Newswire, Retail Radio
May 2009
BMI POP AWARDS
Have you ever heard of an eight way tie? The songwriter of the year award at the 57th annual BMI Pop Awards ended in an eight-way tie between Colbie Caillat, Polow Da Don, T-Pain, Alan Chang, Matchbox Twenty’s Paul Doucette and Brian Yale, Chris Brown, and Maroon 5’s Adam Levine.
Caillat also won song of the year honors for “Bubbly,” her international hit published by CocoMarie. She co-wrote with singer/songwriter Jason Reeves. In addition to “Bubbly,” Caillat’s “Realize” earned a spot in the top 50. Polow Da Don contributed “Forever,” co-written and recorded by Chris Brown, and “Love In This Club,” recorded by Usher and featuring Young Jeezy, to the 50 most performed list.
Other songs on the list are T-Pain’s “Kiss Kiss,” which was also recorded and co-written by Chris Brown; “Low,” recorded by Flo Rida; Alan Chang’s “Everything” and “Lost,” both recorded by Michael Bubl√©; Matchbox Twenty’s Yale and Doucette’s co-compositions “How Far We’ve Come” and “These Hard Times,” from the band’s retrospective “Exile on Mainstream” album; and Maroon 5 frontman Levine’s “Wake Up Call” and “Won’t Go Home Without You,” which he recorded with the rock band.
In addition to earning a BMI pop award for her crossover hit “Teardrops on My Guitar,” Taylor Swift received the BMI president’s award. In the legend category, the songwriting/production team of Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff were presented with BMI’s icon award. During the show, Estelle performed the team’s “Don’t Leave Me This Way”, while Bubl√© delivered his rendition of their classic “Me and Mrs. Jones.” Gavin DeGraw performed the duo’s “If You Don’t Know Me By Now.”
Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” earned its third BMI pop award, while Gary L. Jackson, Raynard Miner, and Carl William Smith took home their second award for Michael McDonald’s “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher.”
Additional winners included: will.i.am, Kanye West, Wyclef Jean, Ne-Yo, Mariah Carey, Miley Cyrus, Natasha Bedingfield (PRS), Pink, DeGraw, and Ray J; Good Charlotte’s Benji Madden and Joel Madden; Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger (SOCAN); Lifehouse’s Jason Wade; 3 Doors Down’s Brad Arnold, Todd Harrell, Chris Henderson, and Matt Roberts; Chris Daughtry and Brian Howes (SOCAN); Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Chris Shiflett; Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington, Rob Bourdon, Brad Delson, Dave “Phoenix” Farrell, Joe Hahn, and Mike Shinoda; and songwriting and production heavy weights JR Rotem, Danielle Brisebois, Ian Dench (PRS), Amanda Ghost (PRS), Jude Cole, Amund Bj√∏rklund (PRS), and Espen Lind (PRS).
Details from Ed Christman, N.Y.
SMOKEY ROBINSON: TO BE HONORED BY ASCAP
Smokey Robinson will receive ASCAP’s Rhythm and Soul Heritage Award next month. The Motown icon will be honored during the performing rights organization’s 22nd annual Rhythm and Soul Music Awards, June 26th at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. The event will also will also salute the songwriters and publishers of the most performed ASCAP songs on the 2008 R-&-B, hip-hop and rap charts. ASCAP president Paul Williams praises Robinson as “one of the most gifted and influential artists of our time. His superb accomplishments as a songwriter and performer, a founding member of The Miracles and his association with Motown Records have helped write a significant and enduring chapter in American musical history.”
Earth Wind and Fire and Bill Withers are among the award’s previous recipients
JOHN MELLENCAMP: NEW CD
John Mellencamp will offer his fans a two-for-one C-D release on June 23rd. That’s when he bundles together his last studio album, Life Death Love and Freedom, with his new live disc, Road Tested: Life Death Live and Freedom, in a deluxe tour pack celebrating his summer outing with Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson. The eight live tracks were recorded on his 2008 tour in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Toronto and Red Deer, Canada. The songs are direct off the mixing board and were not tinkered with in the studio. Mellencamp starts his tour with Dylan and Nelson on July 2nd in Illinois.
Mellencamp spoke at a political fundraiser in Indianapolis that was attended by President Barack Obama. Mellencamp, who supported Obama’s bid for the White House, performed and gave a speech. On his website, he says, “I talked about liberalism and what the word ‘liberal’ means and how it became a cussword in the last eight years. The songs were essentially about liberty and freedom, and I talked about abortion — because there were a lot of abortion protesters outside. I said that if anyone asked for my advice about getting an abortion — and I don’t know why anybody would — I’d advise them not to have one, but that it’s their decision and not the government’s.” He then did three songs, including a new one, “Take Some Time to Dream,” which he says will be on his tentatively titled forthcoming album No Better Than This, which he will record this summer.
RR QUICK HITS
Elton John called Brenda Lee “one of the best female rock and roll singers of all time,” when he dedicated “Tiny Dancer” to her during a show with Billy Joel in Nashville.
The new Eric Clapton – Steve Winwood C-D, Live From Madison Square Garden, released 5/19, contains a type-o. The second song on the disc is “Low Down” and is listed on the C-D and J-card insert, but has been left out of the booklet.
Comedian Carrot Top joined R-E-O Speedwagon on stage the other night to “sing” background vocals on “Roll With the Changes.”
Universal has censored The Rolling Stones on the re-release of Goats Head Soup. The line in the song “Star Star” that contains a slang word for vagina has been altered.
Aretha Franklin is auctioning singing lessons to fans in a bid to raise money for charity at CharityBuzz-dot-com. Stevie Wonder has also donated his harmonica for the sale, whose profits will benefit the RobertF.KennedyCenter for Justice and Human Rights.
