Recent News
BMI Foundation Opens 22nd Annual Pete Carpenter Fellowship for Aspiring Film Composers
The BMI Foundation has announced the opening of the 22nd annual Pete Carpenter Fellowship for aspiring film composers under the age of 35. The Fellowship was established by the BMI Foundation and Pete Carpenter’s family, colleagues, and friends to honor the late co-composer of television themes and scores including The A-Team, Magnum P.I., The Rockford Files, Hardcastle and McCormick, Hunter and Riptide. The successful candidate will have an opportunity to… more
Calle 13 Sweeps 2009 Latin Grammys

Puerto Rican power duo Calle 13 walked away with trophies in all five of their nominated categories last night at the 2009 Latin Grammys, staged at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Reggaetón has emerged as a powerful global trend, garnering more nominations than any other genre, and Calle 13, comprising rapper Residente (René Pérez) and the producer Visitante (Eduardo Cabra), are at the forefront… more
D.C. Arts & Humanities Commission Offers Unique Grant Opportunities

BMI has a long tradition of support for the arts, with a special focus on opportunities for generations of future creators. The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities provides a number of unique opportunities for members of the Washington, D.C.-area creative community via its series of grant programs. Details on these programs and how to apply for the various grants are available the Commission’s website, more
‘We Will Rock You’ Is Most-Played Song at Pro Sports Games for ’08/’09 Season

BMI has determined that “We Will Rock You,” a favorite of sports fans and teams for three decades, ranks as the most-played song at games of the National Football League, National Hockey League and Major League Baseball last season. “We Will Rock You” was written by Brian May and included in a 1977 album titled News of the World by the British rock group Queen. While the song has been… more
Indie Sounds Ignite BMI-CMJ Showcase

The 2009 BMI-sponsored CMJ Music Marathon Festival showcase, held October 21 at Crash Mansion, showcased seven-deep lineup featuring an explosive variety of sounds from pop/rap amalgamators Crush Club; valiant imports Die Die Die; southern wordsmith Rob Roy; jazz-funk scholars Space Capone; rock hounds Modern Skirts; musical brethren The Enemy… more
Grammy-Winning Producer Jerry ‘Wonda’ Duplessis Talks Hits

Jerry “Wonda” Duplessis, a Haitian-born self-taught musician who plays bass, guitar, congas, and drums, participated in the BMI “Conversations” panel series, held at October 21 at Clinton Recording Studios. The intimate discussion, moderated by journalist and ParlourMagazine.com’s Hillary Crosely, focused on Jerry’s career achievements and the “who’s who” list of performers he’s worked with. Jerry, who is one of the most successful and musically adept producers to… more
Alexandre Desplat Named Film Composer of the Year at World Soundtrack Awards

The 9th World Soundtrack Awards were the capstone of the 36th Ghent International Film Festival, held October 6-17 in Belgium. Alexandre Desplat (SACEM) was named Film Composer of the Year, thanks to his stunning original scores for motion pictures including Coco Avant Chanel, Largo Winch, Chéri, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which also garnered Best Original Film Score of the Year for the internationally renowned… more
NSAI Honors Swift, Keith, Fleming, Varble and More at Annual Awards

BMI country chart-toppers received accolade after accolade during the 2009 NSAI Awards dinner, held Sunday, October 18 in Nashville. Record-breaker Taylor Swift was named Artist/Songwriter of the Year; beloved Music Row songwriter Wynn Varble earned the Songwriter of the Year crown, while “Waitin’ on a Woman,” which Varble co-wrote, was voted Song of the Year; and genre giant Toby Keith was… more
Encompass Honors Maury Yeston

The Encompass New Opera Theatre honored esteemed BMI composer Maury Yeston at its 2009 Jazz Gala, held Sunday, October 4 in New York. Yeston is musical force behind the Tony Award-winning Nine and Titanic, both of which garnered Best Musical and Best Score honors, as well as the Tony-nominated Grand Hotel. The director of the prestigious BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop for two… more
BMI Annual Review 2009

BMI realized revenues of more than $905 million and royalty distributions totaling more than $788 million in fiscal year 2009, both higher than the company’s historic results of the previous year. That success was made possible by the power, scope and appeal of the repertoire created by BMI’s affiliates, combined with BMI’s long-term efforts to capture new sources of revenue. Details of these results, along with an analysis of the… more
Jazz Foundation Hosts 18th Annual Loft Party

