface, from Otis Redding to Michael Jackson. And if you check this space 20 or 30 years from now, the odds say its likely that BMI's contemporary urban music artists will be just as legendary and influential as those BMI has represented throughout the history of Black popular music in America.

In a sense, the pages have already been written by today's BMI star talents. Mariah Carey has proven herself a formidable and enduring presence in popular music, while Macy Gray is arising to help bring soul back to its rightful place of presence in urban music. Kevin Eubanks delivers sublime new variations of the jazz guitar heritage to millions on The Tonight Show, and Joshua Redman redefines the notion of young jazz giant for a new millennium. Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Lil' Kim continue to push the hip-hop envelope, while Kirk Franklin and Winans Phase 2 keep the gospel spirit alive.

But it's not just the marquee names that make these exciting times for BMI's urban music roster. And even some of BMI's team whose work happens primarily behind the scenes are earning public note on the level of the artists they work with. Producer, songwriter, keyboardist and remixer Dallas Austin launched Monica and TLC, and counts Michael Jackson, Madonna, Boyz II Men and Aretha Franklin among his credits. Such musical versatility and vision continues with such recording and writing powerhouses as Jerry 'Wonder' Duplessis, Master P, Tim & Bob, SoulShock & Karlin, Jean Claude 'Poke' Olivier of The Track Masters, Organized Noise, Teddy Bishop and Cory Rooney - all drawing from a differing wealth of musical wells and creating new and innovative musical moments.

Hip-hop remains a powerfully progressive and sometimes provocative movement in modern popular music. Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes and Goodie Mob keep it real, and the beats and themes will surely remain hard in the hands of such acts as Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz, Ja Rule, Mos Def, Trick Daddy, Silkk the Shocker, JT Money, Kurupt and J-Shin. At the same time, acts like The Roots, Black Eyed Peas, Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek and Spooks infuse a rich mixture of styles into the hip-hop genre. Once the sound of the street, just as r&b had been, hip-hop is now an integral part of contemporary culture. And its Caribbean cousin dancehall is also claiming the attention of the public ear thanks to Buju Banton.

R&B has always boasted its powerful cadre of female singers. And just as Carla Thomas, Martha Reeves and Jodi Whatley established their voices as trademarks, so have the women like Brandy, Toni Braxton and Faith Evans. Rising to join them are such soul sisters as Angie Stone, Mya, Sunshine Anderson and Aaliyah, while R&B brothers such as Eric Benet and Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes stir up new soul traditions for today's urban music fans as Clyde McPhatter, Sam Moore and Aaron Neville have before them. The girl group traditions forged by The Shirelles and The Supremes find modern expression in the "new jill flava" of Total.

As the recent Ken Burns documentary demonstrated, jazz is one of the richest skeins in the American cultural tapestry. BMI has been a consistent presence in jazz, from Lionel Hampton to Coleman Hawkins to Herbie Hancock to Roy Hargrove. Today, Terence Blanchard, Christian McBride, Kevin Eubanks and Bilal maintain the instrumental and compositional greatness of jazz music for the genre's future.

Spirituals have always been an essential element in Black music and BMI's mission, thanks to everyone from James Ingram to The Fairfield Four. And perhaps nobody has had a more profound impact on contemporary music and the popularity of spiritual sounds than minister, songwriter, producer and visionary Kirk Franklin. In the past, one could make similar claims for The Winans, and the family tradition forged there is carried on by Winans Phase 2. The ears reached by these artists are now opening as well to such rising talents as Yolanda Adams and Trin-i-tee 5:7.

Such diversity, commercial impact, innovation and encouragement of burgeoning styles and new artists has been a hallmark of BMI's commitment to Black music from the time that "race music" became rhythm & blues, and on through soul, funk and disco right up to rap and new jack swing. As BMI salutes tradition through its longtime support of the R&B Foundation, it also helps create the future that is urban music in all its breadth and creativity. Because at BMI, Black Music Month is celebrated 12 months a year.

