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.

Will and apl recorded an album under Eazy-E’s Ruthless Records in 1992, but Atban Klann found their project shelved by a label that wasn’t sure what to do with rap devoid of roughneck themes. With Eazy’s death in 1995, the group’s future looked bleak. But they pressed on, adding another dancer/rapper, Taboo, and reemerging as the Black Eyed Peas. The group gigged around L.A. and, in 1998, released Behind the Front. Not only did the group have a totally original look and Stage demeanor — they’re still the only group to hold up break dance as one of the important features of hip-hop — they managed to please critics with their mishmash of uplifting lyrics, live music and lighthearted jams. The album was one of Billboard’s Top 50 Hip-Hop albums that year, and it introduced the group to a fan base of smart hip-hoppers nostalgic for thoughtful raps.

Bridging the Gap, their second effort, was an apt title, since other, more established quirky hip-hop stars like De La Soul and Macy Gray rallied around them. Now BEP was filling a space left by the demise of playful innovators like A Tribe Called Quest. Vocalist Kim Hill’s presence was felt a bit more strongly, helping the warm, festive project climb both the Billboard Top 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop charts.

Then, in 2003, everything changed. Buoyed by “Let’s Get It Started,” Elephunk sold 7.5 million albums. It was an astonishing feat for a group that got its start as a break-dancing crew. This go-round, new female singer Fergie was front and center, adding a bit of sex appeal to the previous, decidedly male-centric arrangement. The Peas’ devotion to pushing boundaries and, as their funky clothes attest, drawing inspiration from everywhere, was interwoven into their act.

Reggae, Latin and rock are obvious forces on the record, and even the members’ nationalities — Will.i.am is African-American, apl.de.ap is Filipino, Taboo is Mexican-American and Fergie is Native- and Mexican-American — played into the mix. One of the album’s songs, “The Apl Song,” with the chorus written in the Filipino language Tagalog, documents apl’s life story. Even more telling of their world view is their success overseas: The group toured the world for 18 months, and though the album went double platinum in America, singles “Where is the Love,” “Shut Up” and “Hey Mama” all went higher or spent more time at the top of the charts in the U.K., France and Germany than they did at home.

Now a worldwide phenomenon, the BEP party keeps on rolling with their latest release, Monkey Business, which debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart, selling over 295,000 copies in its first week. Monkey Business includes cameos by James Brown, Sting and Branford Marsalis, and marked a pointed move by the group towards a mainstream audience.

The Black Eyed Peas have broken molds and refused to bow to boundaries. “I think the fact that we just have fun with music is the reason why it works for us,” says Will.i.am. “We love music and melodies and don’t try to distinguish ourselves from regular music fans. It’s really that simple.”

Will and apl recorded an album under Eazy-E’s Ruthless Records in 1992, but Atban Klann found their project shelved by a label that wasn’t sure what to do with rap devoid of roughneck themes. With Eazy’s death in 1995, the group’s future looked bleak. But they pressed on, adding another dancer/rapper, Taboo, and reemerging as the Black Eyed Peas. The group gigged around L.A. and, in 1998, released Behind the Front. Not only did the group have a totally original look and stage demeanor — they’re still the only group to hold up break dance as one of the important features of hip-hop — they managed to please critics with their mishmash of uplifting lyrics, live music and lighthearted jams. The album was one of Billboard’s Top 50 Hip-Hop albums that year, and it introduced the group to a fan base of smart hip-hoppers nostalgic for thoughtful raps.

Bridging the Gap, their second effort, was an apt title, since other, more established quirky hip-hop stars like De La Soul and Macy Gray rallied around them. Now BEP was filling a space left by the demise of playful innovators like A Tribe Called Quest. Vocalist Kim Hill’s presence was felt a bit more strongly, helping the warm, festive project climb both the Billboard Top 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop charts.

