LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — A new Songwriters Hall of Fame Gallery will debut later this month at The Grammy Museum in the L.A. Live complex in Downtown Los Angeles. The grand opening will involve a series of special events highlighting the cultural contributions of songwriters and the relationship between the areas of songwriting and recording.
The SHOF Gallery will feature video highlights from annual SHOF awards and induction ceremonies, as well as information on all SHOF inductees and honorees. Additionally, interactive songwriting collaboration kiosks will allow Gallery visitors to try their hand at songwriting with Hall of Famers like Hal David and Desmond Child–the first two collaborators scheduled participate.
Hal David, of Burt Bacharach is SHOF chairman and CEO. "This is the start of the realization of our longtime dream of a bricks and mortar presence for our Hall of Fame," he says according to the press release.
Up until now the SHOF has had a Virtual Museum at its website; it displays inductee exhibits and other sections highlighting the induction ceremonies and "Songwriters Friends," i.e., singers.
David will host the Oct. 19 ribbon-cutting ceremony with Recording Academy president/CEO Neil Portnow and Grammy Museum executive director Bob Santelli. The event will feature a Songwriting Legends-in-the-Round performance at the Museum’s Clive Davis Theater featuring SHOF inductees performing their hits including David, Lamont Dozier, Mac Davis, Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson and Paul Williams.
On Oct. 20, SHOF inductee Jimmy Webb ("MacArthur Park," "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Wichita Lineman") will be interviewed by journalist Paul Grein, and will perform selections from his hit catalog in the Davis Theater. The following day, a "Master Class" conducted by songwriting husband-and-wife team, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil ("You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," "On Broadway") will be held in the theater. –by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
