Awards

25 Jul 2024

The Best 2024 Premios Juventud Red Carpet Photos: See All the Looks

Black was the color of the night at the 2024 Premios Juventud red carpet on Thursday (July 25). Among the first to walk and pose was Anitta, who wore a crisscross halter top see-through black dress. Meanwhile, Domelipa wore a flowy black dress that was perfect for the hot and muggy weather in Puerto Rico.

Others that walked the red carpet included La India, also in black, who will perform alongside Anitta in a salsa tribute to Fania. Also in full black were Argentine hitmaker Emilia with a long, leather, tight black dress and Prince Royce, who arrived in a minimalistic, yet elegant two-piece accessorized with silver jewelry and chains.

Meanwhile, Lele Pons, one of the night’s hosts, arrived in a gorgeous metallic, cutout dress. Representing regional Mexican music, Joss Favela stood out with an off-white ensemble that included a tejana (cowboy hat) and pointy boots.

Others who walked the red carpet before the show included Fariana, Oscar De León, Mau y Ricky, Reik and Los Tigres del Norte, who made their debut at the awards show.

The 2024 Premios Juventud — a fan-voted awards show — is taking place at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and hosted by Lele Pons, Clarissa Molina and Wisin, For its 21st annual ceremony, Carín León, Maluma, Peso Pluma, Karol G and Shakira are among the most nominated acts. Meanwhile, Anitta, Los Tigres del Norte and Lele Pons each will receive an Agent of Change Award, which “recognizes and celebrates” young entrepreneurs and prominent stars who “selflessly contribute to creating a better world,” according to the awards show.

Here are the best photos of the artists on the red carpet as they arrived at the gala.

25 Jul 2024

Mercury Prize 2024: Charli XCX, The Last Dinner Party and Corinne Bailey Rae Lead Nominations

Charli XCX’s Brat was among the albums shortlisted for this year’s Mercury Prize on Thursday (July 25). It’s the second time that the recent Billboard Cover star – whose album recently charted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 – has been nominated for the prize, following a nod for 2020’s How I’m Feeling Now.

The Mercury Prize is awarded annually and celebrates the best of British and Irish music across a wide range of genres. The Last Dinner Party’s Prelude To Ecstasy, Beth Gibbons’ Lives Outgrown, Corinne Bailey Rae’s Black Rainbows and CMAT’s Crazymad, For Me are also up for the award. The winner will be announced in September.

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The shortlisted albums were announced at a launch event in London this morning. It follows the news that this year’s live event – traditionally held at the capital Eventim Apollo and featuring performances from the nominated acts – will not be taking place. Coverage across the BBC on TV, radio, online and social media will replace the usual live performance.

The announcement comes admidst a huge summer for Charli. Earlier this week, the pop star endorsed U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris following the news that President Joe Biden would not seek the Democratic nomination in this year’s U.S. presidential election. Fans on social media quickly spliced together clips of songs from Brat with footage of Harris, and the presumptive democratic party nominee changed the banner on her campaign’s X feed to the signature Brat green palette and font. In addition, talking heads on CNN, Fox News and late-night talk shows scrambled to clumsily explain this sudden explosion of memes to their audiences. In September, Charli will join Troye Sivan on a co-headline tour in the U.S. before a string of solo arena shows in the U.K. later this fall.

The Mercury Prize was first awarded in 1992. Recent winners include Ezra Collective (2023), Little Simz (2022), Arlo Parks (2021) and Michael Kiwanuka (2020). PJ Harvey, who won the prize in 2001 and 2011, and is the only artist to have won the award twice.

A panel of judges, chaired by Jeff Smith, head of music, Radio 2 & 6 Music, selects the winner and it also includes the following: Danielle Perry – broadcaster & writer; Jamie Cullum – musician & Radio 2 broadcaster; Jamz Supernova – 6 Music broadcaster & DJ; Lea Stonhill – music programming consultant;  Mistajam – songwriter, DJ & broadcaster; Phil Alexander – creative director, Kerrang!/contributing editor, Mojo; Sian Eleri – Radio 1 broadcaster & DJ; Will Hodgkinson – chief rock & pop critic, The Times; Sophie Williams – music writer & broadcaster.

