Born in South Africa, the 32-year-old producer and songwriter has long had a love for music and began playing the piano at a young age. With the support of his parents, Rotem set out to pursue a career as a musician, studying classical music until junior high school. After hearing Run DMC’s Raising Hell album, he became enthralled by hip-hop and would later begin his career in the studio instead of on stage.

While majoring in piano performance at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Rotem aspired to be a film composer. His goals later shifted towards music production after being inspired by Dr. Dre’s The Chronic and Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle albums.

When his music got into the hands of producer Dwayne Wiggins of Tony, Toni, Tone fame, his buzz in the industry began to grow. Initially, one of Rotem’s beats was reserved for an En Vogue album, but was later used for the songs “Fancy” and “My Song” off of Destiny’s Child’s Survivor album. From there, the ball started rolling and never stopped. Dr. Dre, one of his musical idols, heard a Rotem production and wanted a song, jump-starting his career.

Along the way, “Beautiful Girls” by Beluga Heights artist Sean Kingston, reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, helping Rotem further establish himself.
Since those big breaks, Rotem’s resume has continued to grow, reading like a who’s who of hits, with his finely tuned musical ear making him a standout as a producer. He’s come a long way from practicing the piano as a child.

“I remember Quincy saying ‘the record business is not what it was a couple of years ago, and if we get six million [in sales], I'm gonna declare that a success',” keyboardist Brian Banks recently told the UK’s Daily Telegraph.

The album Quincy Jones reportedly handicapped was Thriller, Michael Jackson’s future-funk masterpiece that today boasts the distinction of being the best-selling album of all time. To date, Thriller has sold so many units that its worldwide tally is hard to track, with estimates ranging from 67 million to 104 million copies sold. In commemoration of this historic achievement, Sony Music has released Thriller 25, a special anniversary edition featuring a remastered version of Jackson’s classic CD, plus a music video DVD and bonus remixes showcasing contemporary artists like Kanye West, will.i.am, Fergie and Akon.

Just as Off the Wall and Thriller reinvented Jackson, so has the singer’s anniversary disc signaled a rebirth. Within two weeks of its February 2008 release, Thriller 25 had shipped well over 1.3 million units internationally. According to Sony Music, the album was charting Top 10 in virtually every market in the world, with the majority of countries reporting top 3 rankings.

Though Thriller’s groundbreaking achievements have been well examined, the facts bear review. Spending 37 weeks at #1, Thriller ranks among only three albums ever to remain in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart for an entire year. Not only did Thriller help Jackson win a record-breaking eight Grammy Awards in 1984, it was also the first album ever to yield seven Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles. Radio staples like “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” “Thriller” and “Human Nature” helped bring African-American music back into the mainstream for the first time since disco’s 1970s heyday. Thriller’s music videos set the creative bar so high that many pundits credit the album for transforming MTV into the global phenomenon it is today.

In all, Thriller altered the pop landscape so dramatically that it seemed to separate pop history into two epochs: B.T. (“Before Thriller”) and A.T. (“After Thriller”). The album’s cohesive blend of fizzy pop, hi-tech funk and tart mainstream rock nearly transformed Jackson into a musical genre unto himself. For the MTV generation, Thriller’s impact was nothing short of devastating. The album has been cited as a powerful influence on contemporary artists like Mariah Carey, Usher, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Missy Elliott, Kanye West and countless more.

“All the brilliance that had been building inside Michael Jackson for 24 years just erupted,” Quincy Jones told Playboy magazine, and many critics agree that Thriller is Jackson’s finest hour. Rolling Stone called the disc, “a zesty LP whose up-tempo workouts don't obscure its harrowing, dark messages.” The New York Times described Thriller in almost messianic terms, hailing the album as a hopeful sign that “the destructive barriers that spring up regularly between white and black music — and between whites and blacks — in this culture may be breached once again.”

