TAYLOR SWIFT TO RECEIVE HAL DAVID STARLIGHT AWARD
AT SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME GALA
PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED INDUCTEES INCLUDE LEONARD COHEN, JACKIE DESHANNON, DAVID FOSTER, JOHNNY MANDEL AND EARTH, WIND & FIRE’S MAURICE WHITE, PHILIP BAILEY, VERDINE WHITE, LARRY DUNN AND AL MCKAY
New York, NY- May 11, 2010- Hal David, Chairman/CEO of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, today announced that Taylor Swift will be the recipient of the prestigious Hal David Starlight Award, to be presented at the 2010 Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards dinner on Thursday June 17, 2010 at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel.
At the young age of 14, Swift signed a publishing deal with Sony/ATV Music and in 2006 she released her self-titled debut CD on Big Machine Records. At the age of 17, she became the youngest person to ever single-handedly write and sing a number-one country single entirely on her own (“Our Song” spent six consecutive weeks at #1 atop Billboard's Country Singles Chart). She is also the first female solo artist in country music history to write or co-write every song on a platinum-selling debut CD- Taylor Swift. In addition, Swift wrote or co-wrote every song on her blockbuster Fearless album, released in 2008. Fearless has sold more than 5 million copies, fueled by the multi-genre domestic and international success of chart-topping singles including “Love Story” and “You Belong With Me.”
Swift has sold more than 13 million albums and has numerous awards and accolades to add to her long list of accomplishments, including being the top-selling digital artist in music history, receiving the Artist of the Year Award at the American Music Awards, having the #1 best-selling album in any genre of music in both 2009 and 2008, and to be the first female solo country artist to ever win the all-genre GRAMMY award for Album of the Year. This year alone she took home four GRAMMY awards. In addition to Album of the Year, she was honored for Country Album of the Year, Best Country Song and Best Country Female Vocal Performance.
“Taylor Swift is one of the brightest musical talents to emerge in recent years, and represents the true epitome of the Starlight Award,” Commented Chairman/CEO Hal David. “She possesses an undeniable talent as a songwriter, expressive singer and performer, and we are proud to present her with this well-deserved honor.”
The Hal David Starlight Award, created in 2004, was renamed in honor of the SHOF Chairman for his longtime support of young songwriters. Award recipients are gifted songwriters who are at an apex in their careers and are making a significant impact in the music industry via their original songs. Swift joins the prestigious company of Rob Thomas, Alicia Keys, John Mayer, John Legend, John Rzeznik, and Jason Mraz – the past recipients of the Hal David Starlight Award.
Inductees at this year’s event include Leonard Cohen, Jackie DeShannon, David Foster, Johnny Mandel and Earth, Wind & Fire’s Maurice White, Philip Bailey, Verdine White, Larry Dunn and Al McKay. The prestigious Johnny Mercer Award will be presented to Phil Collins and the Howie Richmond Hitmaker Award will be presented to Phil Ramone.
About The Songwriters Hall of Fame:The Songwriters Hall of Fame celebrates songwriters, educates the public with regard to their achievements, and produces a spectrum of professional programs devoted to the development of new songwriting talent through workshops, showcases and scholarships. Over the course of the past 41 years, some key Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees have included Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Albert Hammond, Desmond Child, Loretta Lynn, John Fogerty, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, Isaac Hayes and David Porter, Steve Cropper, Dolly Parton, Richard and Robert Sherman, Bill Withers, Carole King, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Sir Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Brian Wilson, James Taylor, James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, Hal David and Burt Bacharach, Jim Croce, Phil Collins, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Jimmy Webb, Paul Williams, Van Morrison, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Cy Coleman and many, many others. The Songwriters Hall of Fame was founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer and publishers Abe Olman and Howie Richmond.
Full biographies and a complete list of inductees are available at the Songwriters Hall of Fame's Virtual Museum at http://songwritershalloffame.org/.
The mission of the Songwriters Hall of Fame is to remember and honor our great songwriters while building our musical future through workshops, showcases and scholarships, along with giving members the opportunity to vote for the next slate of inductees. Joining online is quick and easy: http://songhall.org/join
Ticket Information:Tickets for the Songwriters Hall of Fame event begin at $1000 each, and are available through Buckley Hall Events, (212) 573-6933. Net proceeds from the event will go towards the Songwriters Hall of Fame programs.
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