Shown after the panel are Billboard's Gail Mitchell, who served as panel moderator, BMI's Malik Levy, InfoSpace Mobile's Jaunique Sealy, Famous Music Publishing's Billy Calloway, Coalition Group Management's Troy Carter and BMI songwriter Mike City.

The panel, held at the Gibson Showroom in Beverly Hills, featured key urban music executives and was moderated by Gail Mitchell, Senior Correspondent for R&B at Billboard. Panelists included Angelo Sanders, A&R, Aftermath Records; Billy Calloway, Creative Director, Famous Music Publishing; Jaunique Sealy, Corporate Council, InfoSpace Mobile; Troy Carter, President, Coalition Group Management; and BMI Award-winning songwriter, artist and producer Mike City. Topics included the resurgence of r&b, independence as a viable alternative, building your brand as a producer, and "hip-hop: what's the new direction?"

The third in a six-seminar series, the BMI "Industry Insider" series was created along with Gibson Guitar to provide BMI songwriters with an educational forum to assist them with their career development. Moderated by a rotating group of professionals from BMI, Gibson and Billboard, the series takes an in-depth look at several core areas of the music business that are integral to career growth and success. Scheduled topics include management, legal representation and songwriting; the inaugural panel focused on A&R. Offering a direct link to the inner-workings of the music business from the perspective of established music professionals, the program provides songwriters with a wealth of information at no charge.]]> 2006-06-21T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/334683 Artists, Brandy, Bryant, Del, City, Mike, Game, The, Jerkins, Rodney, Milian, Christina, Ne-Yo, Musical Styles, Pop, Rock, Urban BMI executives flocked to Los Angeles during Grammy week to honor BMI's 2006 Grammy nominees and celebrate many past nominees and winners at an all-star VIP party at Boa in West Hollywood. The pre-show soiree took place two days before the 48th Annual Grammy Awards, held February 8 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

BMI's Del Bryant, 2006 double Grammy nominee The Game and 2006 Grammy-nominated multi-platinum songwriters/producers/artists Cool & Dre

Singer/actress Christina Milian with BMI's President & CEO Del Bryant	Natalie Cole with her birthday cake

Del Bryant; Grammy Award-winning artist Natalie Cole, who celebrated her birthday with BMI; 2006 Grammy-nominated singer/ songwriter/ producer/Island Def Jam recording artist Ne-Yo, who serenaded Cole with a jaw-dropping rendition of "Happy Birthday"; and BMI's Catherine Brewton

Del Bryant and Grammy Award-winning multi-platinum producer/ songwriter Rodney Jerkins

BMI's Catherine Brewton (center) celebrates with past Grammy nominees Patrick "j.Que" Smith and Mike City

Recording artist Ray J, Catherine Brewton, Grammy-nominated multi-platinum recording artist and TV personality Brandy, Del Bryant and Rodney Jerkins

Wayne Haun	Steven Curtis Chapman	Pete Stewart

Producer Wayne Haun topped the list with nine nods including Southern Gospel Song, Bluegrass Song, Country Song, Southern Gospel Album, Country Album, Special Event Album and Choral Collection. Steven Curtis Chapman earned seven mentions for recordings in the Song of the Year, Male Vocalist, Pop/Contemporary Album and Long Form Music Video categories. Producer Pete Stewart is vying for six trophies including Rap/Hip Hop Song, Rock Song and Rock Album.

CeCe Winans	Connie Smith	Marc Byrd

Additional Song of the Year contenders are Chris Eaton [PRS] ("Child of Mine"), Doug Johnson ("Three Wooden Crosses"), and Mark Hall of Casting Crowns ("If We Are The Body"), who has also just been added to the Songwriter of the Year list. Other BMI-affiliated nominees include Marc Byrd, The Crabb Family, Jars of Clay, Toby McKeehan, Sandi Patty, Robert Randolph, Relient K, Rizen, Marty Stuart and Cece Winans.

The Dove Awards will broadcast live from Municipal Auditorium in Nashville on Thursday, April 28.

