BMI FETES ELFMAN, TOP FILM, TV COMPOSERS & SONGWRITERS

Just a night after BMI celebrated its 50^th annual Pop Awards with a gala affair at the Regency Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills to honor rock icons Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Little Richard, the performing rights org returned to the scene to fete film and TV composers and songwriters.

More than 65 awards were handed out by Preston and BMI VP Film/TV Relations Doreen Ringer Ross, including an Outstanding Career Achievement nod to Spider-Man composer Danny Elfman.

Elfman was praised by directors like Tim Burton and Sam Raimi. Raimi, who worked with Elfman on Spider-Man, said the composer "gently carries the audience to that next place—but he allows them to do the work. He has the unique ability to create a soul to his music. When you listen to his music and the diversity of it and how successful it is with images, I don’t know if there’s a better word to describe him than genius."

Others receiving nods included veteran John Williams, who nabbed four (including one for Harry Potter, Jurassic Park III, A.I. and the 2002 Winter Olympics Games); Mike Post, who had three (Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU and NYPD Blue), and David Newman with two (Ice Age and Dr. Dolittle II).

Recording artists who earned awards included BT (The Fast and the Furious), Moby (2002 Winter Olympics), Paul Oakenfold (Swordfish), David Holmes (Ocean’s 11) and Bob & Mark Mothersbaugh (Rugrats).

This year marked the first time BMI presented Cable Television Music Awards, as well, which included Howlin’ Wolf (The Sopranos), Douglas Cuomo (Sex and the City), Michael Kamen (Band of Brothers) and Richard Marvin & Thomas Newman (Six Feet Under).