Hall in the Family

ASCAP members shine at 2006 Songwriters Hall of Fame Event



ASCAP songwriters, composers, and publishers were among those honored by the Songwriters Hall of Fame at the organization's 37th annual induction and awards ceremony. The event was held on June 15 at New York's Marriott Marquis Hotel.

ASCAP writer members John Mayer, the late Henry Cosby and Peter, Paul & Mary were among this year's top honorees. In addition, the Abe Olman Publisher Award was presented to music industry legend Allen Klein of ABKCO Music.

Songwriter and saxophonist Henry Cosby was one of this year's five inductees. Cosby, a member of the famed Motown studio band, the Funk Brothers, was a gifted and successful songwriter. Cosby was a co-writer of “Fingertips,” the song that launched the career of Little Stevie Wonder, as he was known in 1963. Closely associated with Wonder and fellow Motown staff writer Sylvia Moy, Cosby was also a co-writer of “Uptight,” “I Was Made to Love Her,” “My Cherie Amour” and “Shoo Bee Doo Bee Da Day.” Other important Cosby hits included “Tears of a Clown” and “I’m Livin’ in Shame.” Cosby died in 2002 at age 73.

Superstar singer-songwriter John Mayer received the Hal David Starlight Award, established to recognize artists whose original songs have made a noteworthy contribution to the music industry early in their careers. Mayer, a multi-Platinum recording artist, is as renowned for his original songs, as he is for his singing and guitar prowess. The previous Starlight Award recipients were ASCAP members Rob Thomas (2004) and Alicia Keys (2006).

Peter Yarrow, Noel Paul Stookey and Marry Travers joined together 45 years ago as Peter, Paul and Mary to become one of the major forces in the Folk Music Revival of the early 1960s. Their recordings, many of which became anthems of the Civil Rights and antiwar, helped introduce such songwriting talents as Bob Dylan, John Danver and Gordon Lightfoot. At the 2006 Songwriters Hall of Fame Dinner, the trio was presented with this year's Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award. The award goes to an artist or artists who have played a key role in helping fellow songwriters achieve success. Fellow ASCAP members Whoopi Goldberg and Pete Yorn helped honor Peter, Paul & Mary.

Allen Klein, a major major figure in the music business as a manager, record company executive and publisher, was this year's recipient of the Abe Olman Publisher Award. Over the course of five decades, Klein has worked closely with such artists as Sam Cooke, the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles and has been active in furthering the careers of many songwriters.