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ASCAP President and Chairman Marilyn Bergman presented the first ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award to legendary pop/R&B diva Chaka Khan at the 11th annual ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Celebration held at The Supper Club in Manhattan on June 16th. The celebrity-studded gala, featuring MC Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopez of the hit LaFace/Arista Records vocal group TLC, also honored the ASCAP songwriters and publishers of high charting rap, dance, r&b and reggae music of 1997.
Among the honorees and attendees were: Mary J. Blige, Mary Wilson, Ashford & Simpson, Ultra Nate and Stevie J.
Before the presentation of the awards, Bergman said "The songwriters we honor tonight continue the legacy of some of ASCAP's greatest creators: from charter member James Weldon Johnson to Louis Armstrong, W.C. Handy, Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Stevie Wonder, Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson, Wynton Marsalis, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, LL Cool J, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Maxwell, and Erykah Badu. From them comes the music of our country today, yet its roots are in a glorious past, and tonight we celebrate that too."
Songwriter of the Year honors went to Sean "Puffy" Combs for "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down," "Hypnotize," "Mo Money Mo Problems," and "No Time." Publisher of the Year went to EMI Music Publishing for their songs: "4 Seasons of Loneliness," "Big Daddy," "Cupid," "Get Up" (EMI Jobete Music Publishing), "Hypnotize," "I'll Be," "Insomnia," "Love Is All We Need," "Mo Money Mo Problems," "No Time," "Not Tonight (Remix)" from Nothing to Lose, "What Kind of Man Would I Be," "What's On Tonight" and "You Make Me Wanna."
Song of the Year honors were presented in four categories: the inaugural Top Soundtrack Song of the Year award went to "Don't Let Go (Love)," written by Andrea Martin and Ivan Matias (Almo Music Corp., One Ol' Ghetto Ho, Sailandra Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.); the Top ASCAP R&B Song went to "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down," written by Sean "Puffy" Combs, Stevie J., Mase, Nashiem Myrick, Greg Prestopino and Matthew Wilder (Buchu Music, No Ears Music, Streetwise Music); the Top ASCAP Rap Song award also went to "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" and the Top ASCAP Dance Song went to "Un-Break My Heart," written by Diane Warren (Realsongs). The late Bob Marley was honored as Top Reggae Artist of 1997.
In addition to the various award presentations, live musical performances by Andrea Martin, Ivan Matias, Ultra Nate and the W.I.F.C. Gospel Choir were featured. Joining ASCAP President and Chairman Marilyn Bergman in musical and verbal tribute to Chaka Khan was an all star line-up, including vocalists Phoebe Snow and Sandra St. Victor, producer Arif Mardin, songwriters Nick Ashford & Valerie Simpson, Elektra recording artists The Family Stand with featured vocalists Debra Cole and Jacci McGhee. Snow and St. Victor joined the Family Stand for a rousing set of Chaka Khan-written hits.
Khan, who is celebrating her twenty-fifth anniversary in music, began as lead singer for the highly regarded multi-racial band, Rufus, and took the charts by storm beginning in 1973 with such hits as "Tell Me Something Good," "Sweet Thing," "Once You Get Started," and "Ain't Nobody." Embarking on a solo career, she continued to rack up hit after hit (and five Grammy Awards) with "I'm Every Woman," What Cha Gonna Do For Me," "Through the Fire" and "I Feel for You." Her newest album, Come 2 My House, produced by The Artist, is soon to be released on Chaka's own Earth Song Entertainment label, which is distributed by The Artist's New Power Generation Records.
Rythm and Soul Awards Photo Page (Big)
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: October - November - December 1998
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