Writers who have appeared in the past include Norah Jones, Vanessa Carlton, Lisa Loeb, Avril Lavigne, John Oats, Gavin Degraw, and Charlotte Sometimes. Kate Voegele, winner of the Circle's 2006 contest, is currently starring in the hit tv show One Tree Hill and her new video is currently on MTV's TRL. Company of Thieves, winners of the 2007 contest, were recently named "one of the top bands to watch for in 2008" by the Chicago Daily Herald.

The Grand Prize includes $5,000 cash, a chance to perform at Madison Square Garden as part of The New York Songwriters Circle/New York Titans Concert series and professional recording studio sessions at Dubway Studios, up to a maximum of $1,000.

Second Prize is $3,000 and third place will receive $1,500. Additionally, a special International Award of $1000 will be awarded to a writer who originates from anywhere in the world outside the U.S.

All 12 finalists will receive:

• An opportunity to perform as part of the Circle's showcase series in New York City or Philadelphia.
• An opportunity to have their song included on NYSC’s compilation CD release.
• A feature on songwriters-circle.com

Deadline for submissions is September 30th, 2008. For more information about the contest, the list of judges, sponsors, prizes, and to submit your music, visit songwriters-circle.com.

Phil Bensen

New Jersey native Phil Bensen mixes originals with classics from Marvin Gaye and The Temptations, creating quite a stir with a booming, Motown-influenced voice. “People have come up to me and said, ‘I can’t believe you pulled it off’,” says Bensen. When people see him live they are bound to remember that voice. It’s got the timeless quality that the best Motown songs have; hearing it just seems to take you back to memories long since forgotten. Bensen recognizes that his voice will be what takes him places, but wants to make sure he’s viewed as a complete songwriter as well. “Vocally, I’ve always loved Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, and newer guys like Gavin DeGraw and Jason Mraz. I just want to always get that smooth but powerful… and believability when I sing.”

A Love Like Pi

A quartet featuring bass, drums, guitar/vocals and a keyboardist who uses several different synths, Red Bank, N.J.-based A Love Like Pi plays extremely danceable electronic pop with the energy and attack of punk rock. Lead singer Lief explodes all over the stage with a contagious emotive force, and their self-titled three song EP does a commendable job of capturing that energy. It’s a fantastic progressive, electronic-tinged emo debut that will undoubtedly turn many heads; they’ll soon be giving the Yeah Yeah Yeahs a run for their money.

Stab the Matador

Stab the Matador was formed in 2005 during their high school senior year by Luke Brandfon (guitar), Graham Watson (drums), Corey Cavagnolo (vocals, keyboard), and James DeVito (bass). Jumpstarted with a clear ambition to create energetic rock with an affinity for infectious dance beats, the Westchester, N.Y., quartet dedicated all their time to writing, rehearsing and performing. They are described as a band that “clutches that human desire to just go crazy and dance.” Since debuting at the Knitting Factory in NYC in early 2006, the band has performed with such groups as Snowden, Under the Influence of Giants, ImaRobot and Matchbook Romance, and have been compared to pioneering artists such as Gang of Four and Joy Division, as well as contemporary bands such as The Rapture and Les Savy Fav.

BMI’s Ben Tischker, Samantha Cox and June Neira get caught on camera with Derek, Justin, Casey and Aaron from Throne, and attorney Jeremy Rosen

Indie rock trio Throne features 18-year-old singer/songwriter and bassist Derek Trafton, his brother, 15-year-old drummer Casey Trafton, and their cousin, 18-year-old guitarist/keyboardist Justin Millar. For the last five years, the band has been drawing large crowds to their shows, opening for such heavy-hitters as Green Day, Good Charlotte, Blink 182 and Sum 41. Voted “Best New Band” by the Hartford (Conn.) Advocate in 2001, Throne spent most of 2006 writing and recording in the studio with Billy Martin of Good Charlotte, who co-produced a few songs.

Admission is free; please R.S.V.P. to RSVP@bmi.com with the panel date in the subject.

