James Taylor To Be Honored With ASCAP Founders Award
Tue Apr 2, 9:07 PM ET (4/2/02, 6 p.m. ET) -- Singer-songwriter <A
HREF="http://launch.yahoo.com/artist/default.asp?vo=yahn&artistID=1026581";>James
Taylor</A>
will be the recipient of the American Society Of Composers, Authors, And
Publishers' (ASCAP) prestigious Founders Award during the organization's 19th
annual Pop Music Awards May 20 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills,
California.
The ASCAP Founders Award is presented to "pioneering songwriters who have
made exceptional contributions to music." Throughout his career, Taylor has
been recognized as both a recording artist and a talented songwriter--he's a
member of both the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and the Songwriters Hall Of
Fame, and has won multiple Grammys (<A
HREF="http://rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/manual/*http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news?p=%22Grammys%22&c=&n=20&yn=c&c=news&cs=nw";>news</A>
- <A
HREF="http://rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/manual/*http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=Grammys&cs=nw";>web
sites</A>) and earned numerous
gold and platinum records. Taylor's extensive repertoire includes "Fire And
Rain," "Sweet Baby James," "You're Smiling Face," "Copperline," and "Mexico."
Lyricist Marilyn Bergman, president and chairman of ASCAP, said of Taylor's
honor, "James Taylor is a truly defining American musical voice--as both a
singer and songwriter. Since his breakthrough with 'Fire And Rain,' he has
succeeded in translating the personal into the universal with eloquence and
beauty, to the delight of millions of fans worldwide. His modest manner
belies the fact that he has been and remains a major musical force for
decades. We are proud to honor him with the ASCAP Founders Award."
Previous recipients of the ASCAP Founders Award include <A
HREF="http://launch.yahoo.com/artist/default.asp?vo=yahn&artistID=1018224";>Joni
Mitchell</A>, <A
HREF="http://rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/celeb/*http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=Stevie%20Wonder&cs=nw";>Stevie
Wonder</A>, Stephen Sondheim, <A
HREF="http://rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/celeb/*http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=Billy%20Joel&cs=nw";>Billy
Joel</A>, Steely Dan (<A
HREF="http://rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/manual/*http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news?p=%22Steely%20Dan%22&c=&n=20&yn=c&c=news&cs=nw";>news</A>
- <A
HREF="http://rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/manual/*http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=steely%20dan&cs=nw";>web
sites</A>), <A
HREF="http://rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/celeb/*http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=Tom%20Waits&cs=nw";>Tom
Waits</A>, Andre Previn, and the songwriting teams of Jerry Leiber and Mike
Stoller, and <A
HREF="http://rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/celeb/*http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=Burt%20Bacharach&cs=nw";>Burt
Bacharach</A> and <A
HREF="http://rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/celeb/*http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=Hal%20David&cs=nw";>Hal
David</A>. -- Sue Falco, New York