Then, in 2003, everything changed. Buoyed by “Let’s Get It Started,” Elephunk sold 7.5 million albums. It was an astonishing feat for a group that got its start as a break-dancing crew. This go-round, new female singer Fergie was front and center, adding a bit of sex appeal to the previous, decidedly male-centric arrangement. The Peas’ devotion to pushing boundaries and, as their funky clothes attest, drawing inspiration from everywhere, was interwoven into their act.

Reggae, Latin and rock are obvious forces on the record, and even the members’ nationalities — Will.i.am is African-American, apl.de.ap is Filipino, Taboo is Mexican-American and Fergie is Native- and Mexican-American — played into the mix. One of the album’s songs, “The Apl Song,” with the chorus written in the Filipino language Tagalog, documents apl’s life story. Even more telling of their world view is their success overseas: The group toured the world for 18 months, and though the album went double platinum in America, singles “Where is the Love,” “Shut Up” and “Hey Mama” all went higher or spent more time at the top of the charts in the U.K., France and Germany than they did at home.

Now a worldwide phenomenon, the BEP party keeps on rolling with their latest release, Monkey Business, which debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart, selling over 295,000 copies in its first week. Monkey Business includes cameos by James Brown, Sting and Branford Marsalis, and marked a pointed move by the group towards a mainstream audience.

The Black Eyed Peas have broken molds and refused to bow to boundaries. “I think the fact that we just have fun with music is the reason why it works for us,” says Will.i.am. “We love music and melodies and don’t try to distinguish ourselves from regular music fans. It’s really that simple.”

Executives from the BMI Film/TV Relations department welcome singer/songwriter Lisbeth Scott (center) to the LA office. Pictured are BMI's Paige Sober and Ray Yee, Scott, manager Mike Gormley and BMI's Linda Livingston. Photo by Liane Mori

Lisbeth is best known for co-writing lyrics and providing vocals for the widely acclaimed score to The Passion of the Christ, and has been one of the most sought after singers in the film world, having worked with Hans Zimmer, John Debney and James Newton Howard, among others.]]> 2005-12-11T17:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/234124 Artists, Cullum, Jamie, Gray, Macy, Green, Al, McLean, Don, Awards, BMI Awards, BMI Urban Awards, Musical Styles, Urban Bravo presents the exclusive two-hour television broadcast of the 35th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards, the National Academy of Popular Music's annual celebration of the work and lives of the composers and lyricists who create popular music around the world. The awards show will air on the NBC-affiliated cable network on Sunday, July 18, at 9pm, and again on Wednesday, July 21, also at 9pm.

All inductees are BMI songwriter/artists, including Charles Fox ("Killing Me Softly With His Song"), Daryl Hall & John Oates ("Sara Smile"), Don McLean ("American Pie"), songwriting duo Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield ("I Heard It Through The Grapevine") and this year's BMI Urban Awards ICON Al Green ("Let's Stay Together"). BMI songwriter Neil Sedaka ("Breaking Up Is Hard To Do") was honored with the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award.

Other honorees were Stevie Wonder (Johnny Mercer Award) and Rob Thomas of matchbox twenty, who received the first ever Starlight Award. "What the World Needs Now is Love," written by Burt Bacharach and Songwriters Hall of Fame Chairman/CEO Hal David, was named Towering Song; Warner/Chappell Music Chairman/CEO Les Bider received the Abe Olman Publisher's Award; and Toys 'R' Us Children's Fund Chairman Michael Goldstein was the recipient of the Patron of the Arts Award.

This special evening was taped live on June 10 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City and features special performances by the honorees and many of their presenters, including Roberta Flack, Macy Gray, Michael McDonald, Garth Brooks, Dionne Warwick, Brian McKnight, Jamie Cullum and India.Arie.

The Los Angeles-based foursome boasts a progressive and conscious approach with a pop flair, thanks to a philosophy that isn't bound by genres and categories. "This is a hip-hop record, but we didn't go into this with hip-hop on our mind," says Will.I.Am. "We were just thinking of good songs, good music."