This new panel series, modeled after a program created in 2006 by the BMI Los Angeles staff, offers an inside look into the making and marketing of music. Noted industry taste-makers will provide insight on hot topics affecting songwriters, musicians, managers and the industry at large. In addition to the inaugural “Music in Film” panel, future topics include:

April 10:  “Building Your High-Octane Team”
June 12:  “A&R: Getting Their Attention”
Aug. 14:  “Groups That Support You and Your Music”
Oct. 9:  “Publishing 101: You’ve Got a Hit, Now What”

The New York “Industry Insider” series will launch on Feb. 13 with tips and tricks from established film music executives, who will discuss soundtrack placements, networking and how to make the perfect pitch in a moderated Q&A format. Panelists include music supervisors Jim Dunbar and Janice Ginsberg; Karen Lamberton, VP, Soundtracks and Film & TV Music, RCA Music Group; Gillian Morris, Senior VP, Film & Television Music/Licensing, Wind-Up Records; and moderator Steven Scharf; Senior VP, Creative, Carlin America & President, Steven Scharf Entertainment.

Janice Ginsberg’s 20-plus year career includes working with artists of all genres as a talent acquisition executive, music supervisor, music publisher and producer. Ginsberg’s experience encompasses many credits in radio, TV, feature films and soundtrack albums. Consultancies have included her acting as U.S. representative for Italy’s CAM Original Soundtracks (Il Postino), a joint venture with music publisher Carlin America and Greene Street Films for whom she established a music publishing division. Presently, Ginsberg is developing a music department for the Edward R. Pressman Film Corporation. Her production credits include Standing in the Shadows of Motown-The Story of the Funk Brothers, Strange Brew: The Story of Cream and Let the Good Times Roll: The Roots of American Music...New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Music supervisor and consultant credits include Sisters, The Hip-Hop Project and Snow Angels.

Jim Dunbar is a New York-based music supervisor and producer. His credits include Kimberley Peirce’s Boys Don’t Cry, Richard Linklater’s School of Rock, Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou and Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator. Among his current projects are Todd Haynes’ I’m Not There, Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini’s The Nanny Diaries, and an untitled project by Kimberley Peirce. Prior to working in film, Dunbar was a senior A&R executive at Capitol, Columbia and Geffen Records, and worked as a DJ for radio stations WHFS and KUSF.

Gillian Morris is currently Senior Vice President of Film & Television Music/Licensing at Wind-Up Records, responsible for licensing Wind-Up’s master and publishing rights for film and TV placement, as well as overseeing the company’s soundtrack division. Prior to joining Wind-Up in 2000, Morris was an independent music supervisor for a series of independent films in New York City, and prior to that, oversaw the film and television licensing department at Arista Records in Los Angeles.

Music executive Karen Lamberton started her career at Thorn EMI in Los Angeles, later becoming an assistant at Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency where she worked with such top composers as Ennio Morricone, Hank Zimmer and Michael Kamen. Other experience includes positions at Capitol Records, Worlds End and Quincy Jones’ music publishing company, where she rose to VP. She joined J Records in 2001 as VP of Soundtracks and Film/TV Music, establishing a licensing division and overseeing the procurement and making of soundtrack albums. She also worked with such artists as Maroon 5, Alicia Keys and Gavin DeGraw at J, and after the BMG merger, she took on the additional responsibility of working the RCA roster, which included Foo Fighters, Kelly Clarkson and Christina Aguilera, among others. She is currently VP of Soundtracks and Film & TV Music at RCA Music Group, overseeing a vibrant staff and a roster of artists well-represented in the area of soundtrack albums and film, TV, and advertising.

Steven Scharf’s 38 years in the recording industry has covered areas of record producing, A&R, music publishing, and the management of record producers, film and TV composers, and artists. In 1991, he founded Steven Scharf Entertainment, a producer management company representing a wide array of talent, including producers Julius “Juice” Butty and Rob Friedman, composers Mark Suozzo and Barry Goldberg, and artists Ali Eskandarian, Intercooler and 46bliss, among others. He has also ventured with legendary music publisher Freddy Bienstock of Carlin America Inc., where he is currently Senior VP of Creative, concentrating on all film/TV/advertising and song placements.

The “Industry Insider” series was created by the BMI Los Angeles Writer/Publisher Relations team in conjunction with Gibson Guitar and Billboard to provide BMI songwriters with music industry insider resources essential for success. Moderated by a rotating group of professionals from the three companies, the panel series offers a direct link to the inner-workings of the music business from the perspective of established music professionals. Educational support for the creative community is a cornerstone of BMI’s songwriter outreach programs, and through such programs, BMI fosters networking and career-developing skills and talents.

Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins and banjos. Gibson’s digital guitar represents the biggest advance in electric guitar design in more than 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, Mich., and headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.’s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Valley Arts, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Slingerland, Maestro, Baldwin, Hamilton, Chickering and Wurlitzer. For more information on Gibson Guitars, please visit www.gibson.com.

Now in its 111th year, Billboard is the world’s premier weekly music, video and digital entertainment publication and a diverse digital, events and brand, content and data licensing platform. Billboard publishes the most trusted charts and offers unrivaled reporting about the latest music, video, gaming, media, digital and mobile entertainment issues and trends. Billboard is the flagship property for the Billboard Information Group, which also includes www.Billboard.com, www.Billboard.biz, Billboard Chart Alert, Billboard Information Network (BIN), Billboard Directories, Billboard Books, Billboard Licensing & Events and Billboard Radio Monitor.

BMI President & CEO Del Bryant, Kris Kristofferson, and SHOF Curator Oscar Brand

The evening was full of special moments, including one from music impresario Paul Shaffer, who honored inductee Thom Bell with a medley of some of his most famous songs, including "I'll Be Around," "You Make Me Feel Brand New," "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time" and "You Are Everything."

Inductee Will Jennings, SHOF President Linda Moran, Kris Kristofferson, Frances Preston, and inductee Mac Davis

Hal David gave the introduction to Johnny Mercer Award honoree Kris Kristofferson: "Tonight's honoree is a Rhodes Scholar and former United States Army helicopter pilot who, in 1965, resigned his commission, gave up a teaching post at West Point, and moved to Nashville to fulfill his dream of becoming a successful songwriter."

Country star Trace Adkins did Kristofferson's "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" proud and presented the honor to his old friend. Kristofferson then thrilled the packed audience with a performance of "Help Me Make It Through the Night."

SHOF Chairman/CEO Hal David, inductee Sylvia Moy, and Will Jennings

BMI composer Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast) came out to help induct fellow BMI affiliate Will Jennings, citing Jennings' amazing songwriting record, which includes co-writing Barry Manilow's first No. 1 smash, "Looks Like We Made It," as well as his extremely successful partnership with Steve Winwood. Broadway vocalist Linda Eder performed his blockbuster hit, "My Heart Will Go On," from Titanic.

Trace Adkins, Will Jennings, ASCAP's John LoFrumento, Paul Shaffer, Mac Davis, Lise Davis, Sylvia Moy, Del Bryant, inductee Thom Bell, and Hal David

Former BMI President & CEO Frances Preston helped induct her longtime friend, Mac Davis. "My first remembrance of Mac Davis was from a very early Nashville music festival," Preston reminisced. "I knew at that moment that Mac Davis was going to be one of America's greatest songwriters."

Thom Bell accepts his award

Davis, who signed his own recording contract in 1970, topped the charts in 1972 with his song, "Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me," and wrote the Elvis Presley classics "A Little Less Conversation," "Memories" and "In the Ghetto," which he performed to a standing ovation.

Publishing giant Allen Klein was honored with the Abe Olman Publishing Award, presented by EMI Music Publishing's Martin Bandier and Carlin America, Inc.'s Freddy Bienstock, both previous recipients of the award. Klein's close friend, Yoko Ono, sent a congratulatory letter, which Bandier read. BMI artist Gavin DeGraw then performed an amazing rendition of ABKCO artist Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come."

Kris Kristofferson performs

The induction of BMI writer Sylvia Moy and the late Henry Cosby closed the show, presented by their longtime Motown collaborator, Stevie Wonder. The pair co-wrote many of Wonder's most famous early hits, including "I Was Made to Love Her," "Shoo Bee Doo Bee Da Day" and "My Cherie Amour," which Wonder performed during the ceremony.

Mac Davis performs

Dedicated to recognizing the work and lives of those composers and lyricists who create popular music around the world, the National Academy of Popular Music/Songwriters Hall of Fame was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond. The NAPM/SHOF is also devoted to the development of new songwriting talent through workshops, showcases and scholarships. BMI is a long-time supporter of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Singer/songwriter Gavin DeGraw led the CSN tribute with a jaw-dropping medley that included "Carry On," "Almost Cut My Hair" and "Teach Your Children." Twenty-time Grammy Award-winning bluegrass queen Alison Krauss and dobro master Jerry Douglas from her Union Station band brought down the house with "Long Time Gone"

Red-hot rockers Maroon 5, whose members were themselves feted with the BMI Pop Song of the Year trophy for "She Will Be Loved" and as BMI Songwriters of the Year (along with crunk rapper Lil Jon), belted out "Our House." Rounding out the all-star musical salute, which was led by music director Michael Thompson, was Allman Brothers Band frontman Gregg Allman, who was backed by Krauss and Douglas on "Southern Cross."