In hindsight, almost everything about Thriller seemed to point to the album’s success, from its exciting title to the name of the Sony Music subsidiary label the disc was recorded for. With its world-beating sales, innovative songs and groundbreaking videos, Thriller remains a truly epic recording.

BMI will pair with the Los Angeles Times to present the second annual “How I Wrote the Song” panel Saturday, February 9, from 1p.m. until 3p.m., at the Key Club in L.A. Mirroring the format of 2007’s sold-out forum, another elite cross-section of established hitmakers, including Rodney Jerkins, Chris Daughtry, Mos Def, Ben Moody of Evanescence, Polow Da Don, Anthony Hamilton and Brian Howes will discuss their work, the raw ideas and the occasionally idiosyncratic processes pooled into composing songs that resonate with a broad spectrum of listeners. Moderated by BMI’s Vice President, Writer Publisher Relations Catherine Brewton and Los Angeles Times Music Critic Ann Powers, the event is open to the public. Advance tickets are available now for $10 through Ticketmaster at www.keyclub.com or the Key Club box office; day-of admission at the door will be $20.

Grammy Award-winner Rodney Jerkins’s creative dexterity materializes in distinct but diverse musical triumphs. The pen behind take-charge smashes including Destiny Child’s “Say My Name,” Brandy & Monica’s duet “The Boy is Mine” and Beyoncé’s “Déjà Vu,” Jerkins has also produced work by contemporary superstars including Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez and Destiny’s Child. His unerring ear led to a vice president of a&r position with Island Def Jam, while Janet Jackson’s forthcoming project Discipline features his signature production.

American Idol alum Chris Daughtry has brazenly staked a record-breaking place in contemporary music, confidently fronting the aptly titled rock band Daughtry. The Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter signed with RCA and management powerhouse 19 Entertainment after his fan-propelled success on American Idol, and his band’s eponymous debut sold more than 1 million copies in only five weeks. The projectile success of the album, featuring songs “It’s Not Over,” “Home” and “Over You,” resulted in the fastest-selling debut in the history of SoundScan.

Rapper, actor, musician and activist, Mos Def’s sheer versatility places him amongst contemporary pop culture’s premier creators. Musically, his work includes blithe collaborations with legendary group De La Soul and artist Talib Kweli. Def’s partnership with Kweli, the duet album Black Star, resulted in underground frenzy and glowing critical praise. His subsequent solo album, Black on Both Sides, produced more of the same. Nominated for two Grammys, Def also boasts Golden Globe, Emmy and Source award nods.

Serial hitmaker Ben Moody first gained recognition as guitarist and co-founder of the Grammy Award-winning group Evanescence. His output during and after the band has further exposed an adroit singer/songwriter capable of powerful hooks and lush layers; songs including Evanescence’s “Bring Me To Life” and “My Immortal,” along with Kelly Clarkson’s “Because of You,” sprang from Moody’s id. Collaborations as a producer with Clarkson, Celine Dion, Bo Bice and Lindsey Lohan further emphasize his seemingly limitless versatility.

Super producer and innovative songwriter Polow Da Don’s quintessential hip factor springs from authentic skill. His innate musical savvy has finessed infectious hits including Fergie’s “Glamorous,” the Pussy Cat Dolls’ “Buttons,” Ciara’s “Promise” and Jamie Foxx’s “DJ Play a Love Song.” Fergie’s enthusiastic shout out, “Polow!” on her smash “London Bridge,” made Da Don’s fluid alias a pop culture catch phrase, adding household recognition to the power player’s growing reputation.

Singer/songwriter Anthony Hamilton’s blend of old-school soul and cool contemporary grit is artist’s art in the best sense of the phrase: Members of the neo-soul and poetic hip hop elite including D’Angelo, Tupac Shakur and Eve have looked to Hamilton for backup harmonies, while the North Carolina native’s critically-acclaimed solo work has landed on arguably avant-garde projects including the American Gangster film soundtrack. His 2007 effort, Southern Comfort, features eleven new songs all written by Hamilton.