Their universal view of music reflects the group members' backgrounds: Will.I.Am is African-American, Apl.de.Ap is Filipino, and Taboo is Mexican-American. Will.I.Am and Apl.de.Ap met in eighth grade and formed a break-dance crew, and later began performing music as Atbann Klann. A deal with Ruthless Records didn't work out due to label head Eazy-E's death. Undaunted, they joined forces with Taboo and became Black Eyed Peas and signed with Interscope. The group immediately attracted attention with their mix of raps, samples, scratching and a live band on their 1989 debut, Behind The Front .

Their gift for winning fans from across the popular music spectrum was reflected by the mission statement in the title of the second album, Bridging The Gap , which, like their debut, featured guest vocals by Macy Gray. The Black Eyed Peas further diversified on Elephunk by adding singer Fergie to the act after asking her to join the sessions for a song and then using her on track after track.

The genre-crossing sound of the Black Eyed Peas has brought them pop chart success here and abroad, and found them playing on everything from the Coachella Festival to the Warped Tour to a tour with Christina Aguilera and Timberlake. As well, Will.I.Am recently started hosting his own TV show on MTV2.

Eschewing the gangster and materialist images of many hip-hoppers, the Black Eyed Peas make music with a mission. "We are a progressive hip-hop band. But our message is to be positive in general," says Apl.de.Ap.]]> 2003-12-08T17:00:01-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233101 Artists, 3 Doors Down, Babyface, Berry, Chuck, Cake, Corrs, The, Counting Crows, Creed, Diddley, Bo, Foo Fighters, Gray, Macy, Henley, Don, Hill, Faith, Kelly, R., Little Richard, Rooney, Rooney, Cory, Smash Mouth, Sting, Sugar Ray, Awards, Musical Styles, Pop, Rock, BMI Pop Awards BMI will celebrate its 50th annual Pop Awards on May 14 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. In honor of the milestone anniversary, rock & roll pioneers Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Little Richard will be presented with BMI ICON Awards in recognition of their many contributions to contemporary music. This is the first time the ICON Awards will be presented. BMI President & CEO Frances W. Preston will hand out these prestigious awards to the three honorees, who will all be in attendance.

Little Richard

Bo Diddley

Chuck Berry

The BMI Pop Awards is an invitation only, black-tie event that recognizes the songwriters and publishers of the most performed songs of the past year. Preston along with Barbara Cane, Vice President & General Manager, Writer/Publisher Relations, Los Angeles, will present BMI Citations of Achievement during the awards ceremony and dinner.

Past BMI Pop Award winners include Don Henley, Babyface, Counting Crows, Macy Gray, Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray, CAKE, Foo Fighters, Faith Hill, The Corrs, matchbox twenty, Sting, R.E.M., R. Kelly, Bush, Creed, 3 Doors Down, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Santana and many others. Last year's top winners included Cory Rooney (BMI Songwriter of the Year), “Breathe" (BMI Song of the Year) and EMI Music Publishing (BMI Publisher of the Year).

"I don't go for the trendy commercial approach. What I do is basic soul music - no frills added," she says unapologetically.

Stone has been lumped in with other so-called "neo-soul" singers such as Alicia Keys and Macy Gray. But perhaps no contemporary artist embraces this now classic musical style as fully as the thirty-something Stone.

Like her heroes, the New York-based, South Carolina-raised singer/songwriter has also found popular success. Her 1999 debut album, Black Diamond, went platinum thanks in part to the popularity of her pop and r hit single "No More Rain (In This Cloud)." The album was also nominated for a Grammy.

Stone was originally signed to Arista Records, but when Arista founder Clive Davis left the company, she followed him to his new J Records label. Released last November, her J Records debut, Mahogany Soul, again plays homage to her musical influences while staking out a singular artistic vision.

Mahogany Soul does include one element that you won't find on an old Wilson Pickett or Spinners' album: sampled music. Her samples, however, are used to pay tribute to the legends of soul. For example, her song "Wish I Didn't Miss You" contains a sample from the O'Jays' "Backstabbers."

