NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - April 16, 2009) - Songwriter Paul Williams was elected
President and Chairman of the Board of ASCAP (the American Society of
Composers, Authors and Publishers) today by the ASCAP Board of Directors at
its meeting in Nashville, TN.
Williams' election follows on the heels of songwriter Marilyn Bergman's
decision to step down from the ASCAP Presidency effective today, although
she will continue as an active Board Member. Bergman announced her plans
on April 8, 2009, after 15 distinguished years as President and Chairman of
the Board (http://www.ascap.com/press/2009/0407_bergman.aspx).
Songwriter Jimmy Webb has been elected writer Vice Chairman to replace
Williams, who held that post for the prior two years. On the publisher
side, the re-elected officers are: Irwin Robinson of Paramount Allegra
Music as Vice Chairman; Kathy Spanberger of peermusic as Secretary; and
James M. Kendrick of Schott Music Corporation/European American Music
Corporation as Treasurer.
Commenting on the Board's choice for her successor, Bergman said: "I have
worked closely with Paul during his eight years as a member of the ASCAP
Board of Directors, and particularly since he assumed the post of writer
Vice Chairman. He is an outstanding choice to lead the vital work that
ASCAP conducts on behalf of all of us who create music. In addition to his
tremendous talent as a songwriter, Paul has deep knowledge of both the
challenges and opportunities that face music creators in today's
environment. I have no doubt that he will be a powerful and vigorous
advocate for our needs and rights. And I'm very pleased that illustrious
songwriter and performer Jimmy Webb will be serving as writer Vice Chair."
Williams added: "It's a great honor and privilege to be elected President
and Chairman of the Board of ASCAP. On behalf of my fellow Board members,
I would like to thank Marilyn for her extraordinarily productive work and
the dedication she has shown over the last fifteen years. The ability to
make a viable living from creating music is of critical importance not just
to songwriters and composers, but also to our society as a whole. Recent
advances in areas like technology have opened many new doors for music
creators. But we also face a host of daunting challenges relative to how
the act of creating music is both fairly valued and compensated. ASCAP
must remain a strong voice for our creative community, and I plan to do all
I can to ensure this is the case."
Timeless Standards Mark an Award-Winning Career
Paul Williams is an Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe winning Hall of Fame
songwriter. "We've Only Just Begun," "Rainy Days and Mondays," "You and Me
Against the World," "An Old Fashioned Love Song," "I Won't Last a Day
Without You" and "Let Me Be The One" are among his timeless standards.
His songs have been recorded by such diverse musical icons as Elvis
Presley, Frank Sinatra, Willie Nelson, Ella Fitzgerald, David Bowie, Ray
Charles, R.E.M., Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughn, Johnny Mathis, Luther Vandross
and Kermit the Frog.
"Bugsy Malone" and "Phantom of the Paradise" are among his song scores for
film. "The Rainbow Connection" from the children's classic "The Muppet
Movie" and "Evergreen" from "A Star is Born" are two of his songs that
grace the American Film Institute's list of the top 100 movie songs of all
times.
Having completed the music and lyrics for the Garry Marshall musical "Happy
Days," Williams joined forces with the Henson Company to produce a new
Christmas musical based on the perennial favorite, "Emmet Otter's Jugband
Christmas." In 2008, NBC aired "A Muppet Christmas: Letter To Santa," an
original Christmas special with both story and songs by Williams.
Publicly lauded for his work as a songwriter, performer, actor and
humanitarian, Williams predicts he'll be most remembered for playing Little
Enos in the "Smokey and the Bandit" trilogy and for his lyrics to "The Love
Boat" theme. As a devoted husband to writer Mariana Williams and proud
father, he considers his son Cole and daughter Sarah to be his best work.
About ASCAP
Established in 1914, ASCAP is the first and leading U.S. Performing Rights
Organization (PRO) representing the world's largest repertory totaling over
8.5 million copyrighted musical works of every style and genre from more
than 350,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members. ASCAP has
representation arrangements with similar foreign organizations so that the
ASCAP repertory is represented in nearly every country around the world
where copyright law exists. ASCAP protects the rights of its members and
foreign affiliates by licensing the public performances of their
copyrighted works and distributing royalties based upon surveyed
performances. ASCAP is the only American PRO owned and governed by its
writer and publisher members. www.ascap.com