Casting Crowns

Congratulations to BMI's 2004 Dove Award Nominees:

NINE NOMINATIONS
Wayne Haun

SEVEN NOMINATIONS
Steven Curtis Chapman

SIX NOMINATIONS
Pete Stewart

FIVE NOMINATIONS
CeCe Winans

FOUR NOMINATIONS
Marc Byrd
The Crabb Family
Barbara Fairchild
Lari Goss
Toby McKeehan
Smokie Norful
Robert Randolph
Connie Smith

THREE NOMINATIONS
Audio Adrenaline
Kevin Bond
Cedric Caldwell
Casting Crowns
Miguel Angel Guerra
Jars of Clay
The Martins
Otto Price
Michael Tait

TWO NOMINATIONS
Matt Bronleewe
Byron Cage
Kurt Carr
Gerald Crabb
Chris Eaton
George Hamilton IV
The Hoppers
The Hoskins Family
Doug Johnson
Greater Vision
Grits
Dave Moody
Newsboys
Charlie Peacock
Relient K
Rebecca St. James
Mark Stuart
Marty Stuart
Michael Anthony Taylor

OTHER NOMINEES
Craig Adams
Alejandro Allen
Duane Allen
Paul Allen
Dallas Austin
Percy Bady
Cindi Ballard
Barry Beckett
Josiah Bell
Kene Bell
Big Dismal
Big Rocc
Blue Highway
Jason Burkum
Myron Butler
Steve Carey
Teron Carter
Chad Chapin
The Churchmen
Mike City
Club Zoo Music
John Cooper
Aaron Crabb
Adam Crabb
Jason Crabb
Kathy Crabb
Billy Ray Cyrus
dcTalk
Christine Dente
Scott Dente
Craig Duncan
Sheri Easter
James R. "Budd" Ellison
Jerome Fontamillas
David Foster
Richard Frierson
John Ginty
GlassByrd
Karen Peck Gooch
Wendi Foy Green
Andy Griffith
Mark Hall
Sanchez Harley
Dan Haseltine
Mark Heimermann
Tom Hemby
Rick Hendrix
Maurice Henderson
Bob Herdman
Here's To JO Music
Jeremy Holderfield
Canton Jones
Monroe Jones
Stacy Jones
Jay Joyce
Joey Kibble
Mark Kibble
Wayne Kirkpatrick
Jennifer Knapp
The Lewis Family
Charlie Lowell
Stephen Mason
Lisa McClendon
Donnie McClurkin
Joyce Martin McCollough
Ann McCrary
Rod McGaha
Will McGinniss
Nelson McSwain
Mike Curb Music
Carlton Moody
Phillip Moore
Dan Munizzi
Martha Munizzi
Dan Murph
Naomi and the Segos
Greg Nelson
Grant Nicholas
Arnold Lanni
Adriann Lewis
Ay'Ron Lewis
Little Pooky's Music
Aaron Neville
Art Neville
Newsboys
Grant Nicholas
The Oak Ridge Boys
Alan O'Bryant
Matt Odmark
Joe Pace
Dolly Parton
Sandi Patty
Peach Hill Songs
The Perrys
Dan Pitts
The Principles
Desmond Pringle
Tom Reeves
Alvin Richardson
Rizen
Ric Robbins
Carroll Wayne Roberson
Joseph Rojas
Matt Rollings
George Rowe
Roger Ryan
Sandtown
Ray Scott
Seventh Day Slumber
Mike Severson
Skillet
Belinda Smith
Soul Dog
Aaron Sprinkle
Kevin Stokes
Storm Boy Music
Jerry Sullivan
Swecs Music
Sweet Radical Music
Sydney Erin Music
Tait
T-Bone
Matthew Thiessen
Mark Lee Townsend
Virtue
Billy Joe Walker, Jr.
Kevin Ward
Steven Weaver
West Lodge Music
Fletch Wiley
Mario Winans
Marvin L. Winans, Jr.
Vickie Winans
Gerald Wolfe
Vicki Yohe]]> 2004-03-31T17:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/200041 Artists, 12 Stones, Adams, Yolanda, Alabama, Blind Boys of Alabama, The, Byrd, Marc, Chapman, Steven Curtis, City, Mike, Daniels, Charlie, Fleming & John, Franklin, Kirk, Gill, Vince, Hall, Tom T., Hammond, Fred, Hutchins, Norman, Jars of Clay, Jerkins, Rodney, Knapp, Jennifer, Lifehouse, Mayfield, Curtis, McKeehan, Toby, Overstreet, Paul, Schultz, Mark, Skillet, Stuart, Mark, Trin-I-Tee 5:7, Winans, CeCe, Musical Styles, Bluegrass, Christian, Country, Dance, Gospel Toby McKeehan topped the list with nine nods including Artist, Rap/Hip Hop/Dance Song and Modern Rock/Alternative Song. Kirk Franklin earned eight total mentions including Contemporary Gospel Song and Contemporary Gospel Album. Producer Wayne Haun claimed seven nominations for recordings in the Country Song, Bluegrass Song, Bluegrass Album, Southern Gospel Album, Instrumental Album and Special Event Album categories. Song of the Year candidates include Mark Schultz's "Back In His Arms Again" and Audio Adrenaline's "Ocean Floor". Other contending BMI affiliates include The Crabb Family, Jars of Clay, Dottie Peoples, Steven Curtis Chapman, GRITS, Pillar, Rebecca St. James, Monroe Jones, Yolanda Adams, Marc Byrd, Jennifer Knapp and The Blind Boys of Alabama. CBS will broadcast the Dove Awards live from the GEC on Thursday, April 10 at 8 p.m. (CST).