Brian Howes' life in music did not come as a surprise with a great-great grandfather who was a baritone opera singer, a grandmother who was a songwriter, and a grandfather who played alto sax for swing band greats Benny Goodman and Louis Prima, his career choice was practically predetermined. As part of punk-ska-rap band DDT early on in his career, Brian toured with bands such as Public Enemy, Kid Rock, Alice Cooper, The Scorpion and DOA. Post DDT, he penned hits and earned placements in several movies all while maintaining number 1 and top 10 international hits. Brian then added production to is arsenal and has had success by writing and producing with Grammy-nominated Atlantic band Skillet amongst others. Brian’s recent success has included collaborations with Kara Dioguardi, Shelly Piken, Chad Kroeger, Hinder and Chris Daughtry of American Idol fame for his RCA Records Album.

Born in Tallahassee, Florida to Muslim parents, T-Pain — born Faheem Najm — had music in his blood. His father was a rapper he describes as “like Kurtis Blow.” By age 10, the self-described target of bullies had put aside his wooden dinosaur collectables and reworked his bedroom into a small studio. Armed with a keyboard, a beat machine and an 8-track, Faheem got to work preparing for his future.

Years later, Faheem — whose stage moniker “T-Pain” means “Tallahassee Pain” or “Teddy Pain” in homage to Teddy Pendergrass — was a fully committed recording artist. He was a member of a rap group called Nappy Headz, a clique that enjoyed moderate success with the song “Robbery.” T-Pain’s affiliation with that group would be short-lived, though, perhaps because, as he has said, he was growing tired of the walls between hip-hop and soul.

In 2004, Akon, the Senegalese singer with a hip-hop bent, released his song “Locked Up.” Shortly thereafter, an industrious T-Pain recorded a response, “F***ed Up.” The song got heavy rotation in his home state, and, naturally, the bootleg crept out of its local market. In time, the song made its way into the ears of Akon, in Atlanta. Impressed, Akon signed T-Pain to his Konvict Music imprint, and suddenly, at 19, T-Pain was a solo artist.

It wasn’t long after signing a deal — about 10 months, in fact — before T-Pain had crafted his first big solo hit, “I’m Sprung,” in 2005, which established him as a contemporary r&b artist with a stand-out vision and sound. Lyrically, “I’m Sprung” imagined a guy who didn’t mind doing dishes, neglecting his friends and ignoring other women for a newfound crush. It managed to be sappy, masculine and insanely catchy at the same time, and the song hit the Top Ten in three Billboard charts, including No. 3 on Rhythmic Top 40. Written and performed by T-Pain, the song blended a thunderous 808 beat, old soul music and the vocal manipulations of the vocoder into something unique. “I just got tired of turning on the radio and everything just sounding the same,” he has said.

He wasn’t done. The second single off his appropriately titled debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was “I’m N Luv (Wit a Stripper).” Again capitalizing off the mutant-techno strains of the vocoder, the song celebrated the intense (if fleeting) infatuation men experience when going to a gentlemen’s club. Merging the same elements that made “I’m Sprung” a smash, the tune hit the Top Ten in five Billboard charts. Perhaps more lucrative, though, was its street appeal; the song became an obvious favorite in hangouts staffed by exotic dancers and the men who love them. He’d earned a loyal following. He told MTV.com, “There’s finally a song about strippers that ain’t degrading. It’s a song that’s appreciating strippers.”

Although his first big radio hits seemed to unapologetically embrace the frivolous, the 23-year-old T-Pain is actually a married, family man with an eye towards self-preservation. That’s probably why his newest effort, “Epiphany,” reflects maturation in both in a work ethic and the themes he chooses to embrace. The first single from his sophomore effort, “Buy U A Drank,” is largely self-explanatory, but then it isn’t — T-Pain isn’t crude or overtly sexual but simply flirtatious and seductive, much like his music, so seductive that “Buy U A Drank” beat out tunes by Avril Lavigne, Beyonce and even his pal Akon to become being the No. 1 ringtone on Billboard’s RingMaster’s chart for two consecutive weeks in April. But T-Pain gets serious too, with tunes including “Suicide,” about the potential pitfalls that today’s youth face.

