At my BMI Nashville Songwriters’ Workshops, I screen and critique songs from each attendee. When I find songs that I believe are competitive with those being written by today’s top hitmakers, I forward them to ten music publishers who have agreed to listen. After the last BMI Workshop, I forwarded… Read more...
BMI recently hosted a private showcase in its Los Angeles office in collaboration with Peer Music and Sony Music for Latin singer/songwriter Marger to celebrate the release of her highly anticipated album Inmortal. The Venezuelan singer performed new songs from the record, including her latest single “Al Fin,” a Spanish… Read more...
For nearly 13 years, Bonnie Bishop had been waiting for her big break. After graduating from the University of Texas in Austin in 2001, she immediately started making a living as an artist, never even holding a day job. She played regularly in fairs and festivals around Texas, steadily building… Read more...
BMI is mourning the passing of singer/songwriter Bonny “Sir Mack” Rice, who died Monday at his home in Detroit at the age of 82. A prolific writer, Rice is best known for his hits, “Mustang Sally” and “Cheaper to Keep Her,” as well as penning “Respect Yourself” with Luther Ingram… Read more...
BMI mourns the loss of longtime BMI affiliate Allen Toussaint, who passed away yesterday at the age of 77. Hailed as a gifted, prolific and versatile producer, songwriter, pianist and singer who was a fixture of New Orleans R&B, Toussaint also had his music covered widely by many other musicians.… Read more...
There is really only one accurate way to describe longtime Broadcast Music, Inc. singer-songwriter Cyril Neville’s sound and it consists of just one word: gumbo. On September 10, the 64-year-old Southern icon serves up his latest album, Magic Honey. Recorded in Bogalusa, Louisiana, produced by David Z (Prince, Etta James,… Read more...
Urban music’s premier songwriters, producers and music publishers came together to celebrate one another tonight during the BMI Urban Awards at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. The annual, star-powered event toasts the creative teams behind the past year’s most-performed R&B, rap, pop and hip-hop songs in BMI’s deep repertoire.… Read more...
Etta James died on Friday, January 20. She was 73 years old. “With the passing of Etta James, we lose one of the most powerful and beautiful voices of blues and soul, and a woman whose spirit was as fierce and unapologetic as her music,” said… Read more...
Legend Johnny Otis died on January 19. He was 90 years old. Otis was many things – songwriter, band leader, musician, talent scout, dj, activist, preacher, author – but those labels only hint at the scope and power of his versatility and vision. He had an incomparable knack for spotting and… Read more...
Carla Morrison will play BMI’s Acoustic Brunch during SXSW. Carla Morrison is a little overwhelmed at all the attention she has been getting. The young singer with the gilded voice just returned from playing a show in Mexico City, where she thought maybe 100-200 people would attend. More than 750… Read more...
