"After all Creed achieved professionally, I felt that I needed to refocus on the goals that I had personally," says guitarist Mark Tremonti, who along with drummer Scott Phillips and bassist Brian Marshall exited Creed to start the new group. "One of those goals was to get back to my rock & roll roots."

The result, One Day Remains (Wind-up), features sledgehammer-heavy tunes like "Metalingus" and "Watch Your Words" sitting comfortably aside more radio-ready tracks like the catchy "Open Your Eyes." As a whole, the album is reminiscent of some of the great rock albums of the 1970s — something that was hardly accidental.

"The '70s can really be defined by one word: real," Tremonti declares. "From the beginning, we have tried to work within the parameters of being true to that quality, while at the same time bringing the sound into the 21st century. I do believe that the realness comes out in this music purely as a product of us doing this for the fun of it. It begins and ends with the love of the music."

Kennedy, who previously served time with alternative rock outfit The Mayfield Four, adds: "It is so important to begin with a great song. If the song is not there, it will never work."

While dealing earnestly with its subjects in a sober manner, Alter Bridge avoids self-seriousness. As a matter of fact, the group went bungee-jumping together from a 300-foot drop to welcome Kennedy into the band. "This is representative of what is going on with the new band," says Phillips. "Everything is a lot of fun for us."]]> 2005-08-02T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/musicworld/entry/234498 Artists, Babyface, Beatles, The, Bell, Thom, Carey, Mariah, Creed, Hugo, Chad, Neptunes, The, Snoop Dogg, West, Kanye, Williams, Pharrell, Musical Styles, Pop, Urban, Musicworld, Feature Cause it’s my night
No stress no fights
I’m leavin’ it all behind
No tears no time to cry
Just making the most of life
-”It’s Like That”

With The Emancipation of Mimi , Mariah Carey repudiates the rumor mills, negates the naysayers and opens up Her voice and soul to blaze a sensational return to the pinnacle of the charts. Co-writing all 14 tracks, Carey has created a lustrous suite of songs to celebrate her spiritual and professional renewal. Audiences are clearly primed, as the long awaited project is a resounding, out-of-thebox success.

Longtime fans of Carey’s signature, multi-octave balladry will delight in the glossy “We Belong Together,” as her lyrics reference listening to Bobby Womack and Babyface on the midnight radio. The retrovinyl crackle on “Mine Again” extends the legacy of classic soul that ignites with the sheer aural sensuality of “Joy Ride.”

It’s not all smooth silk and ballads, however; raising the temperature substantially, a hit-making host of hip-hop purveyors accompanies Carey squarely into the urban zone. Collaborating with Grammy-winning producers Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo — The Neptunes — on “Say Somethin,’” she and her duet partner, Snoop Dogg, smolder in tandem with a club-heavy groove. Keeping it equally authentic, Jermaine Dupri, Twista and Nelly all individually join Carey on subsequent tracks. Bolstered by a sample of Thom Bell and Linda Creed’s “Betcha By Golly Wow” as recorded by The Ramsey Lewis Trio, “Stay the Night,” a track produced by Kanye West, perfectly epitomizes Carey’s enduring appeal: timeless soul amped up with nouveau hip-hop flourishes, sparkling with radiant star power. The cover photo says it best, portraying a voluptuous, wind blown Carey posing like a latter-day Greek goddess.

The daughter of a former opera singer and vocal coach — and even named for a song, “They Call the Wind Mariah,” from the Lerner and Loewe musical Paint Your Wagon , Carey, born on Long Island, New York, began vocalizing at the age of four, and was writing her own songs by the time she was attending Oldfield Middle School. The day after graduation from high school, she moved into Manhattan, where she sang backing vocals for a succession of artists, including Brenda K. Starr, who passed her demo on to Sony Music Entertainment chief Tommy Mottola at a party. As legend has it, when Mottola listened to the demo on his ride home, he subsequently commanded his driver to spin the limo around and return to the party so that he could meet the young singer. Soon afterwards, Mottola signed Carey to a Columbia Records contract, where he oversaw her meteoric rise, and eventually married her.