“Having sex without condoms, driving drunk, selling drugs, all that is ‘Suicide’,” he says. “We do a lot of stupid stuff that only has one ending.”

Having relocated with his wife and daughter to Atlanta and recently spending time in London, T-Pain’s mind seems open to more possibilities. The two studios he has built in his basement are open too: He’s gearing up to work with major artists including R. Kelly, Kanye West, Usher, Chris Brown and Britney Spears. Though he’s nicknamed himself after Teddy Pendergrass, he is, in fact, an artist who is cultivating a lasting legacy of his own.

Within his genre, Don Omar is expanding the rhythmic reach of his beats beyond jackhammer predictability just as he elevates his themes with conscious messages. Beneath his boldness lies a deeper subtext, one of uplifting spirituality and determination inspired by, as he put it, “the real king of kings.”

This spirit is a through line in his life: Born William Landrón in Villa Palmeras, Puerto Rico, Omar was previously a preacher at the Fuente de Agua Viva church in Bayamón. Although he eventually departed from the pulpit (a matter he addressed in his song “Aunque Te Fuiste”), evangelistic fervor was a hallmark of his music. From the sanctuary to the streets, Omar joined the growing reggaetón movement and hooked up with Héctor el Bambino (now know as Hector El Father) of the popular duo Héctor y Tito, producing and writing songs for the pair, and eventually collaborating vocally on “A la Reconquista.” With his solo hit “Desde que Llego” in 2002 and the release of his own CD, The Last Don, he rode the rising reggaetón wave, just beginning to crash ashore into the lucrative stateside market.

His debut featured extensive production work by Luny Tunes and Eliel, two of reggaetón’s preeminent hitmakers, and showcased two massive singles, “Intocable” and “Dile.” Omar scored further hits with Luny Tunes on their compilation albums Mas Flow and Trayectoria, but his break, “Reggaeton Latino,” came from the Chosen Few compilation. The Latino pride anthem hit just as reggaetón was exploding across the U.S. urban landscape in the summer of 2005 and was so popular that a bilingual remix and a video — only the second reggaetón song with MTV airplay in the States — was created with preeminent Latino rappers N.O.R.E. and Fat Joe.

Don Omar’s inventory of accolades includes a 2006 BMI Latin Award for “Pobre Diabla,” and Latin Pop Album of the Year, New Artist and Latin Rap/Hip-Hop Album of the Year from the 2003 Billboard Latin Music Awards. The platinum-selling live version of The Last Don was also nominated for Urban Music Album at the 2005 Latin Grammys.

Omar is mounting a multi-million dollar King of Kings tour, a massive stage production complete with elaborate pyrotechnics and full-blown theatrical and dance elements. In the dazzling, over-the-top show, at one point Omar emerges in a white suit with a full-length, hooded cape to deliver a fire-and-brimstone sermon, “Predica” (Preach), that neatly brings his career full cycle.

Omar’s impact on reggaetón is now extending outside of the studio and stage through his recent partnership with UMBRO, a globally recognized football brand to launch the Don Omar Casual Clothing Collection. Foot Locker in the U.S. and Puerto Rico is distributing the line of urban clothing.

A complex artist and a sterling songwriter, Don Omar drives a shifting style with both bravado and substance. As reggaetón outgrows its adolescence, the thoughtfulness and inclusion of Omar may well be a signpost of what lies ahead for the urban market’s fastest growing genre.

“This is a concept album that follows a bold vision,” she declares. “The touchstones are Billie Holiday, Otis Redding, Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald — what I used to call my ‘fun music’ when I was a little girl.”