As part of its proud history of support for the Jazz Foundation of America, BMI participated in the Foundation’s 18th Annual Jazz Loft Party, held October 18 at Hudson Studios in New York. BMI composer/artists Madeleine Peyroux, Sweet Georgia Brown, Jimmy Owens, Stanley Jordan and the Heath Brothers were among those performing at the event,… more
BMI Sounds Off at Next Big Nashville 2009

BMI presented their Next Big Nashville showcase at Mercy Lounge on October 10, boasting a stacked lineup that included Southern rockers Ponderosa, the dizzyingly energetic Mike’s Pawn Shop, Ten Out of Tenn journeyman Kyle Andrews, videogame-infused rock warriors The Protomen, and quirky popsters Heypenny. On Saturday before the show, BMI also hosted… more
Musicians Hall of Fame Inducts BMI Pioneers

Industry admirers, peers, and contemporary stars gathered to salute the 2009 class of virtuosos inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame on Monday, October 12 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville. BMI legends Chet Atkins, Fred Foster, Charlie Daniels, Billy Cox, and band Toto all became members of the prestigious club that already includes… more
BMI’s Alison Smith Honored as One of Billboard’s Top 30 Power Players

Billboard named Alison Smith, BMI Senior Vice President, Performing Rights, one of its Top 30 Power Players during the magazine’s annual Women in Music luncheon, held October 2 in New York. 2009 marks the fifth consecutive compilation of the top-tier list, which “recognizes female executives who drive our business forward with vision, dedication and hard work.” 150 women were nominated by peers in the industry, and Billboard editors trimmed the… more
Billboard Summit and BMI Rally Regional Mexican’s Best

BMI helped kick off the 2009 Billboard Regional Mexican Music Summit with its annual Noche Mexicana showcase, held October 7 at the Rumba Room in Los Angeles. Featuring a selection of today’s most influential Regional Mexican songwriters, producers and artists, Noche Mexicana included performances by La Santa Cecilia, Cesar Brizuela, Hermanos Herrera, Oliver Ochoa, Santos… more
Joe Johnson Wins 2009 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Composer’s Competition

Bassist Joe Johnson was honored as the 2009 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Composer’s Competition grand prize winner on Sunday, October 11 during the 22nd annual Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition and all-star Gala Concert at the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater in Washington, D.C. The Blue Note Records 70th Anniversary Gala Concert attracted a jaw-dropping collection of Blue Note Records recording artists, past and present,… more
Nashville Music Awards Honor Landmark Digital Services, Taylor Swift and More

After an almost decade-long hiatus, the Nashville Music Awards rebooted this year to recognize the best in a city teeming with talent. Presented by Leadership Music and Next Big Nashville, the 2009 Nashville Music Awards were staged at the Cannery Ballroom on Wednesday, October 7—the first night of the Next Big Nashville music festival. BMI artists and songwriters swept the awards, winning in all but two of the categories, while… more
No Rainy Day Blues for BMI Stage at ACL 2009

BMI continued its long-running support of the Austin City Limits Music Festival during the music extravaganza’s 2009 run, October 2-4 in Austin’s Zilker Park. In the midst of a mild Friday, rainy Saturday and subsequently muddy Sunday, BMI stage performers Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights, Jesse Wood, Jypsi, Jonell Mosser, nelo, more
New BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop Newsletter Online

The latest issue of BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop Newsletter is now available online. The publication, which features current and upcoming events and projects in the musical theatre community, is published twice a year. To download the current issue in a pdf format, click here. For more information about the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop or to download past issues of the newsletter,… more
New York Songwriters Circle Now Accepting Submissions for Songwriting Contest

The New York Songwriters Circle (NYSC) is currently accepting submissions for the organization’s 2009 Songwriting Contest. While each entry’s lyrics must be in English, NYSC encourages composers from all over the world, who create original tunes in every genre—and every musical gray area in between—to enter. 2008 2nd-place winner Gillian Grassie, a harpist, singer and BMI songwriter based in Philadelphia, has nothing but praise for the contest, and marvels over… more
