The ASCAP Foundation Making music grow since 1975 www.ascapfoundation.org Spring 2010 Notations Paul Williams Elected To Presidency of The ASCAP Foundation The Board of Directors of The ASCAP Foundation recently elected songwriter Paul Williams President of the Foundation. Williams was also elected President and Chairman of the Board of ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) in 2009. Williams succeeds Marilyn Bergman as President of the Foundation. Bergman served in that post for 15 years during which time she contributed significantly to the growth and stature of the Foundation. She remains an active member of The ASCAP Foundation Board. Paul Williams 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 Vaughan, 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 Jim Paul Williams (far right) with ASCAP CEO John Henson Company to produce a new musical based on the LoFrumento (left) and the 2009 recipient of The perennial favorite, Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas. In ASCAP Foundation Champion Award, Arlo Guthrie (middle) at the 14th Annual ASCAP Foundation 2008, NBC aired A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa, an Awards Ceremony in NYC. (For pictures of original Christmas special with both story and songs by performances at this event, please see page 8.) 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 In This Issue to be his best work. • Paul Williams Commenting on his election to the presidency of The ASCAP Foundation Board, • New Programs Williams said: “I am proud of The ASCAP Foundation’s wonderful and • The Kennedy Center • ManUp4Kids far-reaching work on behalf of artists, music educators and the music creator • 2009 Honor Roll community. The Foundation’s staff is deeply dedicated to music education and • Alan & Marilyn Bergman with providing opportunities for songwriters and composers. “ Tony Bennett • Young Jazz Composers Announced • New Grants for 2010 • Awards Ceremony Pictures One Lincoln Plaza, New York, NY 10023 phone 212-621-6219 fax 212-595-3342 [email protected] www.ascapfoundation.org PagePage 2 2 The ASCAP Foundation The ASCAPNotations Foundation NotationsSpring 2010 NEW PROGRAMS The ASCAP Foundation Michelle and Dean Kay Award Michelle and Dean Kay have recently established this award at The ASCAP Foundation to support careers in music, particularly for those who concentrate their efforts in the Los Angeles area. The award will be given to an aspiring ASCAP songwriter participating in either the pop or musical theater ASCAP workshops in Los Angeles. For over 30 years, Dean Kay has been at the helm of some of the most highly respected and forward thinking music publishing companies in the world and is currently President/CEO of his own Demi Music Corp. and its affiliates, Lichelle Music Company and Yak Michelle and Dean Kay Yak Music. Michelle Kay is Vice President and CFO of the company. Prior to his involvement in publishing, Mr. Kay was a successful songwriter, having had hundreds of his compositions recorded including "That's Life" by Frank Sinatra. He was a recording artist for RCA Records, appeared daily as a featured entertainer on the nationally televised “Tennessee Ernie Ford Show,” and produced dozens of phonograph records and radio and television commercials. Throughout his career, Mr. Kay has nurtured the careers of songwriters, recording artists and music industry executives and he continues to do so with this newly established award. Kay is a member of the ASCAP Board of Directors, and on the Boards of the National Music Publishers Association and The ASCAP Foundation. His daily news digest, "The Deans List" chronicles the rapid transformation taking place in the entertainment industry. The ASCAP Foundation Jay Gorney Award The ASCAP Foundation Jay Gorney Award was established by his wife, Sondra and son, Dr. Roderic Gorney, to commemorate Jay’s career and legacy. Jay Gorney, a long-time ASCAP member and composer, along with lyricist E. Y. “Yip” Harburg, wrote the 1930s classic, “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?,” which became the anthem of the Great Depression. Gorney wrote scores for a number of shows including Merry-Go-Round and Vogues of 1924. It was in Hollywood, working for Fox Studios, that he discovered Shirley Temple for whom, with lyricist Lew Brown, he wrote “Baby Take a Bow.” In the 1940s, he became a composer and producer for Columbia Pictures writing the scores for Hey Rookie and The Gay Senorita among others. The Jay Gorney Award is presented annually for an original song by an ASCAP