Day 1 of The 10th Annual ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO

Paul Williams, Ingrid Michaelson, Valerie Simpson, Richard Marx, Kevin Cronin, Toby Gad, Hanson, Goapele, Santigold, Chris Taylor (Grizzly Bear) Top The Bill At Day 1 of The 10th Annual ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO

HOLLYWOOD – APRIL 30: From left, Valerie Simpson, Kevin Cronin, Mike Reid, Isaac Hanson, Zac Hanson, and Taylor Hanson at the “I Create Music” Center Stage at the 2015 ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO at OHM Nightclub on April 30, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Tonya Wise/PictureGroup)

Thursday, April 30

The 10th Annual “I Create Music” EXPO got rolling with a packed ballroom for ASCAP’s General Annual Membership Meeting.  ASCAP President Paul Williams, CEO Elizabeth Matthews and EVP of Membership John Titta talked about ASCAP’S 2014’s successes and urged members to speak out for their rights in what is a challenging climate for songwriter copyrights.

Then it was on to the “We Create Music” panel which offered career perspectives from six very different songwriters: Chris Taylor of indie favorites Grizzly Bear, hit songwriter Toby Gad, songwriter Claudia Brant, hip-hop and R&B producer No I.D., composer and ASCAP Shirley Walker Award winner Deborah Lurie and Grammy award-winning songwriter/producer Richard Marx.

HOLLYWOOD – APRIL 30: ASCAP EVP Creative Services John Titta, and from left, ASCAP VP Pop/Rock, Membership Marc Emert-Hutner, REVOLT TV’s Amrit Singh, and songwriters Claudia Brant, Toby Gad, Deborah Lurie, Richard Marx, and No I.D. at the We Create Music panel at the 2015 ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO at the Loews Hollywood Hotel on April 30, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Tonya Wise/PictureGroup)

“Hit Songwriters: In It To Win It” was a rare gathering of some of today’s chart-topping songwriters.  Kevin Kadish (“All About That Bass” – Meghan Trainor), Greg Kurstin (“Heartbeat Song” – Kelly Clarkson), William Larsen (“Am I Wrong” – Nico & Vinz), Jesse Shatkin (“Chandelier” – Sia) and Sevyn Streeter (“Yeah 3x” – Chris Brown) discussed what it takes to break through and get your music heard by the right people.

The “Women Behind The Music” panel featured Goapele, Faith Newman, Santigold and Sevyn Streeter, where they shared their experiences in navigating the modern music industry with panel moderator, Erica Grayson.

Singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson performed some of her best-known songs including “The Way I Am” and “Girls Chase Boys” in a Master Session hosted by ASCAP Editor-in-Chief Erik Philbrook.

HOLLYWOOD – APRIL 30: Ingrid Michaelson performs during The Way I Am: Master Session with Ingrid Michaelson in Story and Song at the 2015 ASCAP ‘I Create Music’ EXPO at the Loews Hollywood Hotel on April 30, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup)

 And last night, EXPO attendees were treated to an intimate, “in-the-round” performance of ASCAP songwriters performing some of their best-loved and classic songs:  Hanson (Weird” with special guest, Desmond Child, and “MMMBop”), Mike Reid (“I Can’t Make You Love Me”), Valerie Simpson (“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”) and Kevin Cronin (“Time For Me To Fly”).