The Emancipation of Mimi, which Carey co-executive produced with her new label chief, Island/Def Jam’s Antonio “LA” Reid, continues an unprecedented lineage of hitmaking that began with her self-titled 1990 debut and four successive hit singles, “Vision of Love,” “Love Takes Time,” “Someday,” and “I Don’t Wanna Cry.” Her follow up, Music Box , continued her chart domination, selling an astounding 10 times platinum. Since these auspicious introductions, Mariah Carey has become the best-selling female performer of all time, with 16 number one singles capped by two Grammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, Billboard’s “Artist of the Decade” Award and the World Music Award for “World’s Best Selling Female Artist of the Millennium.” The only artist to top the charts in each year of the 1990s, with the single “Heartbreaker,” she even pushed ahead of The Beatles as the artist with the most cumulative weeks spent atop Billboard ’s Hot 100 Singles chart.

“Mimi” is a nickname that those close to Carey use to address her. This new found freedom, or “emancipation” as evidenced in the title, is given an emphatic dictionary definition on the CD booklet, “To free from the restraint, control, oppression, or power of another.” As she nails a door shut on the past, her lyrics proclaim the autonomy of her new life. “I was in a beautiful house, surrounded by beautiful things, but I couldn’t be who I really was,” she told a British magazine. Soon after her marital split came the movie Glitter , released the week after 9/11, that starred Carey in an acting role. Carey told the New York Post , “The problem was (that) Glitter was about a diva moment. It was too close to my life.” A well-publicized break from her next record label, Virgin, and recovery from exhaustion kept Carey in the trades and tabloids, if not on the charts, but even her record sale doldrums were relative. Both the soundtrack to Glitter and the follow-up, Charmbraclet , moved over a million copies in the U.S. alone.

Now, with her creativity renewed, Carey plans to pen a series of illustrated children’s tales following the life of a bi-racial orphan girl. The series will be based on experiences from the singer’s own childhood, growing up in a mixed-race family. She’s also hoping to translate an earlier album, her 1994 Merry Christmas, into a family-friendly Broadway show. She told MTV, “I get a chance to live out my Christmastime fantasies vicariously through the show. I think it’s going to be fun and something families can go to see.”

On “Fly Like a Bird,” the concluding track to The Emancipation of Mimi , Mariah takes it to church with the jubilant backing of a gospel choir as a disembodied voice intros the song with this quotation from Psalms, Chapter 30, verse five: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” As she celebrates her liberation, like the bird she describes in song, Mariah Carey soars higher in a stratospheric arc of ever-ascending artistry.

Mark Hall	Switchfoot

San Diego alt-rockers Switchfoot were another of the night's big winners, taking four Dove statuettes including Artist of the Year. The Crabb Family also notched four awards including Southern Gospel Album, with patriarch Gerald Crabb collecting three as writer of "He Came Looking for Me," "Forever" and "Through the Fire."

Casting Crowns

Earning double mentions were Israel & New Breed, Ed Cash, Steven Curtis Chapman, Aaron Lindsey and Toby McKeehan.

The Crabb Family	Gerald Crabb

Hosted by a slate of stars including Chapman, CeCe Winans, Rebecca St. James and Israel Houghton, the awards show will be televised in national syndication through network affiliates and independent stations.

BMI's 2005 GMA Award winners:

Song of the Year
"Who Am I?"
Mark Hall, songwriter; Club Zoo Music, SWECS Music

Songwriter of the Year
Mark Hall

Artist of the Year
Switchfoot

Israel & New Breed	Ed Cash

Steven Curtis Chapman	Building 429

Aaron Lindsey	Day of Fire

tobyMac	Grits

Dave Moody	The Isaacs

Israel Houghton	The Lewis Family

"The Game of Love" earned the BMI Pop Song of the Year Crystal for songwriter Gregg Alexander and his publishing company Keepin' It Real How 'Bout You Music Publishing; this distinction is given to the song tallying the most feature broadcast performances during the eligibility period. Recorded by Santana featuring Michelle Branch, "The Game of Love" was a #1 single from Santana's Arista album Shaman and has already been certified as a BMI Million-Air (one million broadcast performances). Multi-instrumentalist and producer Alexander won a Pop Award in 1999 for "You Get What You Give," a hit for his former group, the New Radicals. Alexander co-wrote "The Game of Love" with Rick Nowels (share not licensed by BMI).

