BMI Pop Awards Honor Gamble & Huff As Icons

The 57th Annual BMI Pop Awards in Los Angeles honored legendary writing/production team Gamble & Huff with its prestigious Icon Awards, which also included a musical tribute to them by Estelle, Michael Bublé and Gavin DeGraw. Songwriter of the Year honors resulted in a record-setting eight-way tie this year, saluting Polow Da Don, T-Pain, Alan Chang, Matchbox Twenty’s Paul Doucette and Brian Yale, Chris Brown, Maroon 5’s Adam Levine and Colbie Caillat who also won Song of the Year honors for “Bubbly.” Universal Music Publishing Group was named Publisher of the Year.(l-r) BMI Icon Awards honoree Leon Huff, Motown Record Label founder Berry Gordy, BMI Icon Awards honoree Kenneth Gamble and songwriter Eddie Holland. –Photo courtesy of Arnold Turner/wireimage

BMI Unsigned Showcase Returns to Atlanta

DJ Khaled will host BMI’s 12th Annual Unsigned Urban Showcase in Atlanta at Club E.S.S.O. on April 23rd. Nas, Trey Songz and Novel will perform at this showcase that will feature four finalists competing in front of a panel of music industry heavyweights including singer/songwriter Dallas Austin (Madonna, TLC); Capitol Records Senior Vice President, Urban Music Leonard Brooks; MySpace Records President, Urban Music Marquis Collins; manager and Imani Entertainment Group CEO Manny Halley (clients include Keyshia Cole & Lyfe Jennings); Def Jam Recordings Executive Vice President Chris Hicks; Polo Grounds Music President and RCA Music Group Senior Vice President, Urban Bryan Leach; manager and Czar Entertainment CEO Jimmy Rosemond (clients include The Game, Gucci Mane & Pleasure P).This year’s final four include the group 718, Kameron Corvet, Ryn Nicole and Rain.  Additionally, BMI will be presenting its Legends of ATL Award to a community leader who has contributed to the local music scene. Past recipients have included Dallas Austin, Organized Noize and Big Oomp.