But New York native Lanz isn’t one to be fenced in by expectations. Signed to Interscope Records, which will be releasing her debut album, Young $ Restless, on Feb. 12, 2008, Lanz is currently on tour opening for no less a hip-hop icon than Snoop Dogg, winning converts and proving her mettle night after night.

Born Alana Michelle Josephs, the only child shuffled between her parents for a few years, eventually ending up with her mother. Despite what Lanz calls a “blissful” relationship, the reunion was soon shattered by her mother’s boyfriend’s unstable, drug-fuelled behavior. Combined with the absence of her father, Lanz increasingly turned to such straight-ahead, occasionally rage-fueled acts as Tupac, DMX and Eminem, and, in the process, began developing her own skills.

“As a young kid, instead of having my mind guarded, it wasn’t really shielded at all,” she says. “So real life at an early age was a real thing for me.”

Lanz started recording demos and rapping on the underground scene, eventually gathering a team of industry professionals and ultimately becoming the subject of label interest, leading to a meeting at Interscope honcho Jimmy Iovine’s home. The pair clicked, and Lanz is now finishing up her album with such well-established producers as Three 6 Mafia, Stargate, and Organized Noize.

“When you’re creating waves in uncharted waters, there’s always going to be haters who try to sink your float,” she says. “No matter how many times they try to stop me, I’ve kept right on my beautiful struggle. I’ve felt both the pain and the love so I speak for the kid always pushed on. I show them how to shove back. I'm not just trying to make it, I’m trying to be one of the best to ever do it.”

Talent and authenticity are ageless, and Porter Wagoner is living proof. At 80 years old, Wagoner is enjoying a career resurgence that has included a Madison Square Garden performance with the White Stripes, an appearance on David Letterman’s late night talkfest and a celebration of his 50th anniversary as a member of the Grand Old Opry.

“So many great things are happening to me and it’s just been terrific,” says Wagoner. “It’s not the fact that I’m the greatest performer or writer or anything; it’s the fact that I can still do it and still do a good job at it. I’m so thankful for that.”

Wagoner has always been among country music’s most visible entertainers — and that’s not just because of his signature, flashy Nudie suits. Wagoner has continued to tour nationally and perform regularly on the Opry. In the past year, his profile gained an additional boost with Wagonmaster, a compelling new album produced by Marty Stuart and released on the Los Angeles-based Anti-label.

“Marty was pretty smart in doing that because they really wanted the record,” Wagoner says of the company, whose eclectic roster includes Mavis Staples, Galactic, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, and Neko Case. “They really like me and my style that’s why he decided on going out there with it.”

Wagoner says he and Stuart had talked about collaborating for a long time. “Marty grew up watching ‘The Porter Wagoner Show’,” Wagoner says of his syndicated TV show that ran throughout the ’60s and ’70s. “He knew all about me and he became a big fan of mine when he was about 12 or 13 years old. He had some great ideas for the album and I was really pleased with what he did.”

Wagonmaster is just the latest in a long line of achievements. Born August 12, 1927 in West Plains, Missouri, Wagoner got his start on a local radio station. He signed with RCA Records in 1952 and released “Settin’ the Woods on Fire.” The following year he scored his first success as a songwriter, penning “Trademark” for Carl Smith. He moved to Nashville in 1957, joined the Opry, and began churning out such hits as “Misery Loves Company,” “Green, Green Grass of Home,” “A Satisfied Mind,” and “The Carroll County Accident.”

Wagoner is also responsible for introducing the world to Dolly Parton on “The Porter Wagoner Show.” A BMI writer for decades, Wagoner credits Parton for spurring his songwriting. “She gave me a lot of encouragement, [saying] how good a writer I was,” says Wagoner, who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002. “We wrote a lot of the duets that we did and we had a lot of success.”

Wagoner looks back fondly on the TV show, but admits when he started, he was advised not to do television because it would negatively affect his live shows. Back then, conventional wisdom said people wouldn’t pay to see you in concert if they could see you on TV for free. Wagoner challenged that notion and his bookings went up with his TV ratings. “Being a member of the Opry of course was a big thing for me, but it wasn’t like being on television on a regular basis every week. People would plan their Saturday and they wouldn’t go anywhere until they’d seen ‘The Porter Waggoner Show.’ It was a wonderful thing,” Wagoner says of the show, which is currently airing again on RFD-TV.

Though surgery for an aneurysm slowed Wagoner down for a few months last year, the four-time Grammy winner is back in action. He’s been writing songs and plans to record another gospel project as well as another country album with Stuart.