BMI last night honored the composers and songwriters of the music in the top-grossing films of the year and the top-rated prime-time network television shows at its annual Film & Television Awards dinner. Held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, the black tie gala was hosted by BMI President and CEO Frances W. Preston. More than 50 awards were given out during the ceremonies, including the prestigious Richard Kirk Award for Outstanding Career Achievement presented to composer W.G. "Snuffy" Walden.

One of the most successful contemporary TV composers today, Walden is responsible for the music for some of the most popular and critically acclaimed programs in TV history. From the acoustic guitars of thirtysomething and The Wonder Years, to the sweeping Americana theme of The West Wing to the raucous garage-band backdrop of The Drew Carey Show, Walden's creative musical vision has made him one of the industry's busiest composers.

The BMI Family photo of winners at the BMI Film and TV awards.

A former guitarist who toured with such acts as Chaka Khan, Eric Burdon and Donna Summer, his first TV show for which he created music was thirtysomething. Other credits include The Wonder Years, Ellen, Rosanne, Sisters, Early Edition, The Drew Carey Show, Once & Again, The West Wing, Norm, Providence, the Stephen King mini-series The Stand, Felicity and many others. Walden, previously nominated for eight Emmys, won for The West Wing in 2000. He also released his first guitar-based solo record for Windham Hill Records this year.

Trevor Rabin, Harry Gregson Williams, Ed Shearmur, Ray Yee

Thirtysomething and Once & Again Producers Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz, The West Wing Creator/Executive Producer Aaron Sorkin and Executive Producer/Director Thomas Schlamme, and The Wonder Years Director Michael Dinner all honored Walden via videotaped messages at the dinner.

Calling him, "A very artistic soul whose sensibility was much closer to ours than any of us realized," Zwick said Walden was, "...as interested in talking about what the story was as much as what the music should be."

Herskovitz called Walden's theme for thirtysomething a part of the signature of the show, adding, "...that particular guitar sound was like a character in the show. It was very important to us and very recognizable and it wouldn't have worked if it wasn't so tied into what the dynamics of the drama were all about...Snuffy understood the irony of our generation and particularly of that show, and he found a musical expression for that."

Dinner described him as, "...really tuned into the drama. He's really sensitive with what you're trying to accomplish in the piece and has the big picture besides just the scene (in mind)."

Sorkin said, "Snuffy's music is as every bit as much of the show as the words, the performances, Tommy's direction...the music is very much an extension of Snuffy and he becomes very emotionally involved in the piece. He's happy when he can put a lump in your throat."

Schlamme concurred, saying, "...His music is an extension of himself, he gets incredibly emotionally involved in whatever it is he's doing. What he adds is his emotional life - it is actually part of this show - and we're very lucky to have that."

Other composers who received multiple Film Music Awards included Trevor Rabin for Gone In 60 Seconds and Remember The Titans and Edward Shearmur for Charlie's Angels and Miss Congeniality. Composer Lalo Schifrin received a special Film Music Award for his legendary theme "Mission: Impossible" that was used throughout Mission: Impossible 2. Other composers receiving awards included Harry Gregson Williams, Chicken Run; Michael Kamen, X-Men; David Newman, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps; Cliff Martinez, Traffic; Richard Marvin, U-571, Mark Mothersbaugh, Rugrats in Paris: The Movie; and Danny Elfman, The Family Man.

"Doesn't Really Matter" from Nutty Professor II: The Klumps was named The Most Performed Song From A Motion Picture. "Doesn't Really Matter" was written by Janet Jackson and published by Black Ice Publishing.

The composers of the top-rated network prime-time television shows were also feted. Amongst those receiving multiple Television Music Awards were Mike Post for NYPD Blue, Law and Order and Law & Order: SVU; Walden for The West Wing and The Drew Carey Show; and David Vanacore for Survivor and Temptation Island. Other composers receiving awards were Martin Davich, ER; Allee Willis, Friends; Darryl Phinnessee, Frasier; John M. Keane and Pete Townshend, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; and Steve Hampton and Korbin Kraus, Just Shoot Me.

