Nile Rodgers Appointed Chairman Of Songwriters Hall Of Fame

Chic co-founder, hit-maker and producer Nile Rodgers has been unanimously elected by the US Songwriters Hall Of Fame’s Board of Directors to serve as the organization’s chairman for the next three years. Rodgers – who was a Songwriter’s Hall of Fame inductee in 2016 – will succeed Philly soul architects Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff.

In a statement, Rodgers — currently preparing for the 14 September release of It’s About Time, Chic’s first new album in 26 years – said: “I am truly honored and beyond humbled to be elected by such an esteemed group as this illustrious board. I will try and serve with all my heart. I hope I can make you half as proud of me as I am to even sit in the room with you who’ve done so much for the furtherance of composition. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve the songwriting community.”

Other incoming Songwriters Hall Of Fame officers include Senior Vice President David Israelite, Secretary Mary Jo Mennella and Deputy Secretary April Anderson, while the new Board of Directors includes Robbin Ahrold, Martin Bandier, Caroline Bienstock, Desmond Child, Linda Lorence Critelli, Charlie Feldman, Fletcher Foster, Randy Grimmett, John Josephson, Evan Lamberg, Nancy Munoz, Matt Pincus, Jon Platt, Irwin Robinson, Don Schlitz, Karen Sherry, John Titta and Paul Williams. Linda Moran remains President and CEO, alongside CFO and Treasurer Tom Kelly and Senior Vice Presidents Beth Matthews and Mike O’Neill.

“Nile is respected and admired by his fans and his peers alike for his multi/cross-genre music and for being a musical pioneer,” Linda Moran said in her own statement. “More importantly, Nile’s eloquence in talking about songwriting and its process makes him the ideal voice for the songwriting community as Chairman of the SHOF.”

As a songwriter and producer, Nile Rodgers has been responsible not only for era-defining Chic singles such as ‘Le Freak’ and ‘Good Times’ but also hits for Sister Sledge, Diana Ross, David Bowie, Madonna, INXS, Duran Duran and Daft Punk. In 2017 he received an Award for Musical Excellence from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Format: UK English