News Archive
BMI was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of legendary Motown songwriter Lamont Dozier, whose death at the age of 81 was announced on Tuesday morning. A Detroit native and one third of the trailblazing production trio Holland-Dozier-Holland, Lamont Dozier helped define the sound of the 1960s with a…
BMI Remembers Renowned Songwriter and Former BMI Executive Bobby Weinstein
BMI was deeply saddened to learn of the death of singer/songwriter and former BMI executive Bobby Weinstein, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 82. A New York City native, Weinstein started off his musical career in the mid-Fifties with his vocal group, The Legends, after winning…
10 Questions: Tyler Glenn of Neon Trees
For all the ways that Tyler Glenn exemplifies an equipped and unabashed rock star—be it the ripcord vocals swooping through unmistakable singles “Animal” or more recently “Everybody Talks,” or his no-tomorrow stagecraft—the Neon Trees frontman gives most, it would seem, in casual conversation. On a recent call from the road,…
BMI, Galaxie Agency & Nashville Blues Society Celebrate Life & Work of Motown Legend Barrett Strong
On Sunday, August 28 at B.B. King’s Blues Club in Nashville, Galaxie Agency, BMI and the Nashville Blues Society will partner to celebrate the life and work of the incomparable soul songwriter Barrett Strong, with all proceeds going directly to Strong to offset care and medical bills. Featuring performances by…
Prince Royce’s Bachata Breakthrough
Earlier this year, the 21-year-old singer/songwriter known as Prince Royce went on his first tour to Europe, where he encountered more than culture shock: actual fandom. “It was crazy, girls were crying, some even fainted. I had been told by people that my music was playing over there, but I…
Lamont Dozier to Perform at Smithsonian Showcase
The Smithsonian Associates and the Songwriters Association of Washington (SAW) are hunting for 12 fresh voices to perform as part of an anticipated showcase featuring legendary Motown songwriter Lamont Dozier at the Smithsonian on Tuesday, October 27 in Washington, D.C. As one third of songwriting powerhouse Holland-Dozier-Holland, Lamont Dozier helped…
Songwriters Hall of Fame Offers ‘Master Class’ with Lamont Dozier
The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SongHall) will offer an installment of its Master Class series Tuesday, June 16, that will feature songwriting icon Lamont Dozier. Slated for 8 p.m. at Merkin Concert Hall at the Kaufman Center (129 West 67th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam), the event will feature exclusive…
Award-Winning Songwriter/Producer Norman Whitfield Dead at 68
Norman Whitfield, renowned BMI songwriter, producer and arranger of many Motown Records hits, including “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone,” died September 16. He was 68. The cause of death was heart and kidney failure due to diabetes. Born in Harlem, NY on May…
‘New Music Nights’ Showcase Rocks New York
BMI New York presented a New Music Nights showcase that featured performances by Phil Benson, A Love Like Pi, Stab the Matador and Throne. The free concert was held Jan. 31 at Arlene’s Grocery on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Phil Bensen New…
For Kanye West, Music Is Medicine
Declaring on national television that “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” might be a career-killer for most artists — but most artists aren’t Kanye West. The 28-year-old hip-hop superstar’s ubiquitous single “Gold Digger” (featuring some Ray Charles-ish backing vocals from friend