Here’s the complete list of 2024 Mercury Prize album of the year nominees:

  • Barry Can’t Swim, When Will We Land?
  • BERWYN, Who Am I
  • Beth Gibbons, Lives Outgrown
  • Cat Burns, early twenties
  • Charli XCX, Brat
  • CMAT, Crazymad, for Me
  • Corinne Bailey Rae, Black Rainbows
  • corto.alto, Bad with Names
  • English Teacher, This Could Be Texas
  • Ghetts, On Purpose, With Purpose
  • Nia Archives, Silence Is Loud
  • The Last Dinner Party, Prelude to Ecstasy

24 Jul 2024

IBMA Reveals 2024 Industry Awards and Momentum Awards Nominees

The International Bluegrass Music Association has revealed the nominees for this year’s IBMA Industry Awards and IBMA Momentum Awards, which will be presented at the upcoming IBMA World of Bluegrass conference, slated for Sept. 24-28 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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The IBMA Industry Awards, which honor outstanding work in various disciplines including broadcasting, live events, graphic design, writing, photography, songwriting and sound engineering, will be awarded on Sept. 26, while the Momentum Awards, which recognize musicians and industry professionals who are offering considerable contributions to, or are having a significant influence on, the genre of bluegrass music, will be awarded on Sept. 25.

Nominees for the Momentum Awards are selected by committees made up of top bluegrass musicians and industry leaders. The Industry Awards nominations are chosen through appointed committees made up of bluegrass music professionals, with each recipient being decided on by the panel of electors, an anonymous group of veteran bluegrass music professionals selected by the IBMA Board of Directors.

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These nominations follow the recent IBMA Awards nominations announcement, led by bluegrass artist nominees including Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Authentic Unlimited and Sister Sadie. The 35th annual IBMA Music Awards will be held Sept. 26 during the 2024 IBMA World of Bluegrass in Raleigh, North Carolina.

See the full slate of nominees below:

Writer of the year

Stacy Chandler

Garret K. Woodward

David Menconi

Craig Havighurst

Bill Amatneek

Event of the year

Bluegrass in La Roche, La Roche-sur-Foron, France

Doc at 100, Various locations

Earl Scruggs Music Festival, Mill Spring, North Carolina

High Mountain Hay Fever, Westcliffe, Colorado

Industrial Strength Bluegrass Festival, Wilmington, Ohio

Sound engineer of the year

Ben Surratt

Clay Miller

David Glasser

Dewey Boyd

Scott Barnett

Songwriter of the year

Carley Arrowood

David Stewart

Jerry Cole

Milan Miller

Rick Faris

Broadcaster of the year

Barb Heller

Cindy Baucom

Matt Hutchinson

Michelle Lee

Peter Thompson

Graphic designer of the year

Gina Dilg

Grace van’t Hof

Hannah Tatum Norris

Heather Moulder

Rebekah Speer

Liner notes of the year

Daniel Mullins, Industrial Strength Bluegrass – Southwestern Ohio’s Musical Legacy [Expanded Vinyl Edition]

Daniel Mullins, Lonesome State of Mind – Blue Highway

Ted Olson, Nothing But Green Willow – The Songs of Mary Sands and Jane Gentry – Martin Simpson and Thomm Jutz

Photographer of the year

Jay Strausser

Jeff Fasano

Jeromie Stephens

Laci Mack

Madison Thorn

Band

DownRiver Collective

Jackson Hollow

JigJam

Jake Leg

The Price Sisters

Industry involvement

Katie Kirchner

Austin Scelzo

Joe Dan Cornett

Josh Ulbrich

Mary Beth Martin

Instrumentalist

Anthony Howell

Wyatt Ellis

Bailey Warren

Gibson Davis

Sam Stage

Steven Moore

Dylan McCarthy

Mentor

Louisa Branscomb

Scott Napier

Tony Watt

Rick Lang

Ruth McLain Smith

Vocalist

Ali Vance

Adam Miller

Heather Berry Mabe

Carly Greer

Caroline Owens

24 Jul 2024

Eminem Tops 7 Billion U.K. Streams, Receives Brit Billion Award

Eminem could tweak the lyric of one of his most famous hits to “Love the Way You Stream.” The American rapper has received a Brit Billion Award by the BPI, which represents the U.K.’s leading music companies. The award recognizes artists who have achieved more than one billion U.K. career streams – a mark that Eminem has met seven times over. He has reached seven billion U.K. streams, as calculated by the Official Charts Company.