A double album, Basics utilizes an orchestra, choir, string quartet and jazz horns throughout, ranging from a 1920s-style blues feel on “I Got Trouble” to the delicious Andrews Sisters-influenced “Candy Man” and the zoot-suit riot of “Ain’t No Other Man.”

But lest longtime fans fear that Aguilera’s trying to be the next Rosemary Clooney, there are still plenty of modern sounds, from the emotionally naked “Save Me from Myself” to the risqué “Nasty Naughty Boy” and the straight-ahead club track “Still Dirrty” (a reference to her previous ode to raunch, “Dirrty,” from the 2002 album Stripped). It’s been quite a journey from her early days as a member of “The New Mickey Mouse Club” (alongside fellow future stars Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears). Aguilera’s first self-titled album showed off her pipes and pop smarts via such instant hits as “Genie in a Bottle” and “What A Girl Wants,” while 2000’s My Kind of Christmas album was a strong seller.

It was her appearance alongside Pink, Mya and Lil’ Kim on the Moulin Rouge cover of “Lady Marmalade,” however, that brought the former teen queen’s sexuality to the fore, something that was emphasized on Stripped. With Back to Basics, the artist reveals just how mature she’s become.

“When you’re 17-years-old, green and inexperienced, you’re grateful for any guidance and direction you can get,” she recalls. However, within a few years, “I felt trapped. I was under the thumb of people who were mostly interested in keeping me doing exactly the same thing.

“But I’m not blaming anyone,” she quickly adds. “You learn fast in this business and, once I knew where I wanted to go, I didn’t let anyone get in my way.”

The prolonged layoff after Stripped — combined with her 2005 marriage to music executive Jordan Bratman — helped re-energize her. “I needed a break,” she states. “I began realizing that I should be experiencing a bit more of life than TV and recording studios, hotels and green rooms.”

Good thing she caught her breath when she did: On the heels of Basics going straight to No. 1 on the Billboard chart, Aguilera’s currently in the midst of a world tour that will last at least through spring 2007.

“I’m driven,” she understates with a laugh.

Workshop attendees form a line outside BMI Nashville’s Writer/Publisher department on Tuesday, April 10.

Jason Blume’s Songwriter Workshop, held each month at BMI’s Nashville office, offers alternating formats designed both to encourage and inform aspiring songwriters. Its moderator and namesake, Jason Blume, strives to create a nurturing environment, sharing his own triumphs, advice and struggles with about 50 participants. “My own journey to success was so dramatic that I think it serves a powerful inspiration for writers who face the rejection and frustration that is typically part of the journey,” says Blume, who has penned tunes for a diverse smattering of contemporary music stars including Colin Raye, the Oak Ridge Boys, Britney Spears, Jesse McCartney and pop-flamenco trendsetters the Gipsy Kings. Blume is also a best-selling author, penning the three books 6 Steps to Songwriting Success: The Comprehensive Guide to Writing and Marketing Hit Songs, Inside Songwriting and most recently, This Business of Songwriting—all published by Billboard books. He also produced the acclaimed instructional CD series Writing Hit Melodies with Jason Blume and Writing Hit Lyrics with Jason Blume.

It’s finally time to get started, so the songwriters file in to take their seats.

“I lecture for approximately 90 minutes,” he explains. “Following the lecture, on alternating months, each participant has an opportunity to pitch one song to a guest publisher. Countless publisher/writer relationships have begun as a result of a publisher taking a copy of one of those songs. The other months, I do a constructive critique of one song from each of the participants.”

Jason Blume kicks off the April edition of his workshop.