Wagoner admits he’s enjoyed the renewed focus on his music; the fact that his grandchildren are seeing it is an added plus. “I played a big auditorium and my granddaughter came backstage and tears were pouring down her face. She said, ‘Pawpaw, people out there stood up for you!’ Just things like that really make you feel like you have accomplished something,” he says. “This late in life, that’s kind of nice.”

photo: Marty Stuart

Past musical recipients of the National Heritage Fellowships include B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Doc Watson and Bill Monroe. This noteworthy list of more than 60 individuals and groups includes representatives of the blues, gospel, bluegrass, Tejano and Cajun fields. Its diversity illustrates BMI's dedication to the roots of American music and the nation's cultural heritage.

BMI's 2006 NEA National Heritage Fellowship recipients:

Henry Gray is a widely respected blues pianist from Baton Rouge, La. He played keyboards in the legendary Howlin' Wolf band for 12 years (1956-68) before retuning to his native Louisiana and becoming one of the best known players in the Gulf region. His numerous albums illustrate his notable "swamp-blues" style. photo: Brian Smith

Doyle Lawson of Bristol, Tenn., is one of the most respected bluegrass and gospel performers in the field. He began playing professionally at the age of 11, and joined ensembles led by Jimmy Martin and J.D. Crowe, as well as the Country Gentlemen. In 1979, he founded the band Quicksilver, which has won the coveted Vocal Group of the Year award from the International Bluegrass Music Association for the last five years.

Mavis Staples has been a powerhouse vocalist in the gospel and r&b fields for nearly 50 years. She formed the Staples Singers along with her siblings and late father Roebuck "Pop" Staples (a 1998 Fellowship recipient). Chart-topping songs such as "Respect Yourself" and "I'll Take You There" on Memphis's Stax Records possess countless fans. In recent years as a solo artist, she has collaborated with Prince, Bob Dylan and Marty Stuart.

Complete list of BMI National Heritage Fellowship recipients:

Francisco Aguabella [1992]
Afro-Cuban drummer
Manhattan Beach, Calif.

Alfonse "Bois Sec" Ardoin [1986]
African-American Creole Accordionist
Eunice, La.

Pedro Ayala [1988]
Mexican-American accordionist
Donna, Texas

Kenny Baker [1993]
Bluegrass fiddler
Cottonwood, Tenn.

Dewey Balfa [1982]
Cajun fiddler
Basile, La.

Eddie Blazonczyk [1998]
Polish-American Musician/Bandleader
Bridgeview, Ill.

Charles Brown [1997]
Blues pianist & composer
Berkeley, Ca.

Chuck Brown [2005]
African-American musical innovator
Brandywine, Md.

Michael Burke [2001]
Irish Fiddler
Portland, Ore.

Liz Carroll [1994]
Irish-American fiddler
Chicago, Ill.

Rapael Cepeda [1983]
Bomba musician/dancer
Santurce, Puerto Rico

Wilson "Boozoo" Chavis [2001]
Credo Zydeco accordionist
Lake Charles, La.

Clifton Chenier [1984]
Creole accordionist
Lafayette, La.

Joseph Cormier [1984]
Cape Bretton accordionist
Waltham, Mass.

Elizabeth Cotton [1984]
African-American songster/songwriter
Syracuse, N.Y.

Luderin Darbon/Edwin Duhon [2002]
Cajun fiddler and accordionist
Sulphur, La./Westlake, La.

Dixie Hummingbirds [2000]
African-American gospel quartet
Philadelphia, Pa.

Michael Doucet [2005]
Cajun fiddler, composer and band leader
Lafayette, La.

Jerry Douglas [2004]
Dobro player
Nashville, Tenn.

David "Honeyboy" Edwards [2002]
Blues guitarist/singer
Chicago, Ill.

Fairfield Four [1989]
African-American acapella gospel singers
Nashville, Tenn.

Canray Fontenot [1986]
African-American creole fiddler
Welsh, La.

Clarence Fountain & the Blind Boys [1994]
African-American gospel singers
Atlanta, Ga.

Johnny Gimble [1994]
Angle western swing fiddler
Dripping Springs, Texas

Henry Gray [2006]
Blues piano player, singer
Baton Rouge, La.

Eduardo "Lalo" Guerrero [1991]
Mexican-American singer/guitarist/composer
Cathedral City, Calif.

Juan Gutierrez [1996]
Puerto Rican drummer
New York, N.Y.

John Lee Hooker [1983]
Blues guitarist/singer
San Carlos, Calif.

John Jackson [1986]
African-American songster/guitarist
Fairfax, Va.

Wanda Jackson [2005]
Early country, rockabilly and gospel singer
Oklahoma City, Okla.

