Steve Miller, The Isley Brothers To Be Inducted Into 2020 Songwriters Hall Of Fame
Eurythmics, Mariah Carey, Rick Nowels, The Neptunes and Motown’s William ‘Mickey’ Stevenson are also included in the Class of 2020.
Steve Miller, the Isley Brothers, Eurythmics, Mariah Carey, Rick Nowels, The Neptunes and William “Mickey” Stevenson were named as the 2020 Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees on CBS This Morning today.
Miller, the widely-acclaimed blues guitarist and songwriter, had a run of hits in the 70s and early 80s, including ‘The Joker’, ‘Abracadabra’ and ‘Swingtown.’ The Steve Miller Band’s Greatest Hits 1974-78 album has sold 14 million copies.
“I want to thank Nile Rogers and Linda Moran and the board and all the members of the Songwriters Hall Of Fame who voted for me and express my appreciation for the music education programs they run”, Steve Miller said in an official statement. “The Songwriters Hall Of Fame provides song writing and music programs at NYU and USC as well as providing Individual scholarships.
“Writing songs and playing music has been a wonderful life for me and to be inducted into a hall where Merle Haggard, Willie Dixon, Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, and Paul McCartney are in the room is an unexpected honour and I’m delighted and grateful.”
The Isley Brothers broke in back in 1959 with ‘Shout.’ O’Kelly, Rudolph and Ronald Isley also wrote the Grammy winning ‘It’s Your Thing.’ Younger brothers Ernie and Marvin Isley and brother-in-law Chris Jasper later joined the band.
Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart formed the Eurythmics in London in 1980. Their hits include ‘Sweet Dreams’, ‘Thorn In My Side’ and ‘Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves’.
With 19 number one hits, more than any other solo artist, Mariah Carey is known for her five-octave range, she also co-wrote most of her hits, including ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You,’ which hit No. 1 in the US just last month.
Nowels co-wrote the number one hit ‘Heaven is a Place on Earth,’ sung by Belinda Carlisle. He also co-wrote ‘White Flag’ with Dido and a series of hits with Lana Del Rey.
Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, professionally known as The Neptunes, are among the most successful producers of all time, co-writing hits for Nelly (‘Hot in Here’), Britney Spears (‘I’m a Slave 4 U’) and Justin Timberlake (‘Rock Your Body’).
The Motown smash “Dancing in the Street,” performed by Martha and the Vandellas, was co-written by Stevenson. He also co-wrote ‘It Takes Two’ for Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston, who he later married, and ‘Devil with a Blue Dress On’ for Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels.
All of the Songwriters Hall Of Fame inductees are expected to appear at the induction ceremony on June 11 in New York City.
Listen to the Best of Steve Miller Band on Apple Music and Spotify.
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