Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) Presents The 2017 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards Honoring Patti LaBelle As A BMI Icon

"Patti's work as an entertainer and her involvement in humanitarian efforts have touched the lives of many people," said Brewton. "Her music transcends genres and generations paving the way for aspiring songwriters to follow in her footsteps.  She is the epitome of an icon, and I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this honor than Patti LaBelle."

The private event will also salute the songwriters, producers, publishers and administrators of the past year's most-performed R&B/Hip-Hop songs in the United States from BMI's repertoire of more than 12 million musical works. The BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Songwriter, Producer and Publisher of the Year will be named during the ceremony.

In addition, BMI's Social Star competition honoring the songwriter with the most engaged social media audience will be returning for the sixth year. Beginning August 14th, fans will be able to vote for their favorite contestant across BMI's Instagram and Twitter accounts. The songwriter with the most Instagram likes and use of their specialized Twitter hashtag will claim the prize. Previous winners have included Mac Miller, Machine Gun Kelly, Zendaya, SoMo and Joey Bada$$.

Ms. LaBelle joins an elite group of recipients who have received BMI's Icon Award for their "unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers." Previous recipients include Nile Rodgers, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, James Brown, Al Green and Snoop Dogg among others.  

A best-selling author, entrepreneur, humanitarian, TV personality and legendary entertainer, Patti LaBelle is no stranger to success.  With more than 50 million records sold worldwide and more than 50 years in show business, LaBelle has enjoyed one of the most celebrated careers in contemporary music.  The multiple GRAMMY Award-winning singer has been inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Apollo Theater Legends Hall of Fame, the Songwriters' Hall of Fame and in 2005, the World Music Awards recognized her years in the music business with the Legend Award. 

Her love for music developed while singing in the church choir as a child. She went on to score multiple hits with Patti LaBelle and the BlueBelles and later Labelle, including the iconic song "Lady Marmalade," before embarking on a solo career in 1977.

Throughout her career, LaBelle has scored a string of successful singles and albums and received numerous awards. Some fan favorites include "If Only You Knew" (1984), "New Attitude" (1984) and the number-one single "On My Own," a duet with Michael McDonald from the platinum-selling album The Winner in You in 1986. She received a GRAMMY for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1992 for Burnin', followed by a second GRAMMY win in 1999 in the Traditional R&B Performance category for Live! One Night Only. Her most recent album, Bel Hommage, a collection of jazz standards, was released in May of this year. In addition, she released her sixth book and fourth cookbook, Desserts LaBelle, in April.

Beyond her work in the arts, Patti LaBelle's humanitarian efforts are another one of her passions.  Through the years, she has advocated for adoption, foster care, cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and many other important causes.

For more information on the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards and BMI's Social Star, please visit http://www.bmi.com/genres/rb_hiphop. To join the conversation, use hashtag #BMIRnBHipHopAwards.

To request press credentials, visit http://www.bmi.com/press#credentials. Press credentials will be for red-carpet arrivals only. A limited number of media will be credentialed to cover the awards ceremony. 

About BMI

Celebrating over 76 years of service to songwriters, composers, music publishers and businesses, Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI®) is a global leader in music rights management, serving as an advocate for the value of music. BMI represents the public performance rights in nearly 12 million musical works created and owned by more than 750,000 songwriters, composers, and music publishers. The Company negotiates music license agreements and distributes the fees it generates as royalties to its affiliated writers and publishers when their songs are performed in public. In 1939, BMI created a groundbreaking open-door policy becoming the only performing rights organization to welcome and represent the creators of blues, jazz, country, and American roots music. Today, the musical compositions in BMI's repertoire, from chart toppers to perennial favorites, span all genres of music and are consistently among the most-performed hits of the year. For additional information and the latest BMI news, visit www.bmi.com, follow us on Twitter @BMI or stay connected through Broadcast Music, Inc.'s Facebook page. Sign up for BMI's The Weekly and receive our e-newsletter every Monday to stay up to date on all things music.

SOURCE Broadcast Music, Inc.

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