NEW
YORK (ASCAP) - The American Society of Composers, Authors and
Publishers (ASCAP) celebrated its 13th annual El Premio ASCAP Awards at
the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan on April 5, 2005. The
star-studded gala, hosted by People Espa�ol's Joselly Castrodad and
CBS-2 News/Anchor Correspondent
Mario Bosquez, honored the songwriters
and publishers of ASCAP's most performed songs in Latin
Music in 2004.
Among
the honorees, performers and notables attending the black tie
celebration were Claudia Acu�a, Obie Bermudez, Big Mato,
Ruben Blades,
Claudia Brant, El General,
Sergio George, GemStar, Monchy &
Alexandra, Nina Sky, NORE, Eduardo Osorio, Jennifer Pe�a, Rudy Perez,
Joan Sebastian,
Marco Antonio Sol�s, Spanish Harlem Orchestra with
Maestro Oscar Hernandez, and Alicia Villareal.
ASCAP received
special recognition from Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor of the City of New
York, who declared Tuesday, April 5, 2005 in the City of New York as
"ASCAP Latin
Music Awards Day." In a proclamation presented to the
Society, Mayor Bloomberg cited "The Latin
Music Awards are an
opportunity for the music community to honor past achievement and
nurture unrealized potential. New York City, home to countless Latin
music fans, thanks ASCAP for its continuing commitment to musical
excellence, and congratulates
Ruben Blades and the rest of tonight's
winners on their great success."
Rudy Perez was presented with
the Songwriter of the Year award for his ten award-winning songs. As a
testament to his writing strength and endurance, Perez has won this
honor three times before, including last year. Billboard chart-topping
artist Jennifer Pe�a performed as part of ASCAP's special tribute to
Perez.
ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento and ASCAP Senior Vice
President, Membership Group - Latin
Alexandra Lioutikoff presented the
Publisher of the Year award to Sony/ATV
Music Publishing and Universal
Music Publishing who shared the honors with a total of 30 winning songs
each.
One of the many highlights of the evening was the special
presentation of the ASCAP Founders Award to
Ruben Blades by ASCAP CEO
John LoFrumento with pop idol Obie Bermudez, who also performed a song
dedicated to Ruben. Grammy Award-winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra,
under the direction of Maestro Oscar Hernandez, closed the night with a
special musical tribute honoring Blades.
The ASCAP Founders
Award is given to songwriters who have made pioneering contributions to
music by inspiring and influencing their fellow music creators.
Previous recipients who have received this honor include Burt Bacharach
& Hal David, Elvis Costello, Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller, Paul
McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Arturo Sandoval, Stephen Sondheim, James
Taylor, Tom Waits, and Stevie Wonder, among others.
"M�s Que Tu
Amigo," written and recorded by
Marco Antonio Solis, and published by
Crisma, Inc. was named the top Latin Song of the Year. Independent
Group of the Year was awarded to Del Castillo.
ASCAP also
presented awards in the following categories: Tropical, Regional
Mexicana, Urbano, Rock, Pop/Balada and the newly created Television
category honoring the Top Rated Theme for Soap Opera and Top Rated
Theme for TV Variety Program.
"Amor Real" from Amor Real,
written by Leonel Garcia and Nahuel Schjris (SGAE) and published by
Sony/TV Discos
Music Publishing, was named the Top Rated Theme for Soap
Opera. "Don Francisco Presenta," from
Don Francisco Presenta, written
by Gerardo Flores and published by Nuestro Music, was named the Top
Rated Theme for TV Variety Program.
