But it seems more than likely that we’ll soon be adding Atlanta-based outfit The Clutch to that roster. Name-checked by Ciara in her hit “Like a Boy,” the five-member team — Candice Nelson, Keri Hilson, j.Que, Ezekiel Lewis, and Balewa Muhammad — has also collaborated on such well-received tunes as Mary J. Blige’s “Take Me As I Am,” Omarion’s “Ice Box” and Bobby Valentino’s “Anonymous.”

Those projects stand proudly alongside the individual members’ ever-growing client list, which includes Usher and Fantasia (j.Que), Beyoncé and Alicia Keys (Nelson), Christina Aguilera (Muhammad), Ludacris and the Pussycat Dolls (Hilson) and Pink and Luther Vandross (Lewis).

Such a wide range of genres requires that songwriting inspiration come in a variety of ways, according to Nelson, who also maintains a singing career. “Sometimes I’m inspired by something I saw or heard, and other times I try and think of things an artist might want to say prior to going in to lay down ideas. I’m inspired by people. Knowing where they’ve been, how they got where they are, where they would like to be.”

She deflects questions on how the five came together — The Clutch’s origins are, to say the least, somewhat mysterious at this point — but declares, “I can say that this is the best group of people I’ve had the opportunity to work with. I mean, I’ve met some amazing individuals, but the collective of The Clutch? Out of this world. Really, truly beautiful, talented people. I’m so glad we met.”

The Clutch’s future projects include Usher, Jennifer Hudson, the reconstituted Menudo and Hilson’s own album. Those undertakings, Nelson says, “should be a pleasant surprise for the world. Well, at least those who know and care about what we bring to entertainment. I’ll say I anticipate an increase in the number of Clutch fans out there.”

She adds, with a smile, “Any day now.”

The Icon designation is given to BMI songwriters and artists who have had "a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers." The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, whose signature three-part harmony has endured for more than three decades, joins an elite list of previous BMI Icons that includes Paul Simon, James Brown, Brian Wilson, Isaac Hayes, Dolly Parton and Carlos Santana.

The musical partnership of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash has produced some of the most timeless songs ever written, including "Marrakesh Express," "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes," "Helplessly Hoping," "Guinnevere," "Teach Your Children," "Wooden Ships," "Dark Star" and "Just a Song Before I Go." The only American band of the original Woodstock era to have a societal impact rivaling that of the Beatles, Crosby, Stills & Nash has been called "the voice of an entire generation."

Hosted by BMI President/CEO Del Bryant and Los Angeles VP/GM Barbara Cane, the 54th annual BMI Pop Awards will recognize the writers and publishers of the most performed songs on U.S. radio and television from the past year. A Pop Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Publisher of the Year will be announced during the evening, as will the winner of the BMI Foundation's John Lennon Scholarship.

Pop Award winners from previous years include 3 Doors Down, Maroon 5, R. Kelly, Nickelback, Shania Twain, Pharrell Williams, Michelle Branch, Lauren Christy and Scott Spock of The Matrix, Lil Jon, the Foo Fighters, Evanescence, Linkin Park, Vanessa Carlton and Sheryl Crow, among others.

The Icon designation is given to a creator who has been "a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers." Simon, a multiple Grammy winner and a double inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of Simon & Garfunkel and as a solo artist), joins a distinguished list of previous BMI Icons, including James Brown, Chuck Berry, Brian Wilson, Van Morrison, Little Richard, Dolly Parton and Carlos Santana, who will be honored as an Icon at the BMI Latin Awards on April 21 in Las Vegas.

The BMI Pop Awards recognize the songwriters and publishers of the most performed songs on U.S. radio and television from the company's repertoire of approximately 4.5 million musical works from around the world. A Pop Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Publisher of the Year will be announced during the evening, as will the winner of the BMI Foundation's John Lennon Scholarship.

Pop Award winners from previous years include 3 Doors Down, Lauren Christy and Scott Spock of the Matrix, Evanescence, Pharrell Williams, Michelle Branch, the Foo Fighters, Gregg Alexander, R. Kelly, Dallas Austin, Linkin Park, Vanessa Carlton and Sheryl Crow.

Songwriter101.com is a website and user community focused on the business side of songwriting that is specifically geared toward the young songwriter looking to launch a professional career. Songwriter101.com offers a wealth of information, education, and the collective knowledge and experience of some of the music industry's top experts who serve as members of the faculty. The site also features in depth articles about the business side of composing music, video interviews with artists and songwriters from every genre of music, answers to the most frequently asked questions about the business, a guide to the best books about songwriting, links to other helpful industry websites, and the latest music news from around the web. Songwriter101.com is sponsored by Performing Songwriter magazine, performing right organization BMI, Live365.com, Gibson Guitars and Baldwin Pianos.

Shown before the panel are BMI's Phil Graham, Senior Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations; BMI songwriters Randy Sharp, Sean Garrett, Lauren Christy and Chad Hugo; journalist/moderator Dan Kimpel; and BMI's Barbara Cane, Vice President and General Manager, Writer/Publisher Relations, Los Angeles. Photo by Lester Cohen

SOCAN CEO Andr� LeBel presents BMI President Emeritus Frances Preston with the first SOCAN Outstanding International Partner Award

BMI composers who received SOCAN Awards included Lauren Christy and Scott Spock of The Matrix for "I'm With You" (Avril Lavigne), James Grandy for "Free" (Brad Johner) and Brett Beavers for "What Was I Thinkin'" (Dierks Bentley). BMI rockers Nickelback received the SOCAN International Achievement Award for bringing international recognition to Canada through their music.

BMI President Emeritus Frances Preston was honored with the first SOCAN Outstanding International Partner Award, given to the head of a foreign-based Performing Rights Organization in recognition of extraordinary leadership and contributions to SOCAN's membership.