Santiago Jimenez, Jr. [2000]
Tejano accordionist/singer
San Antonio, Texas

Bessie Jones [1982]
Georgia Sea Island singer
Brunswick, Ga.

Raymond Kane [1987]
Hawaiian slack key guitarist/singer
Wai'anae, Hawaii

Ali Akbar Khan [1997]
North Indian sarod player & raga composer
San Anselmo, Calif.

Riley "B.B." King [1991]
African-American bluesman
Itta Bena, Miss./Las Vegas, Nev.

Doyle Lawson [2006]
Gospel and bluegrass singer, arranger, bandleader
Bristol, Tenn.

Robert Jr. Lockwood [1995]
African-American delta blues guitarist
Cleveland, Ohio

Valerio Longoria [1986]
Mexican-American accordionist
San Antonio, Texas

Israel "Cachao" Lopez [1995]
Afro-Cuban bassist/composer/band leader
Miami, Fla.

Albert "Sunnyland Slim" Luandrew [1988]
African-American blues pianist/singer
Chicago, Ill.

Wade Mainer [1987]
Appalachian banjo picker/singer
Flint, Mich.

Brownie McGhee [1982]
Blues guitarist
Oakland, Calif.

Jim & Jesse McReynolds [1997]
Bluegrass musicians
Gallatin, Tenn.

D.L. Menard [1994]
Cajun musician/songwriter
Erath, La.

Lydia Mendoza [1983]
Mexican-American singer
Houston, Texas

Bill Monroe [1983]
Nashville, Tenn.

Jack Owens [1993]
Blues singer/guitarist
Betonia, Miss.

Joe Willie "Pinetop" Perkins [2000]
Blues piano player
La Porte, Ind.

Ola Belle Reed [1986]
Appalachian banjo picker/singer
Rising Sun, Md.

Domingo "Mingo" Saldivar [2002]
Conjunto accordionist
San Antonio, Texas

Earl Scruggs [1989]
Bluegrass banjo player
Madison, Tenn.

Simon Sheheen [1994]
Arab-American oud player
Brooklyn, N.Y.

Ralph Stanley [1983]
Appalachian banjo player/singer
Coeburn, Va.

Mavis Staples [2006]
Gospel, rhythm & blues singer
Chicago, Ill.

Roebuck "Pops" Staples [1998]
African-American gospel/blues musician
Dolton, Ill.

Koko Taylor [2004]
Blues musician
Chicago, Ill.

Sanders "Sonny" Terry [1983]
Blues musician
Holliswood, N.Y.

Henry Townsend [1985]
Blues musician/singer
St. Louis, Mo.

Othar Turner [1992]
African-American fife player
Senatobia, Miss.

Albertina Walker [2005]
Gospel singer
Chicago, Ill.

Don Walser [2000]
Western singer/guitarist
Austin, Texas

Arthel "Doc" Watson [1988]
Appalachian guitar player/singer
Deep Gap, N.C.

Claude "The Fiddler" Williams [1998]
African-American jazz/swing fiddler
Kansas City, Mo.

Dewey Williams [1983]
Shape note singer
Ozark, Ala.

Nimrod Workman [1986]
Appalachian ballad singer
Mascot, Tenn./Chattaroy, W.V.]]> 2006-09-11T05:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233116 3 Doors Down, Amazed, Arnold, Brad, Austin, Dallas, Babyface, Berry, Chuck, Bolton, Michael, Bryant, Del, Carey, Mariah, Diddley, Bo, Evan and Jaron, Gibb, Robin, Gibbons, Billy, Groban, Josh, Hardson, Tre, Jackson, Janet, Jennings, Will, Lifehouse, Little Richard, Mirwais, Neville, Ivan, Parton, Dolly, Roberts, Matt, Rooney, Rooney, Cory, Staples, Mavis, Thorogood, George, Twain, Shania, Wilshire, Country, Pop, Rock, Feature, BMI Pop Awards BMI saluted the writers and publishers of the past year’s 50 most performed songs during the 50th Annual BMI Pop Awards tonight, with superlatives reserved for Rob Thomas’s song “If You’re Gone,” songwriter Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down and Universal Music Publishing. Frances W. Preston, President & CEO, and Barbara Cane, Vice President & General Manager, Writer/Publisher Relations, Los Angeles, handed out BMI Citations of Achievement to more than 150 writers and publishers during the dinner event, which culminated in the announcements of Song, Songwriter, Publisher and College Song of the Year. A highlight of the golden-anniversary gala, staged at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, was the presentation of the first BMI ICON Awards to Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Little Richard in recognition of their “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.”

