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View Profile Gamble & Huff Named BMI Icons at 57th Annual Pop Awards

Posted: May 21, 2009
Updated: 2009-05-21 10:10:41

Description: BMI held its 57th Annual Pop Awards tonight, honoring Gamble & Huff as BMI Icons. Songwriter of the Year honors resulted in a record-setting eight-way tie this year, saluting Colbie Caillat, Polow Da Don, T-Pain, Alan Chang, Matchbox Twenty’s Paul Doucette and Brian Yale, Chris Brown, and Maroon 5’s Adam Levine. Caillat also garnered Song of the Year honors for international hit “Bubbly,” which she co-wrote and recorded. Universal Music Publishing Group enjoyed a big night as well, winning the 2009 Publisher of the Year crown. Held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles, the invitation-only ceremony was hosted by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and BMI Vice President/General Manager, Los Angeles, Barbara Cane and also recognized the writers and publishers of the past year’s 50 most-performed pop songs from BMI’s extensive catalog of more than 6.5 million compositions. The evening’s capstone was a musical tribute to Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff. Gavin DeGraw performed “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” Estelle performed “Don’t Leave Me This Way,” and Michael Bublé delivered his rendition of “Me and Mrs. Jones.” Named BMI Icons in recognition of their “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers,” Gamble & Huff join an elite list of previous BMI Icons that includes the Jacksons, Bee Gees, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Paul Simon, Merle Haggard, Brian Wilson, Willie Nelson, James Brown, Ray Davies, Carlos Santana, Dolly Parton, and Hall & Oates.