[Friendster-Club] MRAZ TO RECEIVE HAL DAVID STARLIGHT AWARD AT SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME

[Tahalele, David]

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      

           

 

JASON MRAZ TO RECEIVE HAL DAVID STARLIGHT AWARD AT SONGWRITERS HALL OF
FAME 40TH ANNIVERSARY GALA

 

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED 2009 INDUCTEES  INCLUDE JON BON JOVI AND RICHIE
SAMBORA; FELIX CAVALIERE AND EDDIE BRIGATI (THE YOUNG RASCALS); ROGER
COOK AND ROGER GREENAWAY; CROSBY, STILLS & NASH; GALT MACDERMOT, JAMES
RADO 

AND GEROME RAGNI; AND STEPHEN SCHWARTZ

 

New York, N.Y. April XX, 2009 - Hal David, Chairman/CEO of the
Songwriters Hall of Fame, today announced that Jason Mraz will be the
recipient of the Hal David Starlight Award, to be presented at the 2009
Songwriters Hall of Fame 40th Anniversary Awards dinner, slated for
Thursday, June 18th, at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel. 

 

Starting out as a busker in New York City, Mraz moved to the warmer
climate of San Diego to hone his writing and performing skills. It was
there that he received attention from Elektra Records, which released
Mraz' debut Waiting For My Rocket To Come in 2002. Producing the hit
singles "The Remedy (I Won't Wait)," which Mraz co-wrote with pop
hitmakers the Matrix,  "You & I Both" and "Curbside Prophet," Waiting
For My Rocket To Come received platinum certification and paved the way
for Mraz' reputation as a clever, inspired and observant songwriter.
Mraz' second release, the Grammy-nominated Mr. A-Z, debuted at #5 on the
charts and featured the hit single "Wordplay." His third album We Sing.
We Dance. We Steal Things. resulted in three Grammy nominations,
including Song of the Year for "I'm Yours,' which is a warm breeze of a
song about finally giving into love and life's possibilities set to
lilting island tempo. "I'm Yours" holds the distinction of being the
only song to ever top the airplay charts in the U.S. in all four major
pop radio formats - Top 40, Adult Alternative, Adult Contemporary and
Hot Adult Contemporary - and has sold over five million copies
worldwide.

 

 Commenting on the award to Mraz, lyricist extraordinaire Hal David
said, "Jason's accomplishments as a talented songwriter make him the
ideal recipient of our Starlight Award."

 

The Hal David Starlight Award, created in 2004, was renamed in honor of
the SHOF Chairman for his longtime support of young songwriters. Award
recipients are gifted songwriters who are at an apex in their careers
and are making a significant impact in the music industry via their
original songs. Jason Mraz joins the prestigious company of Rob Thomas,
Alicia Keys, John Mayer, John Legend and John Rzeznik as past recipients
of the Hal David Starlight Award.

 

 

Inductees at this year's event include Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora;
Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati (The Young Rascals); Roger Cook and
Roger Greenaway; Crosby, Stills & Nash; Galt MacDermot, James Rado and
Gerome Ragni (deceased); and Stephen Schwartz. The Johnny Mercer Award
is being presented to Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland of
Holland-Dozier-Holland. The Towering Song this year is "Moon River" and
the Towering Performance Award will be presented to Andy Williams. 

 

About The Songwriters Hall of Fame:

 

The Songwriters Hall of Fame celebrates songwriters, educates the public
with regard to their achievements, and produces a spectrum of
professional programs devoted to the development of new songwriting
talent through workshops, showcases and scholarships. Over the course of
the past 40 years, some key Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees have
included Desmond Child, Dolly Parton, John Fogerty, Isaac Hayes and
David Porter, Steve Cropper, Richard and Robert Sherman, Bill Withers,
Carole King, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Sir Elton John, Bernie
Taupin, Brian Wilson, James Taylor, James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, Hal
David and Burt Bacharach, Jim Croce, Phil Collins, Alan and Marilyn
Bergman, Jimmy Webb, Van Morrison and Cy Coleman among many, many
others. The Songwriters Hall of Fame was founded in 1969 by songwriter
Johnny Mercer and publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond.

 

Full biographies and a complete list of inductees are available at the
Songwriters Hall of Fame's Virtual Museum at songhall.org.

 

Ticket Information:

 

Tickets for the Songwriters Hall of Fame 40th Anniversary Gala begin at
$1000 each, and are available through Buckley Hall Events, (212)
573-6933. Net proceeds from the event support the Songwriters Hall of
Fame programs.

 



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