Toby McKeehan

Kirk Franklin

Congratulations to BMI's 2003 Dove Award nominees:

NINE NOMINATIONS:
Toby McKeehan

EIGHT NOMINATIONS:
Kirk Franklin

SEVEN NOMINATIONS:
Wayne Haun

FOUR NOMINATIONS:
The Crabb Family
The Hoskins Family
Jars of Clay

THREE NOMINATIONS:
Audio Adrenaline
Dottie Peoples
Mark Schultz
Mike Bowling
Monroe Jones
The Oak Ridge Boys
Rebecca St. James
Trin-i-tee 5:7

TWO NOMINATIONS:
12 Stones
Yolanda Adams
Kenny Bereal
Steven Curtis Chapman
Don Clark
Nate Clemmons
Jeff and Sheri Easter
Vince Gill
Gold City
Greater Vision
GRITS
Israel Houghton
Jennifer Knapp
Will McGinnis
Mike City
Mark Stuart
Smokie Norful
Charlie Peacock
Karen Peck and New River
Pillar
Barry Poynter
Aaron Sprinkle
The Blind Boys of Alabama
The Canton Spirituals
The Lewis Family
The Paynes
The Perrys
Harvey Watkins

SINGLE NOMINATIONS:
Adore
Adam Anders
Paul Allen
Luther Barnes
Ron Block
Kevin Bond
Matt Bronleewe
Tyler Burkum
Buster
Marc Byrd
Eddie Carswell
Teron Carter
Ed Cash
Charlie Daniels Band
Alvin Chea
John Chelew
Chigger Hill Boys & Terri
Michael Clemons
David Corlew
Jim Cooper
Cumberland Quartet
Cedric Dent
Chris Eaton
Fleming & John
Paul Fox
Brian Free & Assurrance
Paul Garcia
Ernie Haase
Tom T. Hall
Fred Hammond
Sanchez Harley
Dan Haseltine
Rick Hendrix
Bob Herdman
Norman Hutchins
Rodney Jerkins
Tim Johnson
Stacey Jones
Joy Electric
Joel Kibble
Mark Kibble
Lifehouse
Lordsong
Dorothy Love-Coates
Charlie Lowell
Merlin Lucious
The Martins
Stephen Mason
Kevin Max
Curtis Mayfield
Claude McKnight
Brent Milligan
Dave Moody
The Nelons
Matt Odmark
Old Time Gospel Hour Quartet
Out Of Eden
Paul Overstreet
Joe Pace
Sandi Patty
Brian Peters
Otto Price
Doug Riley
Professor James Roberson
Ric Robbins
Marvin Sapp
Shavoni
Pamela Sheyne
Charlie Sizemore
Skillet
Southern Brothers
Pete Stewart
Mike Speck
Take 6
Ben Tankard
Michael Tait
Michael Anthony Taylor
Stephen Tedeschi
David Thomas
Up In The Mix Music
Miguel Angel Villagran
Asaph Ward
Cornelius Dwayne Watkins
Cece Winans
Joe Wolfe
Gerald Wolfe