The critiques and face time with publishers has reaped rich dividends for several devout attendees. Wood River, Illinois native Charlie Brown began attending the BMI workshops soon after making the move to Nashville in 2000. On May 1, rising country music favorite Blake Shelton will release his new album, featuring a Charlie Brown-penned song called “What I Wouldn’t Give.” May 1 also happens to be Charlie’s birthday. “I've been to many Jason Blume workshops here at BMI,” says Brown. “Jason has been my mentor from the beginning of my career. I went from nothing going on, to talking publishing deals with many top companies in town. My first cut by a great artist, released on my birthday—it's a great feeling.”

Participants listen closely, taking notes and posing questions as Blume guides them through the course.

Songwriter Johnny Chase also applied Blume’s lessons to his real world goals. “I heard Jason Blume speak in LA last November and he mentioned that he gives a free workshop the 2nd Tuesday of every month at BMI in Nashville,” shares Chase. “He [Blume] is a very motivating speaker, so I started attending in January. That particular session was on writing lyrics, and he covered many aspects of the music business and how to get your music to the people that are looking for it as well.” Today, Johnny’s “By Your Side” has been used twice on the MTV hit show NEXT, while his song “Fear to Fall” will be included on HBO’s Entourage Season 3 DVD. “I used the info I learned at the class and also purchased all of his books and learning CD’s and dove in head first,” says Chase. “Thanks to Jason Blume and the BMI workshop, I have a direction to head with my music and have already started the year off with a bang!”

Blume often shares personal stories of challenges he faced early in his career.

To hear samples of Charlie Brown and Johnny Chase’s music, please visit myspace.com/charliebrownsmusic and myspace.com/johnnychase1 . For more information on Jason Blume, please visit jasonblume.com.

Up-and-coming songwriter and bourgeoning workshop success story Johnny Chase listens intently.

Held each month from 12:30 to 4:30pm in the BMI Nashville office, the Songwriters Workshop with Jason Blume is open to all songwriters who are serious about and committed to successful commercial songwriting. Registration will now be conducted the same day of each workshop, with no prior registration necessary. 50 participants will be admitted each session, with registration beginning promptly at 12 p.m. in BMI's main lobby on the day of the workshop. From noon until 12:30 p.m., numbers will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis, until all 50 seats are filled. Email NashvilleWorkshops@bmi.com with any questions regarding the workshop.

After the workshop, Blume chats individually with participants. April 10, Charlie Brown stopped by to also give aspiring artists a little encouragement. Pictured are (l to r): Jason Blume, songwriters Charlie Brown and Johnny Chase and BMI’s Mark Mason.

Photos by Elisabeth Dawson

BMI and the Los Angeles Times will present “How I Wrote That Song,” a panel discussion with some of music’s most successful songwriters. The panel will be held Saturday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. at the Key Club (9039 Sunset Blvd.) in Los Angeles in celebration of Grammy Week. Tickets are $10 and are on sale now through Ticketmaster at KeyClub.com, or at the Key Club box office.

Scheduled to participate are top BMI songwriting talents including Cee-Lo (Gnarls Barkley), Dallas Austin, Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy), Sean Garrett, Kara DioGuardi, Butch Walker and Jeffrey Steele. The panel will be moderated by BMI Writer/Publisher Relations VP Catherine Brewton and Los Angeles Times music critic Ann Powers. Attendees can expect an inside look at the creative process, featuring performances of hit songs by each panelist and a Q&A session on the business of songwriting and music.

Panelists:

As lead singer and frontman for the breakout group Gnarls Barkley, Cee-Lo continues to bring his American hip-hop, funk, soul and r&b style to the world. He is a singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer, best known as a member of Goodie Mob before Gnarls Barkley, and has also recorded two critically acclaimed solo LPs. His successes as a songwriter and producer also include the 2005 hit “Don’t Cha” by The Pussycat Dolls, as well as tracks and guest appearances on upcoming releases from Kelis and Amerie.

