The National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) today announced at its Annual Meeting in New York the unprecedented addition of two songwriters to its Board of Directors.
Liz Rose and
Ross Golan will now sit on the NMPA Board and take part in guiding the NMPA's mission of protecting and advancing music publishers and songwriters.
"The addition of two songwriters to our board is one of the most significant and meaningful changes to NMPA's leadership in its 102-year history," said NMPA President & CEO David Israelite. "NMPA has always represented the songwriting community as the partners of music publishers and that partnership has been on full display through our two most recent victories in the Copyright
Royalty Board and with the signing of the Music Modernization Act. Neither of these triumphs could have been achieved without our work alongside songwriters and our partnership with the organizations who represent them."
Israelite added, "I am thrilled that the NMPA Board of Directors unanimously agreed to amend our Bylaws to add two songwriters, and I am even more thrilled that those songwriters are
Liz Rose and
Ross Golan, both of whom have been immeasurably important in our mutual mission to realize the true value of songs."
Among the evenings honorees was
Ryan Tedder who was presented with the NMPA Songwriter Icon Award as well as the rare
Diamond Award for "Counting Stars" presented by RIAA Chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier with NMPA President & CEO David Israelite. Tedder holds the most certifications of any NMPA Icon with 27 Gold & Platinum verified hits.
"On top of being a record-breaking songwriter, artist and producer,
Ryan Tedder is an activist," said Israelite. "Last year he proved to be one of the most vocal and impactful forces behind the passage of the Music Modernization Act. Quite honestly, we couldn't have done it without him, and we all owe him a debt not just for his songwriting but also for his advocacy on behalf of all people who make music."
When accepting his Icon award, Tedder said, "I'm not the most political songwriter or musician out there, but I know unfairness when I see it. One of my proudest accomplishments in the last year more than any song I've written or any award I received - was doing my small part to help push the passage of the Music Modernization Act through Congress."
