April 7, 2005

News, Blues, Rock

RockWalk Honors BMI Blues Legends

BMI celebrated its rich heritage with the blues by congratulating some of the genre's most renowned songwriters and artists as they were inducted into Hollywood's RockWalk. Held at the Guitar Center on April 4, the ceremony honored legendary BMI blues giants Solomon Burke, Robert Cray, Etta James, Ike Turner and the late Muddy Waters, who was inducted by ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons on what would have been his 90th birthday.

Shown before the ceremony are BMI's Barbara Cane, RockWalk inductee Robert Cray, BMI's Tony George, Tracie Verlinde and Paige Sober, and RockWalk inductee Ike Turner.

Founded in 1985, Hollywood's RockWalk is a sidewalk gallery on Sunset Boulevard that pays homage to those musicians and innovators who have made a significant and lasting impact on rock 'n roll, including such creatively diverse individuals and groups as Isaac Hayes, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Aerosmith, Herbie Hancock, Queen, the Black Crowes, Dick Clark, Willie Dixon, Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, KISS, Les Paul, John Lee Hooker and Smokey Robinson.

Pictured at the RockWalk induction ceremony are (back row) BMI's Barbara Cane, Tracie Verlinde and Paige Sober, ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, BMI's Tony George, and (front row) RockWalk inductees Robert Cray, Solomon Burke and Ike Turner.

Photos by Ellen Ratner

In this story: The Black Crowes, Billy Gibbons, Buddy Guy, Herbie Hancock, Isaac Hayes, Holland-Dozier-Holland, John Lee Hooker, Etta James, Muddy Waters

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BMI represents more than 400,000 songwriters, composers, and publishers with more than 6.5 million works.