At the age of 35, Grammy Award-winning hitmaker Dallas Austin is one of the most sought-after producers in the entertainment business. His creativity and innovative style have shaped the sound of today’s pop and r&b music. He has had the opportunity to work with such legendary stars as Aretha Franklin, Madonna, Usher, Pink, Shakira, Janet Jackson and Gwen Stefani. In 2002, he began a foray into film serving as the executive producer and musical director of the hit Drumline, and then as a producer and composer for ATL. He was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame last fall, an honor he received alongside R.E.M., Jermaine Dupri and Gregg Allman.

Patrick Stump is lead vocalist and guitarist for Grammy-nominated band Fall Out Boy, an American pop-rock band from Wilmetter, Ill. Stump and band members Pete Wentz, Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley released their 2005 major label debut and third full-length album, From Under the Cork Tree, which went double platinum. Their first single, “Sugar We’re Goin’ Down,” peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached No. 1 on MTV’s TRL. The video also won the MTV2 Award at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. A 2006 “Best New Artist” Grammy nominee, Fall Out Boy’s next album, Infinity on High, is scheduled for release on Feb. 6. The lead single, “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race,” debuted at the 2006 American Music Awards.

Sean Garrett got his start after college as a mortgage broker. After the loss of his mother, he realized his heart was in music and he turned his passion of songwriting into his profession. Nicknamed “The Pen” by Jay-Z, the four-time Grammy Award nominee earned the moniker by having three songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two consecutive weeks and helping to ink a majority of Destiny’s Child’s last album, Destiny Fulfilled. He’s responsible for smash singles like Chris Brown‘s “Run It,” Ciara’s “Goodies” and Usher’s “Yeah,” Garrett’s biggest composition to date. Upcoming projects slated for 2007 include works from Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Gwen Stefani and Cassidy.

Kara DioGuardi is a Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, producer and entrepreneur. She has had charting singles with a variety of artists, including Christina Aguilera ("Aint No Other Man"), Gwen Stefani ("Rich Girl"), Ashley Simpson ("Pieces Of Me"), Kelly Clarkson ("Walk Away"), Pussy Cat Dolls ("Beep"), Enrique Iglesias ("Escape") and Hilary Duff ("Come Clean"). Kara’s collaborators include Lil Jon, Danja, Dr. Dre, Jon Shanks, Glen Ballard, Scott Storch, Polow, Matt Serletic and will.i.am. She has new releases on albums by Katharine McPhee, Avril Lavigne, Hilary Duff, Taylor Hicks, Nicole of Pussycat Dolls, Britney Spears, Daddy Yankee and Ashley Tisdale. Kara is also co-owner of Arthouse Entertainment, which was ranked the No. 7 music publishing company of 2006 by Billboard/Nielsen.

Hitmakers fill Nashville’s publishing houses, churning out the twangy sing-alongs that blanket country airwaves. Standing out in such a talented community can’t possibly be as easy as songwriter, artist and producer Jeffrey Steele makes it look. Rascal Flatts, LeAnn Rimes, Montgomery Gentry, Gretchen Wilson, Pat Green, Trace Adkins, Tim McGraw and numerous others have all turned to Steele for a hit or two, a list that covers a virtual “who’s who” of contemporary country’s elite who have wisely come to trust the energetic songwriter with the easy, infectious grin. Steele’s own impassioned performances make him a constant favorite at songwriter festivals and his full-band gigs, where his rugged, boisterous vocals breathe new life both into songs made famous by the stars and other tunes that are patently his. The 2003 BMI Songwriter of the Year’s new album, Hell on Wheels (February 2007), showcases some of those patented Steele tunes, thrusting Jeffrey Steele the artist into a deserved spotlight.

Butch Walker is a recording artist, performer, songwriter and record producer. He formed the popular pop-rock band Marvelous 3, which spawned the hit “Freak of the Week.” Butch then began a solo career in 2000, releasing the albums Left of Self-Centered in 2002 and Letters in 2004, finishing 2005 playing over 200 live shows across both the U.S. and Japan. Several of his songs have been hits for other artists, including Bowling for Soup’s “Girl All the Bad Guys Want.” He has written and produced records for such artists as Pink, Simple Plan, Sevendust and the All-American Rejects. He also co-wrote the song “My Happy Ending” with Avril Lavigne. Walker was named Rolling Stone Producer of the Year in 2005, and having served as a judge on the reality TV series “Rock Star,” he was the producer for the new “Rockstar: Supernova” group.