BMI's Emmy Award winning composers were also honored, including Walden, The West Wing; John Kimbrough, Nickellennium; Paul S. Glass and Dominic Messinger, One Life To Live; Messinger for "When I Think Of You" from One Life To Live; and Richard Stone, Steve Bernstein and Julie Bernstein, Hysteria! In an emotional moment, Stone's children, Mike and Rick, accepted the late composer's award; Stone died of cancer earlier this year.

High-resolution photos of the 2001 BMI Film/TV Awards are available for downloading on the BMI Media Relations web site at press.bmi.com.

2001 BMI FILM & TELEVISION AWARDS

Richard Kirk Award
W.G. "Snuffy" Walden

BMI Film Music Awards

Michael Kamen
X-Men

David Kitay
Scary Movie

Ed Shearmur
Charlie's Angels Miss Congeniality

David Newman
Nutty Professor II: The Klumps

Richard Gibbs
Big Momma's House

Cliff Martinez
Traffic

Trevor Rabin
Remember The Titans
Gone In 60 Seconds

John Williams
The Patriot

Harry Gregson Williams
Chicken Run

Lalo Schifrin
Mission: Impossible 2

Lennie Niehaus
Space Cowboys

Richard Marvin
U-571

Mark Mothersbaugh
Rugrats In Paris: The Movie

Danny Elfman
The Family Man

BMI Most Performed Song from a Film

Janet Jackson
Black Ice Publishing
"Doesn't Really Matter" from Nutty Professor II: The Klumps

BMI TV Music Awards

Jeff Beal
Family Law

Kenneth Douglas Berry
Temptation Island

Martin Davich
ER

Kurt Farquhar
Josh Goldsmith
Andrew Gross
The King of Queens

Steve Hampton
Just Shoot Me

Tom Hiel
The Practice

John M. Keane
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

Korbin Kraus
Just Shoot Me

James S. Levine
What About Joan

Marc Lichtman
Touched By An Angel

Darryl Phinnessee
Frasier

Mike Post
Law & Order
Law & Order: SVU
NYPD Blue

Edward Rogers
NYPD Blue

Peter Scaturro
The Practice

Barrett Strong
Family Law

Pete Townshend (PRS)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

David Vanacore
Survivor
Temptation Island

W.G. "Snuffy" Walden
The Drew Carey Show
The West Wing

Norman Whitfield
Family Law Allee Willis
Friends

Cathy Yuspa
The King of Queens

BMI Emmy Award Winners

W. G. "Snuffy" Walden
The West Wing

John Kimbrough
Nickellennium

Julie Bernstein
Steve Bernstein
Tim Kelly
Richard Stone
Hysteria!

Paul S. Glass
Dominic Messinger
One Life To Live

Dominic Messinger
"When I Think Of You" from One Life To Live

The bubbly Rich first came to prominence as a Manhattan socialite and wife of a billionaire commodities trader. She took up songwriting at around the same time, originally as a method of addressing her troubled marriage. But by 1986 - when one of her first compositions, "Frankie," became a number one R&B hit for Sister Sledge - Rich was pursuing her music in earnest, with decidedly rewarding results.

Since then, Rich has emerged as one of pop's most in-demand songwriters, her compositions having been recorded by Aretha Franklin and Mary J. Blige (their hit duet "Don't Waste Your Time"), Celine Dion, Marc Anthony, Patti LaBelle, Mandy Moore, Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Innosense, Allure, Terry Dexter, Taylor Dayne, Johnny Mathis, Oleta Adams, Phyllis Hyman, Chaka Khan, Martha Wash, Nana Mouskouri and Grover Washington Jr.

"I have always found that the best success is when you write for the artist," Rich says. "That way you can talk with them and find out how they want to say it. It's more honest."

Despite her songwriting success, Rich is equally well-known in Manhattan social circles for her lavish, star-studded fundraising soirees, which have benefited humanitarian organizations like Lifebeat, as well as the Democratic National Committee. But Rich's most personal cause is her own G&P Foundation for Cancer Research, which she founded in 1996 in honor of her daughter Gabrielle, who died of leukemia that year at the age of 27.

But her songwriting remains Denise Rich's most personal passion. "I think that I bring a very universal quality in my songs," she says, "because I listen and I write from feelings and emotions."