Producer/songwriters Rodney Jerkins, Pharrell Williams, and Dallas Austin, who produced and performed the musical tribute to BMI ICON Award winner James Brown, Brown, BMI's Frances Preston and Catherine Brewton, and producer Chad Hugo

A special highlight of the gala evening featured the presentation of the BMI ICON Award to &quotThe Godfather of Soul" James Brown in recognition of his contributions to music and the music business. He was honored during the dinner with an all-star musical tribute produced by Dallas Austin, Rodney Jerkins and Pharrell Williams that featured Angie Stone and Betty Wright, among others. With songs like &quotPapa's Got a Brand New Bag,"&quotI Got You (I Feel Good)&quotand &quotPlease Please Please,&quotBrown has more honors attached to his name than any other performer in music history. His BMI accolades include an impressive ten R&B Awards, six Pop Awards and three &quotMillion-Air&quotawards, denoting one million or more performances.

BMI's Catherine Brewton, producers Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes, and BMI's Frances Preston

The Songwriter of the Year trophy, shared this year by six, is given to the writer having the most songs on the BMI awards list for the evening. They are: Irv Gotti and Ja Rule for &quotI'm Real"(Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule) and &quotPut It On Me"(Ja Rule featuring Lil' Mo and Vita), Jay-Z for his song &quotIzzo (H.O.V.A.)&quotand &quotFiesta"(R. Kelly featuring Jay-Z), R. Kelly also for &quotFiesta&quotand &quotContagious"(Isley Brothers featuring Ronald Isley), Pharrell Williams for &quotDanger (Been So Long)"(Mystikal featuring Nivea) and &quotSouthern Hospitality"(Ludacris) and Mario Winans for &quotEmotional" (Carl Thomas) and &quotPeaches & Cream"(112).

BMI Songwriters Tre'vant J. Hardson, Nastacia Cherise Kendall, and J-Sw!ft show off their medallions.

Famed Neptunes' producer Pharrell Williams, who took home his second Songwriter of the Year award, was also honored as Songwriter/Producer of the Year. Rapper N.O.R.E. performed in his honor. Other Top Producer awards went to fellow Songwriters of the Year Irv Gotti, R. Kelly and Mario Winans, as well as to Mike City, Steve Huff, Mannie Fresh, Organized Noize (Pat &quotSleepy&quotBrown, Ray Murray and Rico Wade), Poke and Cory Rooney.

BMI ICON Award winner James Brown celebrating at the BMI Urban Awards

Song of the Year &quotAll For You,&quotwritten and performed by Janet Jackson and published by Black Ice Publishing, is from the pop diva's Grammy Award-winning album of the same name. Released in the spring of 2001, the title track went straight to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, bringing Jackson's total career #1 hits to ten.

BMI's Catherine Brewton, award-winning producer Rodney Jerkins, and BMI's Del Bryant

EMI Music Publishing, which had the highest percentage of ownership in award-winning songs, picked up its second consecutive Urban Publisher of the Year award. This is the twelfth top BMI Publisher honor awarded to EMI since 1989 in all genres of music. Other multiple award-winning publishers included Zomba Songs Inc. with three songs, and D J Irv Publishing, Ensign Music Corporation, Lil Lu Lu Publishing, R. Kelly Publishing, Inc., Slavery Music, Songs of Universal, Inc. and Waters of Nazareth Publishing with two songs each.

N.O.R.E. and BMI's Frances Preston

In addition to the song and publisher awards, music trade magazine Billboard announced the names of the BMI-affiliated writers who had #1 songs on the R&B/Hip-Hop and Rap charts during the past year. Rapper CAM'RON was among the double winners, as were two of the evening's top honorees, Irv Gotti and Pharrell Williams. The BMI Urban Awards were held to coincide with Billboard's R&B/Hip Hop Conference and Awards, also in Miami from August 7-9.

