Elvis Costello Receives ASCAP Founders Award
PRNewswire, 2003-04-16

 

Elvis Costello to Be Honored With the ASCAP Founders Award at the 20th Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards

LOS ANGELES, April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) will present its prestigious Founders Award to the legendary singer-songwriter and rock iconoclast, Elvis Costello. The presentation will be a highlight of the 20th annual celebration of ASCAP's Pop Music Awards on Tuesday, May 20, 2003 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. This coveted award is given to pioneering songwriters who have made exceptional contributions to music.

Costello's incomparable gifts as a performer and music creator have earned him a recent induction into one of the music industry's most exclusive clubs -- The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He has also been the recipient of multiple Grammy Awards and maintains one of the most impressive catalogues in Pop music today. Among some of his most memorable songs are: "Allison," "Watching the Detectives," "Less Than Zero, "Pump It Up," "Radio Radio," "Everyday I Write the Book," "The Only Flame In Town," "Almost Blue," "Veronica," "Deep Dark Truthful Mirror," "God Give Me Strength" and many others.

"Elvis Costello is a defining voice in pop music, both as a singer and songwriter," said Marilyn Bergman, ASCAP President and Chairman of the Board. His work is consistently marked by a level of intelligence, passion and integrity that places him in the top ranks of musical artists of our time. We are very proud to honor him with the ASCAP Founders Award."

Previous recipients of the Founders Award include James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Quincy Jones, Tom Waits, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Stephen Sondheim, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen.

The Pop Awards is an annual, star-studded gala where ASCAP honors the writers and publishers of the most-performed ASCAP songs of the prior calendar year. Established in 1914, the society is the world's largest performing- rights organization, with over 150,000 active members. ASCAP is committed to protecting the rights of its members by licensing and collecting royalties for the public performances of their copyrighted works and then distributing these fees to the society's members based on performances. ASCAP's repertory spans the entire spectrum of music -- from pop to hip-hop to rock, from the concert hall to the opera to the theater, from jazz to gospel, from Latin to rhythm and blues.