Ruben Blades Receives the ASCAP Founders Award
"El premio que me entregan no es un premio sólo para mí, sino para muchos; son 30 años de trabajo los que están reconociendo, un trabajo que no se dio vacío sino con la participación de muchos amigos como Ray Barretto, Willie Colón, la orquesta Son del Solar, las Estrellas de Fania, tantos y tantos compañeros que han participado, que me grabaron cuando nadie me conocía".
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From the
ASCAP press release:
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 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 Acuña, Obie Bermudez, Big Mato, Ruben Blades, Claudia Brant, El General, GemStar, Sergio George, Monchy & Alexandra, Nina Sky, NORE, Eduardo Osorio, Jennifer Peña, Rudy Perez, Joan Sebastian, Marco Antonio Solís, Spanish Harlem Orchestra directed by 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." 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. |
