Al Gallico began his career in the late 30's in New York City, running errands for classical music publishing corporation G. Schirmer. After many years with Leeds Music and Shapiro-Bernstein, Mr. Gallico opened independent publishing venture, Al Gallico Music Corporation. One of his first staff writers was the now legendary Billy Sherrill.

Mr. Gallico's impact straddled traditionally disparate music business spheres, from British rock to classic country: He published country standards including "Stand by Your Man," "Almost Persuaded," "The Most Beautiful Girl" and "Let Me Be There," while his catalog also contains "House of the Rising Sun" and the Zombies' "Time of the Season," "Hold Your Head Up" and "Liar."

A name frequently mentioned alongside Nashville icons including Chet Atkins, Owen Bradley, Jerry Kennedy and Shelby Singleton, Mr. Gallico earned a formidable status as a behind-the-scenes power player. In addition to the numerous hits he published, Mr. Gallico discovered popular 70s country artist Donna Fargo, whose career song "The Happiest Girl in the Whole USA" was also published by Gallico. His success firmly stemmed from his overwhelming passion for music and its creators: The Songwriters Hall of Fame honored him with the prestigious Abe Olman Publishers Award in 1995.

Del Bryant, BMI President & CEO, noted, “I had the pleasure of knowing and working with Al since I was a youngster of 23, just starting my career at BMI. Al and his lovely wife Grace were at home in every music community — New York, Los Angeles, Nashville and London. Al was involved with the dynamic success of artists as diverse as The Pretenders, Tammy Wynette and The Zombies. He inspired and taught generations of independent publishers the true path to success — and how to have fun all along the way!"

Mr. Gallico is survived by his wife of 62 years, Grace, two daughters Gail and Linda, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Services were held last month in Los Angeles, while a special Nashville memorial will be staged at a later date.

BMI presented a stage featuring Monte Warden, the Ginn Sisters, the Barbwires, the Gougers, Drew Kennedy, Colin Gilmore, Mark McKinney, Blue Mother Tupelo, Jerrod Niemann, Sunny Sweeney and Granger Smith.

Kennedy is running for President. Like the current Bush administration, Kennedy is on a mission to make the world a sexier place. He is a lightning bolt of freedom into the pants of millions of Americans. In a land of musical midgets Kennedy’s looms over the music business like Godzilla, knocking the other candidates on their asses.

Like Jimi Hendrix, but whiter and with stronger LSD, Kennedy’s musical genius took the UK by storm and is now conquering the rest of the world (Canada included). Kennedy is a cornerstone of the new UK music movement called DirtyPop. Led by British Garage pioneer DJ Sticky and producers Count Da Money, DirtyPop is hot, sexy, danceable and fertile. Kennedy is their poster boy, spokesmodel, and resident alien.

Kennedy’s music video for “Your Mama” is more than election propaganda; it is an internet sensation, cultural benchmark and pop phenomenon. After being viewed over 1 million times in it’s first week on YouTube and over 3 million times and counting, it makes the Paris Hilton sex video look like Cop Rock. It is a wondrous disco rollercoaster ride through a mystical land of MILF’s, Cougars, and disgruntled children. Some accolades include being featured on YouTube’s home page (on Mother’s Day no less), named one of iFilm’s viral videos of the year, and winning Fuse’s Oven Fresh competition, beating out the likes of Justin Timberlake, Fergie, Outkast and more.

Born Jack Kennedy to a father named John Wayne, Kennedy is a true American. Clawing his way out of the pop culture abyss Kennedy is songwriter, M.C., rock star, gigolo and future Commander in Briefs. Equal parts raconteur and provocateur, Kennedy is the consummate showman: a bit of PT Barnum, a dash of Woody Allen, a spoonful of Mark Mothersbaugh and a heaping helping of Dirk Diggler.

Long before Kennedy was a Presidential candidate, he spent his formative years in Hollywood working as a tape op at the legendary Cherokee studios. Here he learned the art of recording by working with acts like Mack 10, Taj Mahal, Nik Venet, Brandy, The Lemonheads and various Death Row Recording artists.

After being kicked out of L.A.'s Silversun Pickups for setting the singer's sweater on fire, Kennedy was selected to open for Jon Brion at Café Largo in Los Angeles. The name-dropping doesn't end there. Kennedy has also become a favorite among LA's hipster illuminati, sharing the stage with Fiona Apple, David Cross, Elliot Smith, Sarah Silverman, Diamond Nights, Aimee Mann, Tenacious D, The Black Keys, and many other somewhat talented artists.

In 2007 Kennedy signed a lucrative contract with Cordless Recordings, a Warner Music Group company. Kennedy’s new album “Kennedy For President” is the soundtrack to Kennedy’s political platform as well as the slow ballin’ album of the year. In a sign of cross-Atlantic political unity, the album will be released by Cordless Recordings in the US and Atlantic Records in the UK. Being christened “The most important album since Pet Sounds,” this record is an attention whore. Get out yer cash and pay the slut.

Pictured at the Kleban Awards reception are 2001 Kleban Award recipient David Spencer; book writer Linda Kline, co-writer of Broadway's "A Class Act," based on the BMI Workshop, with music and lyrics by Edward L. Kleban; "Barnstomer" composer Doug Cohen; 2005 Kleban Award Winner Cheryl L. Davis; 2001 Kleban Award recipient Pat Cook, who serves as Artistic Coordinator of the Workshop; and BMI's Jean Banks. Photo by Gary Gershoff

The Kleban Award is given annually by the Kleban Foundation to the most promising lyricist and librettist in American musical theatre. Established in 1988 under the will of BMI composer Edward L Kleban, best known for the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical "A Chorus Line," each winner receives $100,000.

The work of Cheryl L. Davis has been read and performed nationally, including at the Cleveland Play House, the Actors Theatre of Louisville and the Kennedy Center. Her play about the desegregation of our nations' school system, "The Color of Justice," received critical acclaim from the The New York Times and the Daily News, and was commissioned by Theatreworks/USA. She is currently working with composer Doug Cohen ("No Way to Treat a Lady," "The Gig") on the musical version of "Barnstormer," which also received a 2005 Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation Award.]]> 2005-07-04T18:00:00-05:00