Heart's Ann & Nancy Wilson to Be Honored at 26th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards Ceremony
| Source: ASCAP
LOS ANGELES, CA and NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - February 27, 2009) - ASCAP (American Society of
Composers, Authors and Publisher) will honor Heart's Ann & Nancy Wilson
with the prestigious ASCAP Founders Award during its 26th Annual Pop Music
Awards, it was announced today by President and Chairman Marilyn Bergman.
The invitation-only gala will take place on April 22, 2009 at the
Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles, California, and will also honor
the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP's most performed pop songs of 2008.
The ASCAP Founders Award is among the most prestigious honors that ASCAP
gives to songwriters who have made pioneering contributions to music by
inspiring and influencing their fellow music creators. Each recipient is a
musical innovator who possesses a unique style of songwriting genius that
will enrich generations to come. Past recipients include Ashford &
Simpson, Burt Bacharach & Hal David, Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Jackson
Browne, Elvis Costello, Melissa Etheridge, Billy Joel, Annie Lennox, Sir
Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Smokey Robinson, Steely Dan, James Taylor,
Tom Waits, Stevie Wonder and Neil Young.
ASCAP President and Chairman Marilyn Bergman commented: "Ann and Nancy
Wilson have made an indelible mark on rock music history. Their success
and influence helped pave the way for other female artists, and they
continue to build their musical legacy with an artistic energy that remains
as strong today as when they first started out over 35 years ago. They are
true musical trailblazers and ASCAP is extremely proud to honor them with
the Founders Award."
Ann Wilson and her sister, Nancy Wilson, first showed the world that women
can rock when their band Heart stormed the charts in the 1970s with hits
like "Crazy On You," "Magic Man," "Barracuda," "Straight On," "Even It Up,"
"Kick It Out," and so many more. They continued topping the charts
through the '80s and into the '90s with huge hits like "These Dreams,"
"Alone," "What About Love," "If Looks Could Kill," "Never," and a string of
other hits that showcased the sisters' enormous talents as musicians and
singers. During their extraordinary 35-year career, Heart has sold more
than 30 million records, had 21 top 40 hits, sold out arenas worldwide and
had a profound influence on rock music.
The group is currently on their latest U.S. tour, and they will be hitting
the studio this year to record what will be their 14th album. They are
also gearing up to mark the 30th anniversary of their classic
multi-platinum album "Dog & Butterfly" with special events and
celebrations. They also continue to win new generations of fans with their
#1 single "Barracuda" being included in "Guitar Hero World Tour" and the
new "American Idol" contestants paying tribute to their catalog of hits
every season.
The songwriters and publishers of ASCAP's most performed pop songs of 2008
will also be honored at the awards ceremony. Top awards will be given to
Songwriter of the Year, Song of the Year and Publisher of the Year, in
addition to the presentation of the ASCAP Vanguard Award, which recognizes
the impact of musical genres which help shape the future of American music.
The 26th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards is part of "ASCAP I Create Music
Week" -- an entire week of events being held in Los Angeles to celebrate
the voice of the music creator.
Members of the press may apply for credentials at
http://www.ascap.com/press/pressroom/popawards/.
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 340,000 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