Randy Edelman, Merv Griffin, Eminem Among Honorees at BMI Film/TV Awards
| Click here to see photos from the awards |
One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the BMI Richard Kirk Award for Outstanding Career Achievement to composer Randy Edelman. Named after late BMI Vice President Richard Kirk, the prestigious award is given annually to the composer who has made significant contributions to film and TV music. Past recipients of the award include John Barry, Danny Elfman, Charlie Fox, Jerry Goldsmith, Earle Hagen, Michael Kamen, Alan Menken, Thomas Newman, Mike Post, Lalo Schifrin, Richard and Robert Sherman, W.G. "Snuffy" Walden, John Williams and Patrick Williams.
 Randy Edelman |  Merv Griffin |  Eminem |
Another highlight of the dinner was the presentation of the BMI President's Award to entertainer Merv Griffin. BMI created the President's Award in 1993 to honor an exceptional person in the entertainment industry deserving of special recognition. It symbolizes BMI's commitment to creative and unique individuals who have made this industry what it is today. Past awardees include Harlan Howard, Earle Hagen, Brian Wilson, Willie Nelson, Alabama and Pete Townshend.
Recognized as one of the great melodic composers in film music, Edelman grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey, studying piano at an early age and later majoring in piano and composition at the Cincinnati Music Conservatory. While in Cincinnati, he began freelancing as a music arranger at James Brown's King Records, and also wrote original music for regional theater. Upon graduation, Randy headed back to New York where he signed on as a staff writer at CBS April Blackwood Music. He worked as a music arranger and musician on Broadway and later went on the road as a musical director for many entertainers. He recorded solo records, which led him to open for such diverse groups as The Carpenters and Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. His songs were recorded by such popular recording artists as Barry Manilow ("Weekend in New England"), Olivia Newton-John, Patti LaBelle, The Carpenters, The 5th Dimension, Jackie DeShannon, and Blood, Sweat and Tears.
Edelman became interested in using his background as a classical musician and arranger to pursue his interest in film scoring. In between his album recording, he began scoring several television and feature films including MacGyver, Maximum Security, Brisco County Jr. and several award-winning After School Specials. Within 12 years, Edelman had scored over 60 films. His diverse credits include the Golden Globe and British Academy Award-nominated score for The Last of the Mohicans, Gettysburg, Kindgergarten Cop, XXX, While You Were Sleeping, The Mask and Anaconda. Edelman has also written the NBC NFL Football Theme, the Sports Century documentary series theme, and the on-air Olympic theme for NBC. His scores have opened the Super Bowl and closed the Atlanta Olympic broadcast for which he received an Emmy Award. He is currently scoring the theme to the 2003 Wimbledon tennis tournament and Nia Vardalos's new film, Connie and Carla.
At the dinner, Edelman was honored by many of the directors with whom he has worked, being described by them as a passionate, focused, committed, free spirit with a devil-may-care attitude. Writer/Director Jonathan Lynn (The Whole Nine Yards, My Cousin Vinny) said Edelman's award was, "Thoroughly well deserved for years of writing one terrific score after another, and it's been my pleasure and privilege to work with you." Calling him one of the great songmeisters of this era, Director/Producer Ivan Reitman (Twins, Ghostbusters II, Kindergarten Cop) said Edelman, "...latches onto what's going on in the film in a very clear and emotional way, and he tries to find a musical equivalent that parallels his own emotional response."
Producer Roger Birnbaum (Connie and Carla, Shanghai Noon, Six Days Seven Nights), who has worked with Edelman since he wrote "Weekend In New England" which Barry Manilow recorded, said "...the thing that's unique about Randy is that in his compositions the basis is always a very, very beautiful melody - and that to me distinguishes him from other composers." He went on to add that; "...it's his versatility, his love of movies, his love of music that doesn't really pigeonhole him into being one kind of composer for one kind of music. He has the ability to compose for all kind of stories, regardless if it's dramatic or comedic."
Director Rob Cohen (XXX, The Skulls) added that, "...when you have a Randy Edelman score thematically things develop and interrelate, and it very much feels like an emotional world being described..." Director/Producer Henry Winkler (MacGyver) added that, "Randy brings a sweetness, an innocence, a soul to his music and somehow he can translate life into music. When you listen to it, it's filled with emotion; it's filled with inspiring sounds that literally go right up your spine."
Director/Producer Ronald F. Maxwell (Gods and Generals, Gettysburg) referred to him as a "tune factory," "...what makes him special for a motion picture is that the melody he comes up with is derived from the moment or absolutely from the character in that moment. There's nothing alien about what he does in terms of the story, so the music fits completely..."
One of the television's most successful personalities with his Emmy-award winning "Merv Griffin Show," Merv Griffin has created the scores and themes for two of the most-watched and longest-running game shows in television history: "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!" He has also made significant contributions as a recording artist, songwriter and producer, and is highly regarded for his business acumen and philanthropic activities. Owner of Merv Griffin's Beverly Hilton Hotel among other hotel properties, he recently released his second autobiography, Merv: Making the Good Life Last, and has signed a deal with ABC Family to bring back his hit series, "Dance Fever."