Brian Wilson	Gregg Alexander	The Matrix

Lauren Christy and Scott Spock contributed three to the Most Performed List of 50 to share the BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year crown. The songs earning Christy and Spock the title were "Complicated" and "I'm With You," both #1 singles for Avril Lavigne, and "The Remedy (I Won't Worry)," recorded by Jason Mraz. Christy and Spock, along with Graham Edwards (PRS), are also known professionally as songwriting/production team The Matrix. Other artists for whom they have written songs are Christina Aguilera, David Bowie, Ricky Martin, Ronan Keating, Liz Phair and Hootie & the Blowfish.

With 11 songs represented, Warner/Chappell Music Group (through its companies Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. and Unichappell Music, Inc.) claimed the BMI Pop Publisher of the Year prize. Les Bider, Chairman & CEO of Warner/Chappell Music Group, accepted the crystal obelisk. The Publisher of the Year accolade is given to the publishing concern with the highest percentage of copyright ownership in award songs. Warner/Chappell's top performing tunes were "Are You Happy Now?," "Crazy In Love," "Complicated," "Dilemma," "I'm With You," "In A Little While," "Mesmerize," "Miss You," "Picture," "The Remedy (I Won't Worry)" and "Soak Up The Sun."

Brian Wilson was saluted as a BMI Icon for his "unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers." One of the most revered pop music creators of the last 50 years, Wilson co-founded the Beach Boys and co-wrote such seminal rock and pop songs as "Good Vibrations," "I Get Around," "God Only Knows," "California Girls," "Help Me, Rhonda" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice," among many others. Collectively with the Beach Boys and individually, he helped to create the sound that defined a generation and painted the picture of the West Coast "surf" sound. His genius is embedded throughout the group's history, but it particularly resonates on their legendary 1966 release, Pet Sounds.

After an Icon video tribute, Fountains of Wayne performed "Be True To Your School," followed by Wilson Phillips - featuring Wilson's daughters Carnie and Wendy - singing "In My Room." Wilson and his band took the stage for several songs, closing with "Good Vibrations."

Wilson enters the elite company of previously praised BMI Icons including Isaac Hayes, Bill Anderson, James Brown, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Dolly Parton, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Bo Diddley . He is also the first person to be honored by BMI as both an Icon and with the President's Award (in 1995).

Of the 80 songwriters cited, nine were double winners: Sheryl Crow, R. Kelly, Jennifer Lopez, Shania Twain, N.E.R.D.'s Pharrell Williams, Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel and Chris Shiflett, and matchbox twenty's Rob Thomas.

Other writer/artists earning awards were Audioslave, Daniel Bedingfield (PRS), Big Tymers, Michelle Branch, Cam'Ron, Vanessa Carlton, Creed, Eminem, Evanescence, Ja Rule, Kid Rock, Linkin Park, Queens of the Stone Age, Red Hot Chili Peppers, 3 Doors Down, Uncle Kracker, and Unwritten Law.

Publishers garnering three or more awards were EMI Music Publishing (EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc./EMI-Unart Catalog, Inc./EMI-Virgin Songs, Inc.); Careers-BMG Music Publishing, Inc./Zomba Songs Inc.; Universal Music Publishing Group; Dwight Frye Music, Inc.; Mr. Spock Music/Scott Spock Songs; Rainbow Fish Publishing (Christy's company) and Sony/ATV Songs LLC.

"When I'm Gone" by 3 Doors Down enjoyed Most Performed Song on College Radio kudos for songwriters Brad Arnold, Todd Harrell, Chris Henderson and Matt Roberts of the group. Included on 3 Doors Down's Republic/Universal CD Away From the Sun, "When I'm Gone" is published by Escatawpa Songs and Universal-Songs of PolyGram International, Inc.

Another special presentation was the announcement of Andrew Horowitz as the 1st Place winner of the 2004 John Lennon Scholarship Awards. A student at the University of Michigan, Horowitz earned a $10,000 scholarship for his song, "Goodday." Established in 1997 by Yoko Ono in conjunction with the BMI Foundation, the John Lennon Scholarship Awards recognize the talent of young songwriters between the ages of 15 and 24. More than $125,000 has been awarded over the last seven years through generous donations from Ono and Gibson Musical Instruments. The BMI Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to encouraging the creation, performance and study of music through awards, scholarships, commissions and grants.

Five of the 2004 top Pop songs are repeat achievers: "Heaven," first honored in 1985 for writer/artist Bryan Adams; "Landslide," a 1998 Pop Award winner for Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks and the 2003 BMI Country Song of the Year via its recording by the Dixie Chicks; plus last year's winners "Complicated," "One Last Breath" and "Soak Up The Sun."