James Brown and Angie Stone, who performed "It's A Man's Man's Man's World" in his honor, share a laugh

BMI annually honors the songwriters and music publishers of the most performed songs on American radio in the urban, pop, country, Latin and Christian genres.

Multiple BMI award-winning songwriters Cory Rooney and Rodney Jerkins will be attending the Urban Awards as well, with Jerkins joining Dallas Austin and Neptunes’ Pharrell Williams in producing the musical tribute to BMI ICON Award recipient, James “The Godfather of Soul” Brown. The BMI ICON Award will be presented to Brown in recognition of his contributions to music and the music business. The first ICON Awards were presented in May to fellow pioneers Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Little Richard.

The BMI Urban Awards will recognize the songwriters and publishers of the most-played urban songs on U.S. radio and television. An Urban Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Publisher of the Year will be named that night. In addition to the song awards, BMI will also honor the Top Producers of 2001-2002 and the BMI writers whose songs hit #1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Charts.

The black-tie, invitation-only event will be held to coincide with Billboard’s R&B/Hip Hop Conference & Awards, also in Miami Beach.

The August 6 ceremony will be the first one for the BMI Urban Awards. The 2001 Urban Awards presentation, scheduled for October 3 last year, was cancelled due to the events of 9/11, although the actual awards were later distributed to the winners. BMI also honored its Latin music songwriters and publishers May 8 with the 9th Annual Latin Awards in Hollywood, Florida.

But don't confuse quickness with spotty quality. The 15 tracks on Gerald's World are emotionally charged, sincerely felt compositions that let the performer shine. Dripping with soul, tracks like the opening "Soul Mate," "Made To Love Ya" and "Got Love" are guaranteed to spice up any party. Levert, whose fans remember that he has a bloodline to the floodlights through his father Eddie, an original member of O'Jays, have seen Gerald avoid becoming trapped by his early influences. With each successive recording, Levert's own voice becomes stronger, and his ability to absorb old school and modern day influences is unparalleled.

Now in his mid-30s, Levert already has a lengthy resume in the recording industry. Two hits jumped off his first disk, Private Line, his debut album that was released a decade ago. The follow-up recording, Groove On (which included "I'd Give Anything," a hit single produced by David Foster) and Father & Son, a project filled with love for and with his dad, secured Gerald's position in the business.

Levert's consistent success has also paid off in terms of artistic control. Along with Merlin Bobb, Gerald Levert is listed as an executive producer on Gerald's World. Letting an artist produce himself can be dangerous, but Levert and Bobb avoid the common pitfall of over-focusing on the lead vocalist. Gerald's assured performances are bathed in an evolving set of lush yet detailed textures that highlight both the lead and background singers. The result is an album that should play well on both the street corner and the couch.

If you're one of his fans who likes to stay current with the work of Gerald Levert, it makes sense to check out Gerald's World in short order. If the past is any indication, chances are he's already working on his next release. Blessed with talent and determination, Gerald Levert is poised to remain at the top of the charts for years to come.

With an impressive list of clients that includes Babyface, Gerald Levert, Brandy and Dave Hollister, writer/producer Mike City was poised to make a major career move. City, who produced a pair of certified gold tracks for Dave Hollister ("One Woman Man and "Keep On Lovin' Me"), sealed the deal when he signed with a new record label, Soulife Entertainment.

With City's vision, the Charlotte, NC-based company, run by Grammy-winning producer Mark Sparks and his partner Chris Dawley, hopes to make a return to the roots of r&b and soul music carved out by artists like Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight and Joe Tex.

Mike City will be wearing multiple hats at Soulife, working as a writer, producer, arranger and artist. In addition to the Hollister tracks, City's credits include production on "I Wish," a song he wrote for Badboy Records artist Carl Thomas. "I Wish," the platinum single that topped the charts in December of 2000, just a few months before the success of the Dave Hollister recordings, was an afterthought, according to City, who notes: "When I came up with the song, the album was over. They had to open it back up to put the song in."

Based on the heat of his recent track record, producers - especially those at Soulife Entertainment - will most likely be holding slots for Mike City tracks open for quite some time.