Fifteen of Eminem’s songs have been certified multiplatinum in the U.K. His top three most streamed hits – “Without Me,” the Oscar-winning “Lose Yourself” and “Love the Way You Lie” featuring Rihanna — have accumulated more than 770 million U.K. streams.

Eminem has amassed 11 No. 1 hits on the Official U.K. Singles chart and 11 No. 1 albums on the Official U.K. Albums chart. (By way of comparison, he has landed five No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and 11 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200.)

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A total of 39 artists have been recognized with a Brit Billion award. The roster includes global icons such as Green Day, The Rolling Stones, Queen, ABBA and Whitney Houston; pioneering rap and hip-hop artists including AJ Tracey and Headie One; and chart-dominating pop artists and singer-songwriters, including Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Camila Cabello, Lewis Capaldi and Raye. 

The Brit Billion award, which officially launched in 2023, reflects the extent to which streaming has transformed the music landscape over the past decade. More than 85% of the U.K.’s recorded music consumption now takes place through streaming. In 2023 there were a record 180 billion audio streams in the U.K. In the U.K., more than 2,000 artists now annually amass at least 10 million audio streams, while more than 10,000 artists are streamed over a million times.

24 Jul 2024

Brandon Lake Leads Nominees for 2024 GMA Dove Awards

Brandon Lake leads this year’s slate of nominees for the Gospel Music Association’s upcoming 55th annual GMA Dove Awards, picking up 16 nominations, including artist of the year. The nominations were announced Wednesday morning (July 24).

Lake will compete in the artist of the year category against “Strong” hitmaker Anne Wilson, “That’s My King” hitmaker CeCe Winans, “Unsung Hero” singers for King & Country and “Thank God I Do” singer Lauren Daigle. Lake also earned four nods in the song of the year category, as well as nods in the worship recorded song of the year category, while his project Coat of Many Colors is nominated for pop/contemporary album of the year.

Other top nominees this year include writer-producer Jeff Pardo (11 nominations), Chris Brown (10), Chandler Moore (10), writer-producer Jonathan Smith (10), CeCe Winans (five) and Naomi Raine (five).

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Among this year’s slate of nominations is a new category: Spanish language worship recorded song of the year. The inaugural nominees in the category are “Alaba” (Elevation Worship, Elevation Español, Unified Sound), “Hermoso Momento (Sesión Acústica)” (Kairo Worship), “Holy Forever (Español)” (Chris Tomlin, Miel San Marcos), “Tu Amor No Tiene Fin (Correr A Tus Brazos)” (Generación 12, Gateway Worship Español) and “Tu Presencia Es Mi Jardín” (Daniel Calveti, Melody Adorno).

Hosted by Tauren Wells, whose project Joy in the Morning (Horizon Edition) is nominated for pop/contemporary album of the year, the 55th annual GMA Dove Awards will be held Oct. 1 at the Allen Arena at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, and will air exclusively on TBN and TBN+, and simulcast on SiriusXM The Message, on Friday, Oct. 4, at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET.

“I love this moment each year when we get to announce our nominees,” GMA president Jackie Patillo said in a statement. “The Dove Awards are about spreading the message in our music with the world and honoring the work of the amazing artists, songwriters, producers, and film & TV creators in our great community. I’m thrilled for this year’s nominees and can’t wait to celebrate in October.”

The theme for the 55th annual GMA Dove Awards is Unite the Song, with Wells saying via a statement, “Unite the song is a heart cry for God’s people to come together in unity. We get to come together out of our individual corners, from each different stream within the church, to unite around this one song, holy holy holy is the Lord God Almighty.”

This year’s nominees were selected from more than 2,500 submitted entries and voted on by the GMA professional membership. Final-round voting for the GMA Dove Awards will run from Aug. 1 through Aug. 8. The 55th annual GMA Dove Awards are produced by the Gospel Music Association, with Patillo and Justin Fratt serving as showrunners and executive producers, alongside Curtus Stoneberger and Paul Wright as producers. Russell E. Hall returns as director, Michael Nolan as scriptwriter, Scott Moore and Go Live Productions as production manager.

See a list of GMA Dove Awards nominees in top categories below. For the full list of GMA Dove Awards nominees in all categories, visit gospelmusic.org.

