New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Universal Motown Records) Universal Motown President Sylvia Rhone and a host of the music industry's top executives, publishers, and songwriters turned out to honor acclaimed, Grammy winning songwriter/artist,
Rico Love at the 2011 SESAC
Music Awards Gala last night at the IAC Building in New York City.
SESAC, the fastest growing performing rights organization, awarded Rico Love with the prestigious Songwriter of the Year Award at the 15th annual event. Ms. Rhone presented the evening's top honor to Rico Love, one of multiple highlights in an evening which also included award presentations to many of the world's top artists and hitmakers, including Swizz Beatz-, Chrisette Michele, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Hillary Scott, among others. Rico also took home awards for his work on Sweet Dreams, There Goes My Baby, Hey Daddy, Just a Dream, and Hello Good Morning.
Rico Love has established himself as one of the most successful, sought-after songwriters working in music today. The multi-tasking, songwriter/producer/label CEO has penned and produced best selling hits for multiple artists in an array of genre and styles, including Beyonce /"Sweet Dreams", Usher /"There Goes My Baby", Kelly Rowland /"Motivation", Nelly/"Just a Dream", Natasha Bedingfield /"Love Like This", and P Diddy-Dirty Money featuring T.I. /"Hello Good Morning".
Rico Love has also contributed multiple songs to Grammy winning albums from legendary superstars, such as Beyonce's 2009 Best Contemporary R&B album winner, I Am...Sasha Fierce, and Usher's Grammy winning 2010 Best Contemporary R&B Album, Raymond V Raymond. The affable star has also been guest-featured on songs from a number of best selling artists, including T.I., Usher, Jermaine Dupri, and Fat Joe. In 2010 he partnered with Universal Motown to become CEO of his own label, DivisionI Records, that has currently signed rapper Young Chris, R&B singer Cherlise, and crossover artist Sofi Green.
"Rico Love is one of the most talented and prolific songwriters in music today," stated Ms. Rhone. "He possesses boundless creative energy, a steadfast dedication to his craft, and an uncanny sensitivity when it comes to reaching our number one music consumer - female music fans. He is most deserving of this prestigious award."
Stated Rico Love: "I'm honored and blessed to receive the SESAC Songwriter of the Year Award. To have been surrounded by so many friends and colleagues and talented fellow-songwriters on such a momentous evening for me is truly a dream come true. I thank Sylvia Rhone and everyone at SESAC, and all my fans and industry peers out there for their continued love and support."
The 2011 SESAC Awards Celebration drew more than 400 songwriters, publishers, and industry professionals to the gala event. Established in 1930, SESAC is a service organization created to assist both the creators of music and music users through timely, efficient royalty collection and music licensing. SESAC maintains a diversified repertory that includes virtually all genres of music. The company is headquartered in Nashville, TN, and has offices in New York City, Los Angeles CA, Atlanta, GA, Miami, FL, and London, England.
