Stars in attendance at the BMI Latin Grammy nominees soiree included Café Tacuba, Robi Draco Rosa, Akwid, Gustavo Santaolalla, Kinky, Control Machete, Banda El Recodo, Lupillo Rivera, Area 305, Tanghetto, Mario Quintero, Lara, Paulo Jobim, Superlitio and Anibal Kerpel, as well as actor Cheech Marin and numerous Latin music industry executives. Grammy Award-winning BMI songwriter/producer Kike Santander, who serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (LARAS), and Grammy Award-winning BMI songwriter/producer KC Porter, were also there.

The 5th Annual Latin Grammy Awards will be held September 1 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The ceremony will be hosted by George Lopez and broadcast live on CBS from 8-10pm ET/PT.

BMIís Delia Orjuela; Tanghettoís Diego Velazquez; BMIís Diane J. Almodovar; Tanghettoís Max Masri; BMIís Jerry Vila and Juan Madrid.

Gustavo Santaolalla; BMI's Doreen Ringer Ross; Anibal Kerpel; BMI's Delia Orjuela

BMI songwriter and actor Cheech Marin; DJ Toy from GRAMMY nominees Control Machete

BMIís Phil Graham; Amador Bustos, and Kike Santander, GRAMMY Award-winning songwriter & producer and Chairman of The Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (LARAS) Board of Trustees.

BMIís Delia Orjuela and songwriter/artist/radio personality Serralde

BMIís Jerry Vila; Kinkyís Omar Gongora and Ulises Lozano; BMIís Diane J. Almodovar; Kinkyís Carlos Chairez; BMIís Delia Orjuela; Kinkyís Cesar Pliego; and Heinekenís Oscar Fausto

BMIís Phil Graham; songwriter/GRAMMY nominee Jose Cantoral; and BMIís Delia Orjuela.

Shirley Maldonado, Sirius Satellite Radio; BMI's Barbara Cane and Delia Orjuela; GRAMMY nominee and member of Banda El Recodo Alfonso Lizarraga; BMIís Diane J. Almodovar and Maximo Aguirre.

BMI songwriter and TV personality Jessica Maldonado; actress Cynthia Klitbo; and BMIís Diane J. Almodovar

Ulises Lozano; Omar Gongora; Carlos Chairez and Cesar Pliego.

]]> 2004-08-30T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233061 Artists, Cristina, Frost, Nik, Gentry, Alana, Lauderdale, Jim, Lichens, Dave, Lowen & Navarro, Neillson, Duane, Niblock, Matthew, Serralde, Starr, Garrison, Stuart, Peter, Wilde, Danny, Awards, Musical Styles, Country, Latin, Pop, R&B BMI celebrated a highly successful first year of the BMI Songwriters Club with a packed final show in November. Singer/songwriter Duane Neillson describes it best: “The night I performed reminded me why I love singing and writing music... it was possibly the warmest I’ve ever felt on stage. People like myself who do this regularly, deeply appreciate when a club setting is beautiful -- when performer and audience alike are of the same mind and vibe. The BMI Songwriters Club was that for me.”

BMI's Myles Lewis, Dan Navarro, manager Mike Gormley, BMI's Barbara Cane, Eric Lowen and BMI's Gideon Black

The acoustic showcase, sponsored by Performer magazine, is held the third Tuesday of every month and is organized by BMI LA’s Writer/Publisher Relations department. Held at Highland Grounds in Hollywood, the Songwriters Club is host to a number of talented singer/songwriters whose diverse, eclectic talent has culled a large number of supporters.

Jim Lauderdale and Jesse Dayton perform

“The BMI Songwriters Club was established with the true spirit of BMI's hugely diverse and talented collection of songwriters and publishers in mind,” explained Myles Lewis, BMI's Director of Writer/Publisher Relations. “We tried to create a showcase series that would be both entertaining and educational for everyone -- from those just starting out to some of BMI's most celebrated and seasoned songwriters. We basically tried to bring a little of the Nashville mentality to the Los Angeles songwriting community and create a supportive environment where people would be encouraged to collaborate and network with one another. Since its inception, the BMI Songwriters Club has lived up to, and exceeded, every expectation we had. It has consistently been well attended and has developed a reputation for delivering great talent in all genres.”

