Los Angeles / New York, March 23, 2009: ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) is pleased to announce that
Heart's Ann & Nancy Wilson will be special guests at the 4th annual ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO on April 23rd. The Wilson sisters will be interviewed about their 35-year career as songwriters and leaders of rock group Heart, the 30th anniversary of their classic multi-platinum album
Dog & Butterfly, and their 14th studio album which will be released next year. The three-day EXPO takes place April 23-25, 2009 at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles.
In addition to their participation in the EXPO, Ann & Nancy Wilson will be honored with
ASCAP's Founders Award during the organization's 26th Annual Pop Music Awards ceremony taking place on April 22nd. The ASCAP Founders Award is among the most prestigious honors that ASCAP gives to songwriters who have made pioneering contributions to music by inspiring and influencing their fellow music creators. Each recipient is a musical innovator who possesses a unique style of songwriting genius that will enrich generations to come. Past recipients include Ashford & Simpson, Burt Bacharach & Hal David, Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, Melissa Etheridge, Billy Joel, Annie Lennox, Sir Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Smokey Robinson, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Tom Waits, Stevie Wonder and Neil Young.
Ann Wilson and her sister, Nancy Wilson, first showed the world that women can rock when their band Heart stormed the charts in the 1970s with hits like "Crazy On You," "Magic Man," "Barracuda," "Straight On," "Even It Up," "Kick It Out," and so many more. They continued topping the charts through the ‘80s and into the ‘90s with huge hits like "These Dreams," "Alone," "What About Love," "If Looks Could Kill," "Never," and a string of other hits that showcased the sisters' enormous talents as musicians and singers. During their extraordinary 35-year career, Heart has sold more than 30 million records, had 21 top 40 hits, sold out arenas worldwide and had a profound influence on rock music.
The group is currently on their latest U.S. tour, and they will be hitting the studio this year to record what will be their 14th album. They are also gearing up to mark the 30th anniversary of their classic multi-platinum album
Dog & Butterfly with special events and celebrations. They also continue to win new generations of fans with their #1 single "Barracuda" being included in "Guitar Hero World Tour" and the new
American Idol contestants paying tribute to their catalog of hits every season.
Ann & Nancy Wilson join a Who's Who list of songwriters, composers, producers and industry professionals confirmed for the EXPO.
Click here for a regularly updated list of panelists.
The ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO is the premier conference for songwriters, composers and producers. It covers all genres of music and includes panels, workshops, master classes, keynotes, One-on-One sessions, song critiquing, networking events, product displays, state-of-the-art technology demonstrations, performances, and more. All music creators, producers, publishers and executives – regardless of their performing rights organization affiliation – will benefit from this unique creative event, which is designed around personal interaction, education and networking.
The 4th Annual ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO is part of "ASCAP I Create Music Week" -- an entire week of events being held in Los Angeles to celebrate the voice of the music creator.
Members of the press may apply for credentials here.
About ASCAP
Established in 1914, ASCAP is the first and leading U.S. Performing Rights Organization (PRO) representing the world's largest repertory totaling over 8.5 million copyrighted musical works of every style and genre from more than 350,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members. ASCAP has representation arrangements with similar foreign organizations so that the ASCAP repertory is represented in nearly every country around the world where copyright law exists. ASCAP protects the rights of its members and foreign affiliates by licensing the public performances of their copyrighted works and distributing royalties based upon surveyed performances. ASCAP is the only American PRO owned and governed by its writer and publisher members.
www.ascap.com