Hosted by BMI President/CEO Del Bryant and Los Angeles VP/GM Barbara Cane, the 54th annual BMI Pop Awards also recognized the writers and publishers of the 50 most performed songs on U.S. radio and television from the past year. In addition to the Icon tribute and the announcement of the Song and Songwriters of the Year, EMI Music earned its second consecutive BMI Pop Publisher of the Year Crystal, Weezer's "Beverly Hills" was named College Song of the Year and "1, 2 Step" received BMI's very first Internet Song of the Year award. The gala ceremony also included a special presentation to 21-year-old Catawba College student Dennis E. Reed, Jr., named first place winner of the BMI Foundation's 9th Annual John Lennon Scholarship Awards.

WE BELONG TOGETHER
Darnell Bristol
Mariah Carey
Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds
Sid "Uncle Jamz" Johnson
Patrick L. Moten
Sandra Sully
Bobby Womack
ABKCO Music, Inc.
Ballads By Design Publishing
Hip Chic Music
Mister Johnson's Jams Music
Rye Songs
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Mariah Carey
Island Records

YOU AND ME
Jude Cole
Jason Wade
Dimensional Songs of the Knoll
G-Chills Music
Jude Cole Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Lifehouse
Geffen Records

BMI staged its 54th Annual Pop Awards on May 16, with top honors given to BMI Icons Crosby, Stills & Nash; Jesse Carmichael, Ryan Dusick, Adam Levine and Mickey Madden of Maroon 5 and Lil Jon as Songwriters of the Year; "She Will Be Loved" as Song of the Year; and EMI Music as Publisher of the Year. Hosted by BMI President/ CEO Del Bryant and Los Angeles VP/GM Barbara Cane at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, the black-tie dinner recognized the writers and publishers of the past year's 50 most performed pop songs from BMI's catalog of more than 6.5 million compositions.

	BMI Pop Awards Photo Slideshow
	BMI Icon Tribute
	2006 BMI Pop Awards song list
	Crosby, Stills, & Nash Bio

A highlight of the gala ceremony featured a musical tribute to legendary singing trio Crosby, Stills & Nash, who were honored as BMI Icons for their "unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers." The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, whose signature three-part harmony has endured for more than three decades, join an elite list of previous BMI Icons that includes Paul Simon, James Brown, Brian Wilson, Isaac Hayes, Dolly Parton and Carlos Santana.

Martin Bandier and his EMI Music Publishing team accept the publisher of the year award

The musical partnership of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash has produced some of the most timeless rock songs ever written, including "Marrakesh Express," "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes," "Helplessly Hoping," "Guinnevere," "Teach Your Children," "Wooden Ships," "Dark Star" and "Just a Song Before I Go." Called "the voice of an entire generation," CSN has just announced a summer reunion tour with Neil Young.

Maroon 5	Lil Jon	Crosby, Stills & Nash

Pop-rockers Maroon 5 were joined on stage by rapper Lil Jon to collect their BMI Songwriter of the Year Crystals for placing three songs each on the most performed list of 50. The trio of tracks earning Maroon 5 members Jesse Carmichael, Ryan Dusick, Adam Levine and Mickey Madden the prestigious title were "Sunday Morning," their two-time BMI Pop Award-winning smash, "This Love," and Song of the Year "She Will Be Loved."

Lil Jon picked up his third Songwriter of the Year win - he was both BMI's top Pop and Urban writer in 2005 - for penning "Lovers and Friends" (Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz featuring Usher & Ludacris), "Goodies" (Ciara featuring Petey Pablo) and "Salt Shaker" (Ying Yang Twins featuring Lil Jon), the latter two of which also made the list of top songs at the 2005 BMI Urban Awards. He was also honored at that ceremony as writer of the Song of the Year ("Yeah!"), as well as named one of BMI's Top 10 Urban Producers.

Included on Maroon 5's multi-platinum debut, Songs About Jane, "She Will Be Loved" was named BMI Pop Song of the Year for scoring the most airplay of any song on the most performed list during the award period. Co-written by the band's four BMI members, and published by Careers-BMG Music Publishing and February Twenty-Second Music, "She Will Be Loved" earned Maroon 5 their second Grammy this past February for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal; they were named Best New Artist the previous year.