Artist of the year

Anne Wilson

Brandon Lake

CeCe Winans

for KING + COUNTRY

Lauren Daigle

Song of the year

“All Things” (Writer) Kirk Franklin

“Firm Foundation (He Won’t)” (Writers) Cody Carnes, Austin Davis, Chandler Moore

“Holy Forever” (Writers) Jason Ingram, Chris Tomlin, Brian Johnson, Jenn Johnson, Phil Wickham 

“I Believe It (The Life Of Jesus)” (Writers) Daniel Carson, David Leonard, Jess Cates, Jon Reddick, Jonathan Smith

“More Than Able” (Writers) Chandler Moore, Ben Fielding, Steven Furtick, Naomi Raine

“Praise” (Writers) Chandler Moore, Brandon Lake, Steven Furtick, Chris Brown, Cody Carnes, Pat Barrett

“Praise You Anywhere” (Writers) Brandon Lake, Ben Fielding, Jacob Sooter, Hank Bentley

“Thank God I Do” (Writers) Lauren Daigle, Jason Ingram, P!nk, Jeffrey Bhasker, Nate Ruess

“This Is Our God” (Writers) Phil Wickham, Steven Furtick, Brandon Lake, Pat Barrett

“Trust In God” (Writers) Brandon Lake, Steven Furtick, Chris Brown, Mitch Wong

New artist of the year

Charity Gayle

Forrest Frank

Josiah Queen

Seph Schlueter

Terrian

Rap/hip hop recorded song of the year

“Hard Work God First” – Zauntee

“IGWT” – Jon Keith, KB

“In The Light” – Wande

“Love Like That” – Hulvey (ft. Torey D’Shaun, Alex Jean)

“Miracles” – KB, Lecrae

Pop/contemporary recorded song of the year

“Any More” – CAIN

“Counting My Blessings” – Seph Schlueter

“GOOD DAY” – Forrest Frank

“Strong” – Anne Wilson

“The Prodigal” – Josiah Queen

Bluegrass/country/roots recorded song of the year

“If I Got Jesus” – Ben Fuller

“Lookin’ For You” Zach Williams ft. Dolly Parton

“Man On The Middle Cross” – Rhett Walker

“Praying Woman” – Anne Wilson (ft. Lainey Wilson)

“tell the devil” – Joseph Habedank

Traditional gospel recorded song of the year

“Burdens Down (Live)” – Tasha Cobbs Leonard

“God Is (Radio Edit)” – Melvin Crispell III

“I Believe God” – Jekalyn Carr

“In My Name” – Smokie Norful

“When I Think (Live)” – Ricky Dillard

Gospel worship recorded song of the year

“All Yours” – Kierra Sheard (ft. Anthony Brown)

“Fill The Room” – Michael Bethany

“Lead Us Again” – DOE

“That’s My King” – CeCe Winans

“The Story I’ll Tell (Live)” – Naomi Raine

Worship recorded song of the year

“Firm Foundation (He Won’t) (Live)” – Cody Carnes

“I Believe” – Phil Wickham

“Praise” – Elevation Worship (ft. Brandon Lake, Chris Brown & Chandler Moore)

“Praise You Anywhere” – Brandon Lake

“Trust In God” – Elevation Worship (ft. Chris Brown)

Pop/contemporary album of the year

COAT OF MANY COLORS – Brandon Lake

Jesus Music – CAIN

Joy In The Morning (Horizon Edition) – Tauren Wells

Lauren Daigle – Lauren Daigle

Unsung Hero: The Inspired By Soundtrack – for KING + COUNTRY

Gospel worship album of the year

Cover The Earth (Live in New York) – Naomi Raine

More Than This – CeCe Winans

Overflow – Michael Bethany

The Journey – Todd Dulaney

The Maverick Way Complete – Maverick City Music

Spanish language recorded song of the year

“Amén” – Nacho (ft. Gilberto Daza, Alex Zurdo)

“Babel” – Un Corazón

“Danza” – KB, Niko Eme & Cardec Drums

“Donante de Sangre” – Daddy Yankee

“Tantas Historias” – Christine D’Clario

Spanish language worship recorded song of the year (New Category)