SOCAN, the Canadian copyright collective for the public performance of musical works, administers the performing rights of its members (composers, lyricists, songwriters and their publishers) and those of affiliated international organizations like BMI by licensing the use of their music in Canada.

BMI honored the composers and songwriters of the music from the past year's top-grossing films, top-rated prime-time network television series and highest-ranking cable television shows at its annual Film & Television Awards dinner on May 12. Held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, the black-tie gala was hosted by BMI President and CEO Frances W. Preston. Preston and Doreen Ringer Ross, BMI's Vice President of Film/TV Relations, gave out more than 100 awards during the ceremonies.

Click here for the 2004 BMI Film/TV Awards Song List

Click here for Film/TV awards event photos

One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the BMI Richard Kirk Award for Outstanding Career Achievement to composer/artist Mark Mothersbaugh. Named after late BMI Vice President Richard Kirk, the prestigious award is given annually to the composer who has made significant contributions to film and TV music. Former recipients of the award include John Barry, Randy Edelman, Danny Elfman, Charlie Fox, Jerry Goldsmith, Earle Hagen, Michael Kamen, Alan Menken, Thomas Newman, Mike Post, Lalo Schifrin, Alan Silvestri, Richard and Robert Sherman, W.G. "Snuffy" Walden, John Williams, Patrick Williams and Hans Zimmer.

Mark Mothersbaugh	Mike Post

One of the most unique and prolific contemporary composers in film, television, interactive media and commercials, Mothersbaugh was a founding member of influential rock group Devo, parlaying his avant-garde musical background into the world of scoring for filmed and animated entertainment. An artist both musically and in the literal definition, Mothersbaugh has created an aural framework with his scores for the forthcoming films Lords of Dogtown and The Life Aquatic, as well as having scored the hugely successful Rugrats television, stage and film franchise. He has also scored a diverse array of films and television shows, including Thirteen, The Royal Tenenbaums, Rushmore, 200 Cigarettes, The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Happy Gilmore, The Mind of the Married Man, Power Puff Girls, Pee Wee's Playhouse, Beakman's World and more. With over 100 credits in the medium including over 400 commercial credits, Mothersbaugh is also co-owner of Mutato Muzika, an umbrella company that is home to a full-time staff of composers and music editors.

Korn

At the dinner, Mothersbaugh was honored by some of the directors he's worked with, as well as by the characters from Rugrats. Director Wes Anderson (Bottle Rocket, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic) called Mothersbaugh a "conceptual artist...his studio is kind of like Andy Warhol's factory. He's very versatile, his mind is constantly spinning and coming up with different things, and he's not locked into any one direction. He's more interested in trying everything."

"What Mark brings to my movies that's the most important to me has to do with the tone to them," said Anderson. "He's drawn to something - his sense of humor and a sort of wistfulness to him - that is the right kind of chemistry for my movies. It fixes the oddness of the movies and mixes into it something that has to be just right, and somehow he knows where that needs to fall."

Director Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen, Lords of Dogtown) said she was a fan of Motherbaugh's work and wanted him to score her directorial debut Thirteen but was afraid he might not want to do the low-budget film. "I just tried to think of things that would get him excited about doing it," she said. Describing a scene in the movie that she thought would appeal to his creative side, she said she asked him, "Mark would you be interested in creating the sound of brain cells popping?"

Hardwicke went on to describe Mothersbaugh as, "Quirky, crazy, super imaginative, super creative...you don't know what the answer will be and that's the fun of it. He will surprise you with something you didn't plan on, or didn't anticipate. That's what I like, I want to be surprised," she said. "He wants to make it work and delight you too. He gets into a character's head and understands that words can be too heavy handed. I think his music helps carry us places and makes us feel things."

Other top winners at the BMI Film & Television Awards included legendary composer Mike Post, who received the most nods with three for Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, and Law & Order: CI. Also feted were double winning composers Don Davis for The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, David Newman for Daddy Day Care and The Cat In The Hat, Theodore Shapiro for Along Came Polly and Starsky & Hutch, Rolfe Kent for Freaky Friday and Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, Teddy Castellucci for Anger Management and 50 First Dates, Pete Townshend for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and CSI: Miami, and Rob Cairns for The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.

BMI also honored the composers of the highest-ranking cable television shows of the year, including Butch Hartman and Guy Moon for Fairly Oddparents and Danny Phantom, Mark and Bob Mothersbaugh for All Grown Up, Stewart Copeland for The Amanda Show, Douglas Cuomo for Sex and the City, and Brian S. Friedman and Rick A. Friedman II for Punk'd.

The Most Performed Song from a Motion Picture was awarded to the band Korn for their song "Did My Time" from Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life. "Did My Time" was written by Jonathan Davis, David Silveria, Munky, Fieldy and Head, and published by Evileria Music, Fieldysnuttz Music, Gintoe Music, Musik Munk Publishing and Stratosphericyoness Music.

BMI's Emmy Award winning composers were also honored, including Jeff Beal for Monk, Christopher Cerf and Glen Daum for Sesame Street, Lenny Williams and Chris Biondo for National Geographic Explorer - "Hornets From Hell," A.J. Gundell, Jerry Pilato, Dominic Messinger, Gary Kuo and Kim Oler for All My Children, John Henry Kreitler for "Forever Near" from Passions, and David Foster and Linda Thompson for "Aren't They All Our Children" from The Concert For World Children's Day.]]> 2004-05-12T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/podcasts/container/133443 The Matrix discusses The decision to focus on writing over performing Matrix, The, Pop, In Their Own Words, Video, 2004, BMI Pop Awards 2004-05-11T18:00:00-05:00