Stone also isn't afraid to bring lyrical substance to her music. Her song "Brotha" is notable for its support of black men during a period when the sexes often seem to be at war, especially in the world of hip-hop.

"The song is very important to me because I think we are at an all-time low in terms of male bashing and female bashing," Stone told the Los Angeles Times. "That's not a healthy message to be passing along to the younger generation. You don't want everyone coming up thinking that every woman is a [prostitute] or every man is a dog or no good."

Stone grew up in a religious household and joined her first gospel group "when I was knee-high to a duck's tail." She's been singing and writing poetry ever since, but in the '80s, it was rap that grabbed her attention. The former high school basketball star formed an all-female hip-hop trio before becoming a trailblazer in the neo-soul movement. Along the way she helped co-write and co-produce an album with r&b artist D'Angelo. The two were also lovers and D'Angelo is the father of Stone's 4-year-old son. She also has a teenage daughter from her marriage to rapper Rodney C.

Not surprisingly, the straight-talking Stone includes several songs on Mahogany Soul about romantic disappointment. But her relationship with soul isn't likely to disappoint or end anytime soon.

"I didn't stick with soul, it stuck with me," she told a journalist. "If it's in you, it's impossible to abandon it. And why would you ever want to?"

Indeed, before Stevie Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac in 1975, the group was a road-weary blues band with a surplus of critical acclaim and an undeserved lack of commercial success. But with Nicks' recruitment, the tide dramatically shifted for the stalwart quintet. Nicks was a bona fide goldmine: a superb songwriter with bewitching good looks and the voice of a despairing angel. With Nicks' added appeal, Fleetwood Mac went from cult status to global superstardom. And when Nicks launched a fortuitous solo career in the early '80s, she became a role model for generations of aspiring female rockers.

Now, with the welcome release of her first solo album in seven years, Nicks once again demonstrates her formidable musical talents. Co-produced by Sheryl Crow and featuring guest appearances by Macy Gray, Sarah McLachlan and Dixie Chick Natalie Maines, Trouble in Shangri-La teams the masterful singer/songwriter with some of her most accomplished "students." New songs like "Candlebright," "Everyday" and "That Made Me Stronger" possess the plainspoken power of diary confessions - which, as it turns out, is pretty much the case.

"My music often unfolds like the book of my life," Nicks recently stated. "Every step along the path of my life, I've been writing it all down, taking incredibly detailed notes . . . it's always deep, and it's always real."

Throughout her career, Nicks has displayed a knack for combining romantic lyricism with organic, folk-inflected pop. Born Stephanie Nicks in Phoenix, Arizona, she eventually relocated to Southern California where she met singer/songwriter Lindsey Buckingham. A musical and romantic partnership ensued, but the duo's one major label recording went unnoticed. But upon joining Fleetwood Mac, the Nicks/Buckingham magic could no longer be denied. Providing the perfect foil for Buckingham's roots-rock forays and Christine McVie's sunny love songs, Nicks composed and performed evocative ballads shrouded in mystery. She was responsible for two Top 20 Fleetwood Mac hits, "Rhiannon" and "Sara," while her 1977 ballads "Dreams" is the band's only number one song to date.

In 1982, Nick further demonstrated her musical abilities by releasing a debut solo album, Bella Donna. The disc sold over four million copies on the strength of hits like "Edge of Seventeen" and "After the Glitter Fades," and duets like "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" (with Tom Petty) and "Leather and Lace" (with Don Henley). Subsequent Top 20 hits "Stand Back" (1983), "Talk to Me" (1985) and "I Can't Wait" (1986) solidified Nicks' reputation as an artist in her own right.

When Fleetwood Mac's 1997 reunion resulted in a live album, Nicks won acclaim for her show-stopping performance of "Silver Spring." Now, with the recent release of Trouble in Shangri-La, Nicks confidently begins a new chapter in her iconic career. The album features no techno flourishes, hip-hop overtones or other ingratiating contemporizations. Trouble in Shangri-La is the portrait of a recording artist still performing at the top of her game.

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.