BMI's Citation of Achievement performance certificates are given annually in recognition of popularity in the field of popular music, as measured by feature broadcast performances on American radio and television. This year's Pop Awards eligibility period ran October 1, 2002 through September 30, 2003.

"We could've fallen apart very easily and each gone our own way," says Whitener. "The fact that we were able to stay together says a lot about the band's spirit and determination." Indeed, the trio's new singer, African-born Hugo Ferreira, was a perfect fit, and the new lineup emerged as Tantric in 2001 with a Toby Wright-produced (Alice In Chains), self-titled debut on Maverick Records.

Singles, including "Mourning" (Top 20) and "Breakdown" (#1 on Billboard's Modern Rock Chart), and tours with 3 Doors Down, Creed and Kid Rock propelled the newly minted lineup, making Days of the New a distant memory. TV appearances on The Tonight Show and songs in TV and films (including Warner Bros. Salton Sea ) insured Tantric's place as emerging stars.

At once sonically somber, aggressive and sensual, in the years since their debut, Tantric has honed its heavy acoustic-rock signature sound. February 2004 marks the latest Tantric disc, After We Go, which features the first single, the active rock hit "Hey Now." A cool cover of Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" is also on After We Go .

The Louisville, Kentucky-based quartet follows up their debut without a worry about the oft-talked-about sophomore slump. “You can’t go into the studio worrying about writing another hit or selling twice as many copies as the first album,” says Ferreira. “All you can do is make music that moves you and hope that it affects others the same way."]]> 2004-03-09T17:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233793 Artists, Creed, Franklin, Aretha, Holiday, Billie, Jones, Norah, Reed, Cassandra, Musical Styles, Jazz, R&B Cassandra Reed (3rd left) and her collaborator, Steven Frank, also a BMI writer, stopped by the BMI New York office recently to hand out Cassandra's self-titled Peak/Concord Records debut CD. The album, released on July 22, is a sultry twelve-song collection that combines old school jazz, Aretha Franklin-inspired soul, and contemporary R&B with provocative lyrics and Billie Holiday-worthy vocal performances. The first single, "The Next Time," can be heard on AC radio and is currently #20 on MP3.com's Jazz Vocal chart, along with some of the CD's other tracks including "Only Human," currently at #3, and "Cruisin'" at #25. Jazziz magazine also named Reed one of 22 female jazz singers "who has the potential to be the next Norah Jones."

Seen here in the New York office are BMI's Samantha Cox and Charlie Feldman, Reed, songwriter/collaborator Steven Frank, and BMI's Erica Tompkins and Wardell Malloy. photo: Eric Miller

]]> 2003-07-28T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/200066 Artists, Creed, Crow, Sheryl, Dixie Chicks, Eminem, McBride, Martina, McGraw, Tim, Musical Styles, Country, R&B, Rock Eminem was the big winner at last night's (1/13) 30th annual American Music Awards, held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The controversial megastar won all four of the awards for which he was nominated, including Favorite Male Artist in both the Pop/Rock and Hip Hip/R&B categories, as well as Favorite Album in both categories for his multi-platinum CD The Eminem Show.

Eminem

Creed

Earning two AMAs each were BMI rockers Creed and country trio the Dixie Chicks, who won for Favorite Country Album for Home. Sheryl Crow took home the Favorite Female Artist trophy and the music to the blockbuster hit movie, Spider-Man won for Favorite Soundtrack.

Dixie Chicks

Sheryl Crow

The American Music Awards, whose nominees and winners are determined by fan voting, was hosted by the Osbournes who gave ABC censors a real workout.

Complete List of BMI American Music Awards Winners:

POP/ROCK

Favorite Male Artist
Eminem

Favorite Female Artist
Sheryl Crow

Favorite Band, Duo or Group
Creed

Favorite Album
Eminem
The Eminem Show

HIP-HOP/R&B

Favorite Male Artist
Eminem

Favorite Album
Eminem
The Eminem Show

COUNTRY

Favorite Male Artist
Tim McGraw

Favorite Female Artist
Martina McBride

Favorite Band, Duo or Group
Dixie Chicks

Favorite Album
Dixie Chicks
Home

ALTERNATIVE

Favorite Artist
Creed

SOUNDTRACK

Favorite Soundtrack
Spider-Man]]> 2003-01-13T17:00:01-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/200067 Artists, Creed, Dixie Chicks, Eminem, Hill, Faith, Musical Styles, Country, Rock Dixie Chicks and hard rock band Creed as Favorite Group or Band. Superstar rapper Eminem took home the Favorite Male Performer title, while country crossover singer Faith Hill was named Favorite Female Performer.