About the Los Angeles Times:

The Pulitzer Prize-winning Los Angeles Times is the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country, with a daily readership of nearly 2.2 million and about 3.3 million on Sunday. The Los Angeles Times and its media businesses and affiliates, including latimes.com, TheEnvelope.com, Times Community Newspapers, Recycler Classifieds, Hoy, and California Community News, are read by approximately 8.1 million-or 62% of all adults in the Southern California marketplace-every week.

The Los Angeles Times has been covering Southern California for over 125 years and is part of Tribune Company (NYSE: TRB), one of the country’s leading media companies with businesses in publishing, the Internet and broadcasting. Additional information about the Los Angeles Times is available at www.latimes.com/mediacenter.

Shown in the New York office are BMI's Mark Barron and June Neira, Demo Contest winner daRome Bentley, and BMI's Benjamin Tischker

Bentley was chosen as the winner from over 1,000 songwriters and artists by a panel of prominent A&R executives. The young soul artist was then flown to New York City to record a three-song demo at the Demo Center's state-of-the-art recording studios, working with such A-list producers as two-time Grammy nominee Ernie Lake (Backstreet Boys, Faith Evans, Britney Spears, Cyndi Lauper) and Mike "G" Guerriero, who has produced several dance hits on the Billboard charts.

The Demo Contest was co-sponsored by BMI, music production company the Demo Center and electronic press kit producer Sonicbids.com.

A native of Oklahoma, daRome Bentley is quickly emerging as one of Atlanta's soul music scene-makers. He began singing in church, and later performed as an opening act for r&b hitmakers K-Ci & JoJo, Next and Joe. With influences such as Marvin Gaye and Kenny Lattimore, Bentley has also competed in songwriting competitions with the Georgia Music Industry Association (where he was a finalist) and the International Songwriting Competition. He has also performed as part of Atlanta's Atlantis Music Conference. The buzz on the talented urban artist continues to grow, with a much-rumored record deal on the near horizon.

Black Eyed Peas	Toby Keith	Rascal Flatts

BMI songwriter/artists swept the country category, winning all four AMAs including a Favorite Male Artist title for Toby Keith and the Favorite Band, Duo or Group win for Rascal Flatts.

Red Hot Chili Peppers	Shakira	Carrie Underwood

Other big winners at the ceremony -- handed out by surprise presenter Britney Spears -- included the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who were named Favorite Alternative Artist in the adult contemporary category and Favorite Band in the pop/rock category.

Newly crowned Latin Grammy queen Shakira was named Favorite Latin Artist and American Idol alumna Carrie Underwood took home the coveted Breakthrough Artist trophy.

BMI's 2006 American Music Awards winners:

POP/ROCK
Band, Duo or Group
Red Hot Chili Peppers

Album
Nickelback
All the Right Reasons

COUNTRY
Male Artist
Toby Keith

Female Artist
Faith Hill

Band, Duo or Group
Rascal Flatts

Album
Tim McGraw
Greatest Hits Volume 2

SOUL/RHYTHM AND BLUES
Male Artist
Jamie Foxx

Band, Duo or Group
The Black Eyed Peas

RAP/HIP-HOP
Male Artist
Eminem

Band, Duo or Group
The Black Eyed Peas

Album
The Black Eyed Peas
Monkey Business

ALTERNATIVE
Artist
Red Hot Chili Peppers

LATIN
Artist
Shakira

CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL
Artist
Kirk Franklin

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST
New Artist
Carrie Underwood]]> 2006-11-22T03:00:00-05:00