Saturday, October 14, 2006

ASCAP TO HONOR SONGWRITER JIMMY WEBB WITH VOICE OF MUSIC AWARD

The American Society of Authors, Composers & Publishers (ASCAP) have announced that it will present multiple Grammy-winning songwriter and recording artist Jimmy Webb with the ASCAP Voice of Music Award during its 44th Annual ASCAP Country Music Awards ceremony at Nashville's legendary Ryman Auditorium. The October 23rd gala, which honors the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP's most performed country songs of the year will be followed by a party honoring the night's winners, especially Webb, whose contribution to American music, whether rock, pop, urban or country, is without compare. "I am so proud of Jimmy Webb and am delighted to be honoring him with our Voice of Music Award," said ASCAP President and Chairman, Marilyn Bergman. "It is a pleasure to serve with him on the ASCAP Board of Directors. I've loved and admired Jimmy's songs long before I knew him and could call him 'friend.' He brings something special to everything he does." The prestigious Voice of Music Award, presented in recognition of the artists and songwriters whose music illuminates people's lives through song, has only been given five times in ASCAP's history. Jimmy Webb joins Kenny Chesney, George Strait, Garth Brooks, Amy Grant and Diane Warren in receiving this very special recognition. Jimmy Webb, the son of a preacher from Elk City, Oklahoma, is the only artist to receive Grammys for music, lyrics, and orchestration. He almost single handedly defined the soundtrack of later 20th century music with By The Time I Get To Phoenix, Wichita Lineman, MacArthur Park, Up, Up and Away, Highwayman, The Moon's A Harsh Mistress, Galveston and Didn't We, and Webb provided influential songs for artists as diverse as Linda Ronstadt, r.e.m., Frank Sinatra, Urge Overkill, Rosemary Clooney, Glen Campbell and the 5th Dimension. TIME magazine raved about the National Academy of Popular Music Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame member's own recordings, "Webb's gift for strong, varied rhythms, inventive structures and rich, sometimes surprising harmonies." The Country Music Association recognized Highwayman as their Single of the Year from the storied quartet that took their name from the song comprised of Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson. Webb's "Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting" was also hailed by Musician magazine as "the finest book about songwriting of our generation." "Jimmy Webb exemplifies everything that this award stands for," says ASCAP Senior Vice President Connie Bradley. "He is an artist, a songwriter, an author and a man who brought music to film, television and the stage. For all his diversity, Webb has created an intimacy to his song, each allowing for reflections of individual experiences." Jimmy Webb has recorded ten albums, spanning from 1970's critically acclaimed Words and Music to his more recent Ten Easy Pieces, Twilight of the Renegades and Archive & Live, in addition to a British tribute compilation Someone Left The Cake Out In The Rain. The Oklahoma Hall of Fame inductee has toured the world to rave reviews with his cabaret style performances.The 2006 Country Music Awards will also honor the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP's Most Performed Country Songs of the Year. Special Awards will be given to "Songwriter of the Year," "Songwriter/Artist of the Year," "Song of the Year" and "Publisher of the Year." Established in 1914, ASCAP is the first and leading U.S. Performing Rights Organization representing the world's largest repertory totaling over 8 million copyrighted musical works of every style and genre from more than 250,000 composer, lyricist and music publisher members. ASCAP also represents the repertories created by the international affiliates of 70 foreign performing rights organizations. 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 Performing Rights Organization owned and governed by its writer and publisher members.

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