Grammy-winning composer, producer, arranger and guitarist Nile Rodgers will receive the BMI Icon Award at the CMO’s R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, held on Friday, August 28, at the Saban Theatre in Los Angeles.
Rodgers, founder of the influential band Chic and perennial “hit maker”, was selected as this year’s BMI Icon recipient for his ‘incomparable catalogue and his defining influence on popular music’.
The event celebrates the songwriters, producers and publishers of the most-performed R&B/Hip-Hop songs of the previous year.
The evening will also include the presentation of the R&B/Hip-Hop Songwriter, Producer, Publisher of the Year and Social Star awards.
BMI President and CEO Mike O’Neill and Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Atlanta, Catherine Brewton will share the evening’s hosting duties.
“The BMI Icon Award is given to an individual for their ability to connect people through song and defy musical expectations,” said Catherine Brewton, BMI Vice President, Writer-Publisher Relations, Atlanta.
“Nile’s exceptional body of work, spanning decades, crosses genres and leaves a lasting impression. We’re so thrilled to present this honor to such a singular talent and incredible musician.”
As the co-founder of Chic, Rodgers pioneered pop music with tracks like “Good Times” and “Le Freak,” which was inducted into the 2015 Grammy Hall of Fame.
His productions for David Bowie (“Let’s Dance”), Madonna (“Like A Virgin”), Diana Ross (diana), and Sister Sledge (“We Are Family”), plus his work with artists like Duran Duran, INXS, Mick Jagger, Grace Jones, Steve Winwood, Peter Gabriel, The B-52s, and Michael Jackson, have sold over 200 million albums and 50 million singles worldwide.Music Business Worldwide
