Sir Tim Rice to receive BMI Award

11 September 2014 - Press release

Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI®), the global leader in music rights management, will nameinternationally-celebrated lyricist Sir Tim Rice a BMI Icon at its annual BMI London Awards. The gala will be held on Monday October 13th at London’s Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane. 

"Sir Tim Rice’s extraordinary creativity has given the world some of the most beloved songs of the past 50 years, sheer musical poetry that has thrilled audiences in films, musical theater and on chart-topping recordings” said BMI President and CEO Michael O’Neill. “He is one of our era’s most admired and respected lyricists, a leading author and sough-after commentator. We are immensely proud to honor him as a BMI ICON.”

Sir Tim Rice has had a colossal impact on record, stage and screen since 1965 when he met Andrew Lloyd Webber, a fellow struggling songwriter. Rather than pursue Tim’s ambitions to write rock or pop songs they turned their attention to Andrew’s obsession – musical theatre. Their first collaboration (lyrics by Tim, music by Andrew) was an unsuccessful show based on the life of Dr.Barnardo, the Victorian philanthropist, The Likes Of Us. Their next three works together were much more successful – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita. Tim has also worked with other distinguished popular composers such as Elton John (The Lion King, Aida), Alan Menken (Aladdin, King David, Beauty and the Beast), Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (Chess) and most recently, Stuart Brayson (From Here To Eternity).

He has won many awards, often, he says "for the wrong thing or for simply turning up.” Among them: three Best Song Oscars for “A Whole New World” (with Alan Menken) “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” (with Elton John) and “You Must Love Me” (with Andrew Lloyd Webber.  He has won Grammys, Golden Globes and 13 Ivor Novello Awards. He has been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and has a BASCA Fellowship, plus a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has been fortunate enough to see (and hear) his songs recorded by a galaxy of notable artists ranging from Elvis Presley to Mike Tyson. 

“I owe it all,” said Sir Tim, “to Tommy Steele, Lonnie Donegan, Billy Fury, Marty Wilde, Cliff Richard and Joe Brown.”

Hosted by BMI President and CEO Michael O’Neill; BMI Senior Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations Phil Graham and BMI Executive Director, Writer/Publisher Relations, Europe and Asia Brandon Bakshi, the BMI London Awards recognizes the U.K. and European songwriters and publishers of the past year’s most-performed songs on radio and television in the United States.