LOS ANGELES, CA (CelebrityAccess) – The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) has unveiled its traveling exhibit, The Power of Song: A Songwriters Hall of Fame Exhibit, which will be on display at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles (LA) now through September 4.
Curated by the museum in partnership with SHOF, the exhibit puts a spotlight on the art of songwriting, celebrating the work and legacy of inductees into the Hall and other renowned songwriters who have received the esteemed Johnny Mercer Award and Hal David Starlight Award presented to gifted young songwriters.
The exhibit debuted in June 2022 at the CUNY Graduate Center in NYC, where it was on display for a month. Due to the success and mass of support from across the music industry sector, the SHOF Board of Directors continued collaboration to broaden the scope for the launch in LA at the Grammy Museum.
Expansive murals and educational panels showcase a songwriting timeline from 1828 to the present, explaining the business of songwriting and showcasing all the HoF inductees and award winners. In addition, a SHOF original film and several displays which the creative process in interviews with Jimmy Jam, Toby Keith, Alan Menken, Carole King, Diane Warren, and more.
Visitors to the exhibit can get a rare look at hundreds of never-before-seen artifacts related to popular songs that make up a part of the American music treasure. Highlights include:
ORIGINAL LYRICS/SCORES/SHEET MUSIC
- The exhibit features masterworks created by some of the world’s most prolific songwriters, including the original handwritten lyrics, scores, or sheet music for Diane Warren’s song “How Do I Live,” Mariah Carey’s “Fly Like A Bird,” Steve Miller’s “Fly Like An Eagle,” Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time,” Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel’s “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” It also includes: Alan Menken’s production notes for “Little Shop of Horrors” and spotting notes with musical cues for the “The Little Mermaid”; Billy Steinberg’s lyrics for “True Colors,” “Like A Virgin,” and “Eternal Flame”; Tom Petty’s lyrics for “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” and “Into the Great White Open”; Alan and Marilyn Bergman’s lyrics for “Papa Can You Hear Me”; and a multitude of other items from the iconic Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, Jackie DeShannon, Lamont Dozier, Gerry Goffin, Holly Knight, John Mellencamp, Smokey Robinson, Carole Bayer Sager, James Taylor, Allee Willis, Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds, and Taylor Swift among many others.
INSTRUMENTS
- Instruments on display include legendary lyricist Sammy Cahn’s typewriter, Irving Berlin’s transposing upright piano, Stevie Wonder’s harmonica, Bill Wither’s acoustic guitar, Jimmy Jam’s keytar and Terry Lewis’ bass guitar and drum machine, John Mellencamp and Tom Petty’s acoustic guitars, Allee Willis’ Casio keyboard, Benny Blanco’s keyboard, Halsey’s acoustic guitar, Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White And Blue” guitar, and more.
RARE AND PERSONAL ARTIFACTS/PHOTOS
- Historic photos of hitmakers from decades of SHOF induction and awards galas are on display, along with many of their personal artifacts such as: an extensive array of SHOF founder Johnny Mercer’s memorabilia; Paul Williams’ Best Original Song Academy Award for “Evergreen (Love Theme from ‘A Star Is Born’)”; Jimmy Webb’s cherished copy of “The Complete Rhyming Dictionary”; Billy Steinberg’s cassette demo of “True Colors”; a number of Henry Mancini’s Grammy awards, including the award for Song of the Year for “Moon River” (which he co-wrote with Mercer for Audrey Hepburn in the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s), and many more. There are also notable red-carpet outfits and signature clothing items featured that have been worn by SHOF Chairman Nile Rodgers, Annie Lennox, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Jimmy Webb, Brian Wilson, Allee Willis, John Legend, Ne-Yo, and others.
The Grammy Museum is open from 11 am – 5 pm PT (Mon. Wed. – Fri. & Sun), and 1a am – 6 pm PT on Saturday. The museum is closed on Tuesdays.