Eminem

Creed

Nominees and winners of awards in 16 film, television, and music categories were determined by a nationwide poll conducted by the Gallup Organization.

Dixie Chicks

Faith Hill

 ]]> 2003-01-13T17:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/200050 Artists, 3 Doors Down, Aaliyah, Adams, John, Aguilera, Christina, Arnold, Brad, Bacilos, Baltimore, Charli, Bedingfield, Daniel, Big Tymers, Blind Boys of Alabama, The, Bowie, David, Branch, Michelle, Brandy, Busta Rhymes, Cachao, Carlton, Vanessa, Christy, Lauren, Christy, Lauren, Creed, Crow, Sheryl, Daniels, Charlie, Dirty Vegas, Dixie Chicks, Elfman, Danny, Eminem, Enya, Evans, Faith, Flaming Lips, The, Floetry, Foo Fighters, Gabriel, Peter, Garza, David Lee, Golijov, Osvaldo, Green, Al, Green, Pat, Hammond, Fred, Hancock, Herbie, Hargrove, Roy, Harris, Jesse, Henley, Don, Hill, Faith, Intocable, James, Etta, Jars of Clay, John, Elton, Jones, Norah, Juanes, Kelly, R., Kenny G, King, B.B., Kinky, Knapp, Jennifer, Korn, Krauss, Alison, Lauderdale, Jim, Lonestar, Maines, Lloyd, Mardin, Arif, McBride, Martina, Metheny, Pat, Miller, Lee Thomas, Moby, Nappy Roots, Nelson, Willie, Neptunes, The, Newman, Thomas, Nickel Creek, Nickelback, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The, Parton, Dolly, Queens of the Stone Age, Roberts, Matt, Santos, John, Scruggs, Earl, Shorter, Wayne, Slutsky, Allan, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Spears, Britney, Spock, Scott, Stanley, Ralph, Sting, Stone, Angie, Tedeschi, Susan, Temptations, The, Tesh, John, Trick Pony, Williams, Lucinda, Winans, Bebe, Musical Styles, Blues, Country, Jazz, Pop Sheryl Crow, Eminem and Norah Jones lead the list of nominees for this year's Grammy Awards with five nods each. Nominees were announced today (1/7) at a press conference at New York's Madison Square Garden. The 45th Grammy Awards will be held on February 23 at the Garden, and will be broadcast live on CBS from 8-11:30 (ET/PT).

Sheryl Crow

Eminem

Norah Jones

Other BMI writers who received multiple nominations included four each for country darlings the Dixie Chicks, producer Arif Mardin and Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger (including Record of the Year for the Nickelback smash "How You Remind Me"). Newcomer Vanessa Carlton picked up three. Fellow BMI pop divas Pink, Britney Spears and Michelle Branch garnered two nominations each, as did blues legend B.B. King, film composer Thomas Newman and gospel giant Fred Hammond.

BMI's 2003 Grammy nominees:

FIVE NOMINATIONS

Sheryl Crow
Eminem
Norah Jones

FOUR NOMINATIONS

Dixie Chicks
Chad Kroeger (SOCAN)

THREE NOMINATIONS

Vanessa Carlton
Floetry (Marsha Ambrosius, Natalie Stewart)
Arif Mardin
Pat Metheny

TWO NOMINATIONS

Michelle Branch
Michael Brecker
The Chieftains
Madukwu Chinwah
Natalie Cole
Dirty Vegas (PRS)
Foo Fighters
Carlos Franzetti
Kenny G
Pat Green
Herbie Hancock
Nellee Hooper (PRS)
B.B. King
Diana Krall (SOCAN)
Rashid Lonnie Lynn
Nappy Roots
Willie Nelson
Thomas Newman
Nickel Creek
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Dolly Parton
Pink
Britney Spears
Ralph Stanley
3 Doors Down (Brad Arnold, Todd Harrell, Chris Henderson, Matt Roberts)
Doc Watson
John Williams

