NEW YORK (ASCAP) - ASCAP President and Chairman Marilyn Bergman today announced that
Tom Petty will be a special guest at the ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 22. Given the unique nature of the first-ever conference devoted to songwriting and composing, Petty will be interviewed and then will answer questions from the audience of songwriters and composers.
Tom Petty is one of the most accomplished and respected songwriters in rock and roll history and has written some of the most memorable songs of his generation, including "American Girl," "Breakdown," "Refugee," "The Waiting," "You Don't Know How It Feels," "I Won't Back Down," "Free Fallin'," "Runnin' Down a Dream," and many more. Petty's music has been a fixture on the charts for three decades. He has received 16 Grammy nominations, and, along with his band the Heartbreakers, has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ASCAP presented its prestigious Golden Note Award to Petty in 1996. Last year, Petty's first biography, "Conversations with Tom Petty," was released, and he was presented with the Century Award, Billboard magazine's highest honor for creative achievement. This year, Tom Petty and the Hearbreakers, who will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of their self-titled debut, will headline the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, TN, on June 16.
Marilyn Bergman commented: "Tom Petty is one of rock's consummate craftsmen, and his music is beloved by fans around the world. As a master songwriter with a long and distinguished career, he has achieved commercial success and maintained artistic integrity in the music business like few others. His conversation with fellow writers at the ASCAP 'I Create Music' EXPO will be an inspiration and a highlight of the event."
Petty joins an unprecedented lineup of songwriters, composers and producers who will be participating at the EXPO, including Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Glen Ballard, Desmond Child, Hal David, Mike Elizondo, Michael Giacchino, James Newton Howard, Jimmy Jam, Johnny Mandel, Mary Mary, Rudy Perez, Linda Perry, Stephen Schwartz, Jimmy Webb, John Rich of Big & Rich, Jill Scott, Timbaland, Jaci Velasquez, and newly announced panelists Eric Bazilian, Dan Foliart, and many more. For a complete list of panelists, and more detailed information, go to www.ascap.com/expo.
The ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO, which takes place April 20-22, 2006, is the first and only national conference dedicated to songwriting and composing that is designed to bring together music creators with music industry professionals who want to work together to achieve greater success. All music creators, producers, publishers and executives, regardless of affiliation, will benefit from this unique creative event, which will be presented in a stimulating format designed to facilitate personal interaction, education and networking. Programs will include panels, workshops, master classes, keynotes, song critiquing, product displays, state-of-the-art technology demonstrations, performances, and more.
