The Stars and Songwriting Community Come Out to Honor This Year’s Inductees - Thom Bell, Mac Davis, Will Jennings, Sylvia Moy And Henry Cosby - and Honorees Kris Kristofferson, John Mayer, Peter Paul & Mary and Allen Klein
NEW YORK, N.Y. – JUNE 16, 2006 - The 2006 Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) Awards pulled out all the stops this year as SHOF Chairman/CEO Hal David and President Linda Moran helped induct songwriting heavyweights including Thom Bell, Mac Davis, Will Jennings, Sylvia Moy and Henry Crosby into its hallowed Hall, and saluted honorees Kris Kristofferson, John Mayer, Peter, Paul & Mary and Allen Klein.
Click here for backstage video interviews from the event.
All photos © 2006 Songwriters Hall of Fame. Photos: Larry Busacca, Stephen Lovekin & Ryan Born, available at wireimage.com
The evening was full of special moments. Music impresario Paul Shaffer honored inductee Thom Bell with a medleyof some of his most famous songs such as “I’ll Be Around,” “You Make Me Feel Brand New,” “Didn’t I Blow Your Mind This Time” and “You Are Everything.” Hal David gave the introduction to Johnny Mercer Award honoree Kris Kristofferson. “Tonight’s honoree is a Rhodes Scholar and former United States Army helicopter pilot who, in 1965, resigned his commission, gave up a teaching post at West Point, and moved to Nashville to fulfill his dream of becoming a successful songwriter,” David explained. “Upon his arrival in Music City, he wrote songs while holding down the night shift at Columbia Studios where he swept floors and emptied ashtrays. It was there that he watched Bob Dylan record ‘Blonde on Blonde.’
Twenty years later, Bob Dylan would record a song written by tonight’s honoree – the very same janitor who cleaned the studio while Dylan created a classic.” Trace Adkins then did Kristofferson’s “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” proud and presented the honor to his old friend, saying, “Early in his career, Kris landed a helicopter on Johnny Cash’s lawn to hand him some tapes and get his attention. Well, he succeeded – and over the years, he’s continued to get our attention as one of America’s most original and free-spirited artists.” Kris thrilled the packed audience with a performance of “Help Me Make It Through The Night.”
Songwriter Alan Menkin (composer of the music for “The Little Mermaid” “Beauty and the Beast” and others) came out to help induct Will Jennings, citing Will’s amazing songwriting record including co-writing Barry Manilow’s first #1 smash, “Looks Like We Made It,” as well as his extremely successful partnership with Steve Winwood. Linda Eder performed his blockbuster “Titanic” hit “My Heart Will Go On.”
Industry icon Frances Preston helped induct her longtime friend Mac Davis into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. “My first remembrance of Mac Davis was from a very early Nashville music festival,” Preston reminisces. “My friend Sandy Gallin had called me up and told me he wanted to introduce me to a new songwriter. That afternoon, I found myself listening to a very handsome young man with a wonderful shock of curly hair sitting on the edge of his seat, playing the guitar, just for me. I think both Sandy and I knew at that moment that Mac Davis was going to be one of America’s greatest songwriters.” To a standing ovation, Mac sang his classic, soulful Elvis Presley hit “In The Ghetto.”
Whoopi Goldberg added her signature humor to present her longtime favorites Peter, Paul & Mary with their Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award. “You might be asking yourself what I’m doing here,” she quipped to laughter. “You may not know this, but it was originally Peter, Paul and Whoop!” Goldberg went on to say, “Can you imagine being together with a person for 45 years?!!” Goldberg quipped. “Then imagine being with TWO people for 45 years! Oy!!! Not only is this commitment to each other remarkable, but their commitment to their art form, and to building a better world, is even more remarkable.” The group came onstage to a standing ovation and thunderous applause and following their acceptance, launched into a warm and wonderful performance of the famous 60’s protest song – “The Hammer Song.” In honor of songs Peter, Paul & Mary didn’t write but gave their signature sound, Pete Yorn did the Bob Dylan-penned Peter, Paul & Mary classic that defined a generation, “Blowin’ In The Wind.”
John Mayer was presented the newly named Hal David Starlight Award by Alicia Keys, who received the Starlight Award in 2005 and he performed his song “Stop The Train.” Mayer eloquently explained his take on songwriters. “We’re conduits,” Mayer said. “Half the time we’re really, really turned on and the other we’re really really scared.” He cheekily concluded, “Songwriters are crazy. You don’t really want them around. There should only be one per social clique.” Publishing giant Allen Klein was honored with the Abe Olman Publishing Award, presented by EMI Music Publishing’s Martin Bandier and Carlin America, Inc.’s Freddy Bienstock, both previous recipients of the Abe Olman Publishers Award. Klein’s close friend, Yoko Ono, sent a congratulatory letter, which Bandier read. Yoko wrote, “John and I had a fixed cartoon image of Allen as the meanest business man in town. That made us a bit nervous. But in person, we immediately noticed that Allen was clearly very human. First off, he knew which Beatles’ songs were John’s. Well, that was important enough, as you can imagine. But Allen knew every lyric to every song John wrote, and kept reciting them fluently, weaving them into his conversation. “
Allen Klein couldn’t attend the awards ceremony, however his family was present and his award was accepted by his son Jody Klein of ABKCO Music. Gavin DeGraw then performed an amazing rendition of ABKCO artist Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come.” The New Orleans-associated, beloved, traditional song, “When The Saints Go Marching In” was properly honored with the Towering Song Award byAshford & Simpson, as New Orleans’ own Dr. John led a rousing, electric performance of the classic with saxophonist Dave Koz .
Closing the show, Stevie Wonder wowed the crowd in pure Stevie style inducting friend and co-writer Sylvia Moy and Henry Cosby (deceased), his longtime collaborators at Motown who co-authored many of his most famous early hits, including “I Was Made to Love Her,” “My Cherie Amour,” and “Shoo Bee Doo Bee Da Day.” “I was so lucky to have these two tremendously talented people working as part of my career and my life,” Wonder emphasized. “And they were much more than simply collaborators; they provided inspiration, friendship and love – and I will always cherish these priceless gifts.” What followed was pure heaven as Stevie performed the beautiful “My Cherie Amour.”
All in all, a very special night for songwriters, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and those lucky enough to witness it.