SINGLE NOMINEES

Aaliyah
Will Ackerman
John Adams
Christina Aguilera
Darol Anger
Audio Adrenaline
Bacilos
David Balakrishnan
Charli Baltimore
Banda El Recodo De Cruz Lizárraga
Jeff Bass
Daniel Bedingfield (PRS)
Big Tymers
Eddie Blazonczyk
The Blind Boys of Alabama
Kevin Bond
Ryan Bowser
David Bowie (PRS)
Brandy
Norman Brown
Solomon Burke
Burning Sky
R.L. Burnside
Gary Burton
Gary Calamar
Michel Camilo
Cam’Ron
The Canton Spirituals
Capleton (PRS)
Caribbean Jazz Project
Cee-Lo
Lauren Christy
The Clinch Mountain Boys
Andy Colver (PRS)
Commissioned
Common
Creed
Bill Cunliffe
The Charlie Daniels Band
Diamond Rio
Michael Doucet
Dave Douglas
Don Edwards
Danny Elfman
Enya (PRS)
Faith Evans
Tommy Flanagan
The Flaming Lips
Béla Fleck
Michael J. Fox
Allison Brewster Franzetti
The Funk Brothers
Peter Gabriel (PRS)
David Lee Garza y Los Musicales
Osvaldo Golijov
Gov’t Mule
Al Green
Grits
Dave Grusin
Deitrick Haddon
Fred Hammond
Roy Hargrove
Jesse Harris
Don Henley
Faith Hill
Dave Holland Big Band
David Holt
Intocable
Etta James
Jars of Clay
JaRule
Jay-Z
Maxi Jazz (PRS)
Little Joe & La Familia
Elton John (PRS)
The Jordanaires
Juanes
John P. Kee
Salif Keita (PRS)
R. Kelly
Kinky
Kitaro
Jennifer Knapp
Knoc-Turn’Al
Korn
Dave Koz
Jeff Koz
Alison Krauss
Femi Kuti (SACEM)
kd lang
Jim Lauderdale
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
Don Letts (PRS)
Lonestar
Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
The Light Crust Doughboys
Limi-T 21
Israel “Cachao” López
Taj Mahal
Lloyd Maines
Maraca
Martina McBride
Delbert McClinton
Freddie McGregor (PRS)
Lee Thomas Miller
Mingus Big Band
Moby
Charlie Musselwhite
Meshell Ndegeocello
The Neptunes
Newsong
Nickelback (SOCAN)
*NSYNC
The Oak Ridge Boys
Makoto Ozone (JASRAC)
Lee “Scratch” Perry
Pharrell
Queens of the Stone Age
Busta Rhymes
Riders In the Sky
Peter Rowan
Nancy Rumbel
Nicky Ryan (PRS)
Roma Ryan (PRS)
Mingo Saldivar y Sus Tremendos Cuatro Espadas
Santana
John Santos and the Machete Ensemble
Al Schmitt
The John Scofield Band
Earl Scruggs
Wayne Shorter
Jon Sidel
Siggno
Allan Slutsky
Arthur Smith (PRS)
The Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Scott Spock
Ralph Stanley II
Sting (PRS)
Angie Stone
Omar Sosa
Luciana Souza
Jimmy Sturr
Take Six
Susan Tedeschi
John Tesh
The Temptations
Eric Tingstad
Tobymac
Trick Pony
Kathy Troccoli
Los Tucanes De Tijuana
McCoy Tyner
Jai Uttal
Bebo Valdés
Carlos “Patato” Valdés
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
Scott Wenzel
Kenny Werner
Lucinda Williams
Robin Williams
Dean Wilson (PRS)
BeBe Winans
The Roland White Band
Pete Woodruff
Yellowjackets
Joe Zawinul

Other big winners included superstar rapper Eminem, who won Album of the Year and R&B/Hip-Hop Album of the Year for his multi-platinum CD, The Eminem Show. Techno-music giant Moby also took home two Billboard Awards for Electronic Album Artist and Electronic Album for 18.

BMI country songwriter/artist Toby Keith was named Country Singles Artist of the Year and a special Billboard Award was presented to Michael Jackson in recognition of the 20th anniversary of his 1982 album, Thriller, which spent more weeks at No. 1 (37 weeks) than any other album in the history of the Billboard 200.]]> 2002-12-11T17:00:01-05:00