SESAC Hosts Pop Music Awards

Rico Love Named Songwriter of the Year

“Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You)” Wins Song of the Year Honors EMI Foray Music Named Publisher of the Year Bryan-Michael Cox Celebrated w/ Inspiration Award”

Pictured (left to right): Jacob Luttrell (writer of Song Of The Year, “Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You”)), Bryan-Michael Cox (Inspiration Award honoree), Usher & Rico Love (Songwriter Of The Year).

SESAC, the nation’s most progressive performing rights organization, awarded Rico Love with top honors at the 16th Annual SESAC Pop Music Awards” when he was named Songwriter of the Year at the event which was held May 10, at NYC’s Skylight Soho. Multi-platinum superstarUsher made a surprise appearance at the awards to present his friend and collaborator Love with the prestigious award.

Songwriter Jacob Luttrell captured Song of the Year honors for smash hit, “Tonight (I’m Lovin’’You)” as recorded by Enrique Iglesias.

SESAC Publisher of the Year honors went to EMI Foray Music.

Love has enjoyed an extraordinary year by anyone’s estimation.  One of pop music’s most prolific and diverse creative talents, Love hit the top of the charts in the last couple of years with“There Goes My Baby” and “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home)” by Usher (featuring Plies) as well as “Just A Dream” by Nelly and “Hello Good Morning” (co-written with fellow SESAC hit-maker Nate “Danja” Hills) and recorded by Diddy-Dirty Money (featuring T.I. and Rick Ross) and“Sweet Dreams” by Beyonce.  The past year proved to be another successful one for the busy songwriter/producer as he again ruled the charts with “Motivation” (by Kelly Rowland) and“Without You” (by David Guetta featuring Usher).

One of the evening’s many highlights was the Inspiration Award presentation to Grammy Award-winning songwriter and producer, Bryan-Michael Cox in recognition of his artistic, entrepreneurial and philanthropic contributions.  In a short amount of time, Cox has established himself as one of music’s most gifted and prolific music-makers.  Since hitting the music scene he has made a major impact with his songwriting and producing skills on such hits as Mariah Carey’s “Don’t Forget About Us”,  Usher’s “Burn”, “You Got It Bad” and Confessions Pt. 2” and took home a Grammy Award for his work on Mary J. Blige’s “Be Without You”. Currently, Cox has projects in the works with such superstars as Mariah Carey, Brandy, Monica and Babyface.  Cox is also working with songwriting/producing giant Rico Love on project for Kelly Rowland, Tierra Mari and Trey Songz.

A noted humanitarian, Cox has served on the advisory board of 100 Urban Entrepreneurs, a non-profit organization that helps identify, finance and mentor entrepreneurs from economically disadvantaged communities — often through live business-pitch events in cities across the United States — in order to highlight the urban community’s untapped business potential and demonstrate, to an additional 1 million plus entrepreneurs, a proven path forward to business and financial success. Bryan tours the country serving as a judge at these live pitch events and ultimately acts as a mentor to the program’s participants.  In addition, Bryan works with The Travis Best Foundation, a non-profit founded by former NBA player Travis Best that helps underserved youth through arts and athletics.  Each year, Bryan dedicates a weekend in Springfield Massachusetts during The Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend where he works hands on with youth that have an interest in songwriting and production.  Bryan hosts workshops where he tutors kids ages 13 – 17 in music production, songwriting, music business and publishing.

Pop songstress Melanie Fiona delivered a soulful version of her current single, “4:00 am”, a song that was written by Rico Love.

The 2012 awards celebration drew more than 400 songwriters, publishers and industry professionals. The star-studded attendees including Love, Fiona, Cox and Traci Hale among many others.  There were more than 40 songwriter and publisher award recipients in the categories of Pop, R&B/Hip-Hop, and Rock.

Billboard and SPIN Magazine were the event’s media sponsors.

SESAC’s Senior VP, Writer/Publisher Relations Trevor Gale, SESAC Atlanta Office’s Peniece LeGall, Melanie Fiona & SESAC’s Chairman Of The Board/CEO Stephen Swid

Greg Curtis & music executive Sylvia Rhone

SESAC’s Senior VP, Writer/Publisher Relations Trevor Gale, Bryan-Michael Cox (Inspiration Award recipient) & actor/television personality Terrence J. (presenter of Inspiration Award)

Publisher of the Year – EMI Foray Music: Pictured (left to right): SESAC President/COO, Pat Collins; SESAC Senior Director, Writer/Publisher Relations, Jamie Dominguez; SESAC Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Linda Lorence Critelli; Sam Taylor, EMI Music Publishing Creative Director; Katie Donovan, EMI Music Publishing Creative Manager; Ben Vaughn, EVP & GM, EMI Music Publishing Nashville; Jon Platt, President of North America, Creative, EMI Music Publishing; Senior VP; SESAC Writer/Publisher Relations, Trevor Gale; Cody Verdecias, EMI Music Publishing Associate Creative Manager.

Melanie Fiona performs at the 2012 SESAC Pop awards at the Skylight SOHO on May 10, 2012 in New York City.

SESAC’s Senior Director, Writer/Publisher Relations Jamie Dominguez, SESAC’s VP, Writer/Publisher Relations Linda Lorence Critelli, Usher, Rico Love, SESAC’s President/COO Pat Collins, SESAC Atlanta Office’s Peniece LeGall & SESAC’s Senior VP, Writer/Publisher Relations Trevor Gale

Honoree Nikhil Seetharam (who received three performance awards) and SESAC’s VP, Writer/Publisher Relations Linda Lorence Critelli.