Composers receiving the most nods at the BMI Film & Television awards included composers John Williams for Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets, Catch Me If You Can and Minority Report; Danny Elfman for Spider-Man, The Simpsons, Men In Black II and Chicago; and Mike Post for Law &Order, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: CI and NYPD Blue. Other multiple winning composers included David Vanacore for Joe Millionaire, Survivor: Amazon and Survivor: Thailand; Thomas Newman for Six Feet Under (two awards) and Road to Perdition; and Eminem for 8 Mile and "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile (two awards).
For the second year, BMI honored the composers of the highest-ranking cable television shows of the year with the BMI Cable Television Music Award. Award recipients included Mark Mothersbaugh for Rugrats and Mind of the Married Man, Kara Dio Guardi for For The People, Howlin' Wolf for The Sopranos, Douglas Cuomo for Sex and the City, Starr Parodi and Jeff Fair for The Division, and Danny Pelfrey and David Bergeaud for Strong Medicine. BMI also gave the first Cable Mini-Series Award to Laura Karpman for Taken.
"Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile was named The Most Performed Song From A Motion Picture and also recognized for winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song. "Lose Yourself" was written by Eminem and Jeff Bass and published by Eight Mile Style Music.
BMI's Emmy Award winning composers were also honored, including Newman for Six Feet Under, Glen Daum for Sesame Street, Jeff Beal for Dateline NBC: Peggy & Dorothy; Walter Murphy for "You've Got A Lot To See" from Family Guy, A.J. Gundell, Jerry Pilato, Dominic Messinger and Gary Kuo for All My Children; Lenny Williams for National Geographic Explorer - "Haunt of the Hippo"; and George Fenton (PRS) for Blue Planet: Seas of Life. 2003 BMI Film & Television Awards
Below is the complete list of 2003 BMI Film/TV Awards winners:
Richard Kirk Award
Randy Edelman
President's Award
Merv Griffin
BMI Academy Award Winners
Eminem "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile
Jeff Bass "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile
Most Performed Song from a Motion
Picture
Eminem "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile
Jeff Bass "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile
Eight Mile Style Music "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile
BMI Film Music Awards
David Arnold
Die Another Day
Teddy Castellucci
Mr. Deeds
George S. Clinton
Austin Powers in Goldmember
The Santa Clause 2
Randy Edelman
XXX
Danny Elfman
Spider-Man
Men In Black II
Chicago
Eminem
8 Mile
George Fenton (PRS)
Sweet Home Alabama
Jerry Goldsmith
The Sum Of All Fears
Alexander Janko
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
David Newman
Scooby-Doo
How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days
Thomas Newman
Road To Perdition
Graeme Revell
Daredevil
Lalo Schifrin
Bringing Down the House
John Williams
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Catch Me If You Can
Minority Report
Chris Wilson
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
BMI TV Music Awards
Kenneth Douglas Berry
Joe Millionaire
Tim Bright
Scrubs
Rob Cairns
The Bachelor
The Bachelorette
Martin Davich
ER
Third Watch
Danny Elfman
The Simpsons
Kurt Farquhar
The King of Queens
Chad Fischer
Scrubs
Josh Goldsmith
The King of Queens
Andrew Gross
The King of Queens
John M. Keane
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Scott Kirkland
Third Watch
John Lennon
Providence
Chris Link
Scrubs
Joey Newman
Providence
Darryl Phinnessee
Frasier
Mike Post
Law &Order
Law & Order: SVU
Law & Order: CI
NYPD Blue
Graeme Revell
CSI: Miami
Peter Robinson
Without A Trace
Edward Rogers
NYPD Blue
David Russo
CSI: Miami
Bennett Salvay
Providence
Jan Stevens
Scrubs
Pete Townshend (PRS)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Miami
David Vanacore
Survivor: Amazon
Survivor: Thailand
Joe Millionaire
W.G. Snuffy Walden
Providence
The West Wing
Allee Willis
Friends
Cathy Yuspa
The King of Queens
BMI Emmy Award Winners
Jeff Beal
Dateline NBC: Peggy & Dorothy
Chris Biondo
National Geographic Explorer - " Haunt of the Hippo"
Glen Daum
Sesame Street
George Fenton (PRS)
Blue Planet: Seas of Life
A.J. Gundell
All My Children
Gary Kuo
All My Children
Dominic Messinger
All My Children
Walter Murphy
"You've Got A Lot To See" from Family Guy
Thomas Newman
Six Feet Under
Jerry Pilato
All My Children
Lenny Williams
National Geographic Explorer - "Haunt of the Hippo"
BMI Cable Awards
David Bergeaud
Strong Medicine
Charlie Brissette
Jimmy Neutron
Brian Causey
Jimmy Neutron
Douglas Cuomo
Sex and the City
Kara Dio Guardi
For The People
Jeff Fair
The Division
Butch Hartman
Fairly Oddparents
Jim Johnston
WWF Monday Night RAW
Ron Jones
Fairly Oddparents
Richard Marvin
Six Feet Under
Guy Moon
Fairly Oddparents
Bob Mothersbaugh
Rugrats
Mark Mothersbaugh
Rugrats
Mind Of The Married Man
Thomas Newman
Six Feet Under
Starr Parodi
The Division
Danny Pelfrey
Strong Medicine
Howlin' Wolf
The Sopranos
BMI Cable Mini-Series Awards
Laura Karpman
Taken
Community
Connect with BMI & Professional Songwriters