member or unaffiliated songwriter who graduated from an ASCAP, ASCAP Foundation or Songwriters Hall of Fame Workshop/Showcase. The winning song is judged on its message of social conscience/social significance as well as overall craft, artistry and compositional elements. The 2009 inaugural recipients of the Award were songwriting team, John Munnelly and Jay Gorney Christina Lord, for their original song “The Unemployment Blues.” Munnelly grew up in Ireland and studied music theory and performance in Manchester, England. He plays acoustic and electric guitar, piano and sings. Lord is a multi-talented artist, writer, and lyricist who prefers country, rock and folk. Throughout her life she has written poetry and song lyrics and is currently studying piano and music theory at Mannes Conservatory. Our Mission The ASCAP Foundation is dedicated to nurturing the music talent of tomorrow, preserving the legacy of the past and sustaining the creative incentive for today's creators through a variety of educational, professional and humanitarian programs and activities which serve the entire music community. The ASCAP Foundation is a publicly supported charitable organization exempt from federal taxation under IRC § 501(c)(3). The ASCAP Foundation is funded by contributions, bequests, royalties and grants from ASCAP members, other foundations & the general public. We welcome your contributions, which are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. No amount is too small. Please join us in supporting the talent of tomorrow by making a contribution today. SpringFall/Winter 2010 2008 The ASCAP The ASCAP Foundation Foundation Notations Notations Page 3 Songwriters: The Next Generation A program of emerging songwriters and composers discussing and performing their own songs. Presented by The ASCAP Foundation and made possible by the Bart Howard Estate. Songwriters: The Next Generation, a new program of The ASCAP Foundation and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, showcased the work of four emerging songwriters and composers in a free concert on the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage on January 28th and 29th. The concerts, which were followed by a Q&A session, were webcast live, and archived for future viewing. To view, under The Kennedy Center website’s Performance button, Millennium Stage link, click Archives. Each evening’s hour-long program, de- signed to spotlight the talent of young songwriters and compos- The Danny Rivera Electric 5 perform original ers, was hosted by Jesse Win- compositions by Danny Rivera on The Kennedy chester, an ASCAP member Center Millennium Stage. singer/songwriter whose four- decade recording career has given us classic songs such as “Yankee Lady,“ “Biloxi,” and “Payday.” The idea for the program was conceived by jazz pianist, educator, composer and ASCAP Foundation Board member Dr. Billy Taylor—the Kennedy Center’s Artistic Director for Jazz. Dr. Taylor stressed the importance of showcasing the talent of contemporary composers who are also performers. “We want to show the audience that young people can be accomplished music creators,” he said, “as well as musicians and singers.” To that end, following the performances, Jesse Winchester engaged the performers in a conversation focusing on the craft of songwriting and their personal creative process. The January 28th performance featured ASCAP members Danny Rivera and Nick Howard. Baritone saxophonist and composer Danny Rivera, the 2009 recipient of The ASCAP Foundation Scholarship in Honor of Louis Armstrong, fronted The Danny Rivera Singer/songwriter, Devon Sproule, performs her Electric 5 with Ryan Liatsis (guitar), Conun Pappas (piano), Jeff Koch (upright bass) Sammy Cahn Award- and Dustin Kauffman (drums). ASCAP singer/songwriter Nick Howard, the 2009 winning song "Old recipient of The ASCAP Foundation Robert Allen Award, performed solo. Virginia Block." The January 29th performance featured ASCAP members, Linda Oh and Devon Sproule. Composer, double bassist and electric bassist, Linda Oh, recipient of a 2008 ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Award, led The Linda Oh Trio featuring Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet and Marcus Gilmore on drums. Singer/songwriter, Devon Sproule, recipient of the 2009 Sammy Cahn Award, performed solo. ManUp4Kids goes to Broadway ManUp4Kids, an educational program established by Grammy award-winning ASCAP songwriter/producer Desmond Child, provides low-income families the opportunity to attend music, thea- tre and cultural events.