EMI Music Publishing (EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc./EMI-Hastings Catalog, Inc./Stone Diamond Music) claimed its second consecutive BMI Pop Publisher of the Year prize with 18 songs on the top 50 list, giving the publishing giant the highest percentage of copyright ownership in award songs. EMI Chairman & CEO Martin Bandier accepted the company's 11th BMI Pop Publisher Crystal.

In addition to the Song of the Year, BMI also recognized the performance achievements of two other songs: "Beverly Hills" earned Most Performed Song on College Radio kudos for songwriter Rivers Cuomo of Weezer and publisher E.O. Smith Music, and "1, 2 Step," written by BMI Top 10 Urban Producer Jazze Pha and published by Bubba Gee Music, Noontime Tunes and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., received BMI's very first Internet Song of the Year award by tallying the most hits on BMI-licensed web sites during the award period.

Three other songs besides "This Love" took home a second BMI Pop Award, including "Heaven" by Los Lonely Boys, which also won last year; D.H.T.'s version of "Listen to Your Heart," which earned a Pop Award in 1990 for the recording by Roxette; and the Hall & Oates remake of "I'll Be Around," which won a Pop Award in 1972 for the original Spinners hit written by Thom Bell and Phil Hurtt.

Songwriters Gavin DeGraw, Kara DioGuardi, George Pajon, Jr., will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes, and Full Force members Paul Anthony, Baby Gerry, B-Fine, Bowlegged Lou, Curt-T-T and Shy Shy each scored two BMI Pop Awards, while publishers Careers-BMG Music Publishing/Zomba Songs, Cherry River Music Co., Dimensional Songs of the Knoll, El Cubano Music, Ensign Music LLC, February Twenty-Second Music, Forceful Music/Mokojumbi Music, G. DeGraw Music, Inc., K'Stuff Publishing, Songs of TVT, Sony/ATV Songs LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group (Songs of Universal, Inc./Irving Music), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Waters of Nazareth Publishing and will.i.am music, inc. were each cited for multiple award-winning songs.

Another of the ceremony's highlights included a special presentation to 21-year-old Catawba College student Dennis E. Reed, Jr., first place winner of the BMI Foundation's 9th Annual John Lennon Scholarship Awards. The Charlotte, North Carolina native, who got to share the stage with some of music's biggest stars, went home with a $10,000 scholarship for his song, "Out of Control." Established in 1997 by Yoko Ono in conjunction with the BMI Foundation and matched by generous donations from Gibson Musical Instruments, the John Lennon Scholarship program recognizes the talent of young songwriters between the ages of 15 and 24.

In addition to classroom sessions around the country, an array of stars will launch a radio PSA campaign in support of CAW that will air on some 2,000 radio stations. The glittering line-up of PSA celebrities includes such BMI artists and songwriters as John Legend, 3 Doors Down and the Ying Yang Twins, as well as "Baby Got Back" rapper Sir Mix-A-Lot. Additional BMI stars, including Deborah Allen, Gavin DeGraw, Martina McBride, Paul Overstreet and Leslie Satcher, will also participate in the CAW public service announcements.

Other special activities also are planned by The Copyright Society of the U.S.A. to "celebrate creativity" in the electronic age. The society is building on its successful 2005 activities by expanding programs to educate young people about the value of copyright protection to both creators and consumers.

In addition to MENC, this year features new teacher partners including the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, the National Art Education Association and the National Council of Teachers of English. All teacher members of these organizations, as well as any other teachers who are interested in participating, are asked to teach students that copyright is important not just to the creators, but also to consumers who benefit from the diversity of music, films, games, software and other products that reach the market because copyright law makes it possible to earn a living as a creator.

"We hope that the CAW web site will become a focal point for teachers when it comes to education about copyright -- that's why we have been reaching out to many copyright industry trade groups to try to join forces in our efforts to educate students," said Monica Corton, chairperson of Copyright Awareness Week.

Other CAW 2006 sponsors include the Motion Picture Association of America, the American Intellectual Property Law Association, ASCAP, The Harry Fox Agency, Time-Warner, Inc, Bourne Co., Carlin America, EMI Music Publishing, peermusic and Shapiro Bernstein Music Publishers.

