Recent R&B News

From News, posted 6.08.20. BMI is saddened to learn that longtime affiliate Gaynel Hodge passed away in Amsterdam on June 2 at the age of 83. An accomplished singer, songwriter, pianist and musical director, Hodge is invariably most renowned for co-writing the multi-platinum hit and doo-wop classic “Earth Angel,” released by The Penguins in 1954.… Read more...

From News, posted 5.09.20. BMI is deeply saddened that world renowned rock n’ roll pioneer Little Richard passed away today in Nashville at the age of 87. Born Richard Wayne Penniman in Macon, Georgia in 1932, Little Richard not only forged a sound that would influence decades of songwriters, but also brought a bold theatricality… Read more...

From News, posted 11.21.19. BMI is once again very proud to congratulate its many affiliates nominated for recognition by the Recording Academy at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards, scheduled to be held on January 26 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. Nominations for the music industry’s most prestigious accolades were announced on Wednesday, November… Read more...

From News, posted 8.30.19. BMI celebrated the songwriters, producers and publishers of the past year’s most-performed R&B/hip-hop songs during the 2019 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards held at the Sandy Springs Arts Center in Atlanta. Multiple-award-winning singer/songwriter and actress Brandy received the BMI President’s Award in recognition of her powerful impact on the entertainment industry and her… Read more...

From News, posted 7.23.19. BMI is saddened by the news of the passing on Monday of Art Neville. Neville (a.k.a “Poppa Funk”) was renowned for his work as a singer, keyboardist and co-founder of The Meters, as well as the Neville Brothers, which he founded with three of his brothers, Aaron, Cyril and Charles. Both… Read more...

From News, posted 6.18.19. BMI is proud to congratulate versatile singer/songwriter/producer Zuberi “@uD!o” Mackson for earning the 2019 Curtis Mayfield Scholarship Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Originally from Lakewood, New Jersey, this up-and-coming music creator first started defining his vocation at Five Towns Music College in Dix Hills, New York, delving deeply into… Read more...

From The Weekly, posted 6.18.19. Having musically cut his teeth singing for his family’s traveling gospel ensemble, it wasn’t until New Jersey native James Treadwell was in high school that he was encouraged to pursue a full-time solo career. Relocating to Los Angeles after college, the aspiring singer/songwriter started singing backup vocals for artists like Chris… Read more...

From News, posted 2.11.19. Music’s biggest night returned to Los Angeles’ Staple Center, last night, for the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards, and true to form, a robust showing of BMI affiliates went home with the gold.  Childish Gambino’s incendiary single “This is America” made history by being the first rap song to win both the… Read more...

From News, posted 12.13.18. BMI is exceptionally proud to congratulate its many affiliates nominated for awards by the Recording Academy at the 61st GRAMMY Awards, scheduled to be held on February 10, 2019 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Nominations for the music industry’s most prestigious accolades were announced on December 7. In the… Read more...

From News, posted 8.16.18. BMI is deeply saddened to learn of the death of trailblazing music legend, Aretha Franklin, who passed away today at the age of 76. A BMI affiliate for five decades, Franklin was hailed as the Queen of Soul, in the 1960s, for her unquantifiable contributions to the canon of contemporary music.… Read more...