BMI's Myles Lewis with Simon Glickman and Willie Aron of Mysterypop

The evening consists of an hour-long open mic portion followed by an hour-long performance by two pre-selected BMI artists. The open mic portion is usually overwhelmed with performers waiting to sign-up for their chance to perform in front of music industry professionals, producers and peers in hopes of being discovered. Stephanie Guervitz of Turner Management Group is a regular attendee and raves: “As a manager of a songwriter who enjoys collaborating with her peers, I am always looking for creative writers with a vision. The BMI Songwriters Club allows me an opportunity to see the writers perform their material live, and the open-mic sessions have helped me to meet a few ‘diamonds in the rough’ that I may never have discovered without this unique platform.”

The ultra-cool, bohemian vibe of Highland Grounds made the venue a perfect choice for the Songwriters Club. The historic LA coffee-house/restaurant has been hosting open mic evenings for over 12 years, and in addition to singer/songwriters, has featured an eclectic array of poets performing spoken-word and performance art. Recently, many stars have dropped in to participate in their open mic, including country singer Pam Tillis, Pat DiNizio of the Smithereens, and even Spinal Tap.

BMI’s first year’s highlights include performances from top singer/songwriters such as Grammy and Academy Award nominee Stephen Bishop, Danny Wilde of the Rembrandts, premiere roots-country singer/songwriters Jim Lauderdale and Jesse Dayton, Lowen & Navarro, Peter Stuart, Duane Neillson and a Latin focused night featuring Hollywood Records recording artist Serralde and Cristina.

Rounding out the first year was a groovy set from Mysterypop, featuring Simon Glickman, Sr. Editor of HITS Magazine. “It was a delight to be part of BMI’s Songwriters Club,” Glickman comments, “It was a well-attended yet intimate gig and provided an ideal way to showcase our songs. We enjoy the chance to play these stripped-down sets, especially since the lyrics, dynamics and nuances come through so clearly, and this is one of the more satisfying ones we’ve done.”

Peter Shurkin, an artist manager with Gold Mountain Entertainment adds: “The BMI Songwriters Club is a showcase of the great songwriting talent in Los Angeles. A true back-to-basics forum for songwriters to expose their songs and talent in a relaxed and supportive environment.”

BMI’s Lewis adds: “We look forward to our second year and more stirring performances and compelling songwriting to inspire us all.”

Others who performed sets at this year’s BMI Songwriters Club include Garrison Starr, Matthew Niblock, Billie Myers, Peter Stuart, Alana Gentry, Blither, The Red, Nik Frost, Dave Lichens, Harrison, Jason Freddy and Damon Wyckoff.

The BMI Songwriters Club is one of many showcase programs run out of the BMI Los Angeles office. BMI hosts a monthly Circle of Songs showcase the last Wednesday of every month, as well as quarterly New Music Nights showcases on the West Coast featuring rock, alternative, pop, R&B and Latin artists.

Expected guests include Banda ARKANGEL R-15, Banda Maguey, Charlie Zaa, Emilio Estefan, Kike Santander (Carlos Ponce, Christian Castro, Gloria Estefan, Alejandro Fernandez), Pete Astudillo (Selena), KC Porter (Ricky Martin, Santana, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Luis Miguel), Edward James Olmos, Maria Conchita Alonso, Renan Armendarez Coello "El Cucuy," Serralde, Adan Sanchez, Gerardo Cuevas (Gerardito), John Montalban, Sergio Arau, Andy Vargas (Santana), Edgardo Ochoa (Hijos Del Sol), Rick Deliz (Satelite), Alejandro Lerner, Shalim (Sony Latin recording artist), Rosana DeSoto (La Bamba, Mi Familia), Lupe Ontiveros (Selena, Chuck & Buck and As Good As It Gets), Franco, Randy Vasquez (JAG), Jose Solano (Resurrection Blvd., Baywatch), Yeni Alvarez (Los Beltran), Carlos Sabillon, Raul Alberto, Lysa Flores (Star Maps), Laureano Brizuela, Martha Cancel (Frankie Negron, Jerry Rivera), Santiago Douglas (Girlfight), Constance Marie (Selena), and many others.

Check back here for photos and a complete list of award-winning songs from the 2001 BMI Latin Awards.