Little Richard; Frances W. Preston, BMI President & CEO; Chuck Berry; and Bo Diddley

“If You’re Gone” earned the BMI Pop Song of the Year crystal for songwriter Rob Thomas of matchbox twenty and publishers Bidnis, Inc. and EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc. This distinction is given to the song tallying the most feature broadcast performances during the eligibility period. A #1 single from matchbox twenty’s Lava/Atlantic album Mad Season, “If You’re Gone” brings Thomas’s BMI Awards total to 11. With this win, Thomas, who was named 1999 BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year, joins an illustrious list of those who have taken both Song and Songwriter trophies, including Stephen Bishop, Michael Bolton, Mariah Carey, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Barry and Robin Gibb, Will Jennings, Bert Kaempfert (GEMA), Dolly Parton, Carole Bayer Sager and Shania Twain.

Rob Thomas

Brad Arnold

Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down placed four songs on the Most Performed List of 50 to collect the BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year reward. From the band’s debut album The Better Life on Republic/Universal Records, the songs earning Arnold the crown were “Be Like That,” “Duck and Run,” “Kryptonite” (2nd award) and “Loser.”

BMI's Barbara Cane, Universal Music Publishing's David Renzer, BMI's Frances W. Preston, Songwriter of the Year Brad Arnold, BMI's Del Bryant and Universal Music Publishing's Tom Sturges

With 11 songs cited - including Arnold’s four - Universal Music Publishing (through its companies Irving Music, Songs of Universal, Inc., and Universal-Songs of PolyGram International, Inc.) claimed the BMI Pop Publisher of the Year prize; David Renzer, President, Worldwide Universal Music Group, accepted the crystal obelisk. The Publisher of the Year title is given to the publishing concern with the highest percentage of copyright ownership in award songs. Universal’s other top performing tunes were “All Or Nothing,” “Breathe,” “Breathless,” “Change Your Mind,” “Hemorrhage (In My Hands),” “Play” and “Ride Wit Me.”

Johnny Lang performing during the Chuck Berry tribute

3 Doors Down lead singer Brad Arnold shows off his Songwriter of the Year crystal

Of the 86 songwriters recognized, ten, in addition to Arnold, were multiple winners. Placing three songs each on the list were 3 Doors Down members Todd Harrell and Matt Roberts and previous songwriter victors Janet Jackson (1990) and Cory Rooney (2000); double honorees were Mirwais Ahmadzai, 3 Doors Down’s Chris Henderson, and Red Hot Chili Peppers Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis and Chad Smith.

Little Richard and Ivan Neville (Neville performed the Little Richard tribute)

Publishers gathering three or more awards were Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc., Escatawpa Songs, Sony/ATV Songs LLC, Black Ice Publishing, Cori Tiffani Publishing and Ensign Music Corporation.

Mavis Staples

“Hanging By A Moment” grabbed Most Performed Song on College Radio kudos for songwriter Jason Wade of Lifehouse. The song, from Lifehouse’s debut DreamWorks album No Name Face, is published by G-Chills Music and Songs of DreamWorks.

Josh Groban and Chuck Berry

Among this year’s honorees, 15 songs have earned the status of BMI Million-Air (accumulating at least one million broadcast performances) for a total of more than 22 million performances. Based on an average length of three minutes, one million airplays is the equivalent of 50,000 hours or 5.7 years, continuously. Million-Airs on the 2001 list translate into over 1.1 million hours or 125.4 years of airplay.

BMI's Tracie Verlinde (2nd left) and Myles Lewis (right) with members of Lifehouse

Five of the 50 top Pop are repeat achievers. “Amazed” collected its third consecutive Pop Award; the 2000 BMI Country Song of the Year has accrued nearly four million performances. Four songs picked up second Awards: last year’s honorees “Kryptonite,” “With Arms Wide Open” and “Breathe” (also Pop Song of the Year), and “Lady Marmalade,” first recognized in 1975.

BMI songwriter/producer Dallas Austin, BMI Board member Frank Melton and Chuck Berry

BMI’s Citation of Achievement is given annually in recognition of popularity in the field of popular music, as measured by feature broadcast performances on American radio and television. This year’s Pop Awards' eligibility period ran October 1, 2000 through September 30, 2001.

Evan and Jaron

High-resolution photos are available for downloading on the BMI Media Relations web site at press.bmi.com.

ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and Bo Diddley

Tatiana Litvin, BMI songwriter Tre Hardson, BMI songwriter Dallas Austin, BMI's Catherine Brewton, Jody Gerson and actor Orlando Jones

George Thorogood

members of CrazyTown