The U.S. Copyright Office, located in the Library of Congress, is also participating in Copyright Awareness Week. During that week, students may visit the Copyright Office and get an orientation on copyright both as users and creators. The orientation will include seeing the Copyright Office exhibit, a brief history and overview of current copyright issues and a mini-workshop on how to register claims to creative works. To arrange for a visit to the Copyright Office, contact Peter Vankevich, head of the Copyright Information Section, at 202-707-0600.]]> 2006-02-20T17:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/musicworld/entry/234437 Harp, Jessica, Branch, Michelle, DeGraw, Gavin, Hilton, Tyler, Santana, Carlos, Wreckers, The, Folk, Rock, Hitmaker Friendship is one of the strongest foundations for a new musical collaboration, and that's what brought singer-songwriters Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp together as The Wreckers. "We both wanted to have a friend on the road," says Branch, who got to know Harp when they were both rising independent artists promoting their music on the Internet and fans kept telling each singer about the other. The two finally met face to face when Branch played Harp's hometown of Kansas City, Branch recruited Harp to sing back up on her tours.

The fact that Branch is a multi-million selling, Grammy-winning artist isn't the only reason the two have generated a buzz well before the release of their debut album on Maverick Records. The Wreckers appeared on the WB network series "One Tree Hill" singing "The Good Kind," which wound up on the show's soundtrack album. That was followed by a "One Tree Hill" tour on which the duo appeared with Gavin DeGraw, Tyler Hilton and series star Bethany Joy Lenz.

The act got its name from Branch's bass player and husband Teddy Landau, who jokingly dubbed the two "The Homewreckers" because Branch and Harp would attract the attention of male fans with girlfriends at all of their concerts.

The music they make combines Branch's love of folk and rock with Harp's country influenced style, which has also won Harp her own deal with Maverick. The Wreckers have also recorded a song with Carlos Santana entitled "Feeling For You" for the guitar legend's next album.

The union between the two talents is definitely a case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, says Harp. "We both know that we would never have been able to make this record on our own."

	Click here to listen to a copyright message from John Legend (1:01)
	Click here to listen to a copyright message from Gavin DeGraw (1:05)
Listen to copyright messages from 3 Doors Down, Deborah Allen, Leslie Satcher, and Paul Overstreet

At a reception held in Washington, DC on March 14, members of Congress, executives from the U.S. Copyright Office, and members of the creative and entertainment communities gathered in the famed James Madison Room at the Library of Congress to kick-off the week's activities. Hosted by CAW Chair Monica Corton, speakers included Barry Slotnick, president of the Copyright Society and Marybeth Peters, the U.S. Register of Copyrights.

Pictured after the kick-off event are Copyright Society President Barry Slotnick, BMI's Fred Cannon, BMI singer/songwriter Deborah Allen, Barbour Griffith & Rogers VP Brad Blakeman, music publisher Helene Blue and BMI's Robbin Ahrold

In addition to classroom sessions around the country, an array of stars will launch a radio PSA campaign in support of Copyright Awareness Week that will air on some 2,000 radio stations. The glittering lineup of PSA celebrities includes such BMI artists and songwriters as 3 Doors Down, Gavin DeGraw, John Legend, Martina McBride, Paul Overstreet, Leslie Satcher and country artist Deborah Allen, who also performed at the March 14 reception.

Copyright Awareness Week comes just days before the United States Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the Grokster case. The March 29 hearing will decide whether or not Grokster -- a company that provides peer-to-peer file-sharing software -- will be "contributory infringers" or "vicariously liable" for the infringement activities of the users of its software. BMI has joined with many others in the creative community in urging the Supreme Court to render a judgment that protects intellectual property. The Court's decision in the case, expected by July, could be a major turning point either in the direction of improved copyright protection or economic undermining of singers, songwriters and other creators whose works are used without compensation.

Other sponsors of CAW 2005 include the American Bar Association's Intellectual Property Section, the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the Harry Fox Agency, Time-Warner, Inc and ASCAP.

The U.S. Copyright Office, located in the Library of Congress, is also participating in Copyright Awareness Week. Students may visit the Copyright Office during that week and get an orientation on copyright both as users and creators. The orientation will include seeing the Copyright Office exhibit, a brief history and overview of current copyright issues, as well as a mini-workshop on how to register claims to creative works. To arrange a visit to the Copyright Office, teachers should contact Peter Vankevich at 202-707-0600.]]> 2005-03-15T17:00:00-05:00