“Alaba” – Elevation Worship, Elevation Español, Unified Sound

“Hermoso Momento (Sesión Acústica)” – Kairo Worship

“Holy Forever (Español)” – Chris Tomlin, Miel San Marcos

“Tu Amor No Tiene Fin (Correr A Tus Brazos)” – Generación 12, Gateway Worship Español

“Tu Presencia Es Mi Jardín” – Daniel Calveti, Melody Adorno

Southern gospel recorded song of the year

“Here Comes Jesus” – Jeff & Sheri Easter (ft. Mo Pitney)

“Make the Morning Worth the Midnight” – Gaither Vocal Band

“Sheaves (Dedicated to Isabel)” – Karen Peck & New River

“Unstoppable God” – Kingsmen

“Until We Fly Away” – Ernie Haase & Signature Sound

Feature film of the year

Unsung Hero

Sound of Freedom

Journey To Bethlehem

Ordinary Angels

The Blind

Television series of the year

Chasing CAIN

When Calls The Heart

The Wingfeather Saga

Jonathan & Jesus

God. Family. Football.

23 Jul 2024

Will Beyonce & Taylor Swift Face Off for Album of the Year at 2025 Grammys?

Taylor Swift and Beyoncé have faced off in the album of the year category at the Grammys just one time, when Swift’s Fearless won out over Bey’s I Am… Sasha Fierce at the 2010 ceremony. The duo could meet again on Feb. 2, 2025, if The Tortured Poets Department and Cowboy Carter receive album of the year nominations.

So what are their chances? On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast (listen below), Katie & Keith are chatting about the just-released 2025 Grammy predictions from Billboard awards editor Paul Grein. Taylor and Beyoncé aren’t the only contenders, of course: Grein also thinks Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Chappell Roan, Chris Stapleton, Tyla and Sabrina Carpenter (with an album that isn’t even out yet!) could join them among the eight nominees.

We chat about all the Big Four categories — also including record and song of the year and best new artist — on the new pod, which you can check out here:

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Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on how Eminem lands his 11th No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, how Taylor Swift’s Tortured Poets Department is, for the first time in its 13 weeks of release, not No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and how Katy Perry’s new single arrives on multiple charts while she’s already teasing a new, different song.

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)

23 Jul 2024

2024 Premios Juventud: All the Performers & How to Watch

The 2024 Premios Juventud is just around the corner, and as tradition holds, the event will recognize artists and young people for their “extraordinary accomplishments in society, celebrating music, new artists, community and creators,” according to a press release.

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This year’s nominations are led by top nominees Maluma, Carin Leon and Peso Pluma with seven nods each. They are followed by Karol G and Shakira with six nominations; Becky G and Grupo Frontera with five nominations; and up for four awards each are Bad Bunny, Bizarrap, Farruko, Feid, Fuerza Regida, Manuel Turizo and Ozuna.

In addition, the fan-voted event will give prominence to “creators,” figures who “lead on social media, by introducing new award categories to spotlight those who are making significant waves in la cultura.”

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Anitta, Los Tigres del Norte, and Lele Pons are set to receive the coveted “Agent of Change” recognition, celebrating young entrepreneurs and prominent stars who selflessly contribute to creating a better world. The first two acts are also confirmed to take center stage during the awards show.

Who else is set to perform and how can you watch? See all the information below:

How to Watch

The awards ceremony will be broadcast live on Univision on July 25 at 7 p.m. ET from the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, and will be hosted by Lele Pons, Clarissa Molina and Wisin. It will also be available to stream on ViX. 

Performers

  • Anitta
  • Camila
  • Chris Jedi
  • Corina Smith
  • Darell
  • DJ Adoni
  • Ela Taubert
  • Emilia
  • Farruko
  • Gaby Music
  • Ivy Queen
  • Izaak
  • Joss Favela
  • La India
  • Lenny Tavárez
  • Los Ángeles Azules
  • Los Esquivel
  • Los Tigres Del Norte
  • Luar La L
  • Luis Figueroa
  • Lunay
  • Mau y Ricky
  • Natti Natasha
  • Omar Courtz
  • Oscar D’León
  • Prince Royce
  • Reik
  • Sergio George
  • Tito Puente, Jr.
  • Tony Succar
  • Wisin
  • Yovngchimi

23 Jul 2024

Will The Rolling Stones Win a Grammy for ‘Hackney Diamonds’?

The Rolling Stones have been known as the world’s greatest rock and roll band for six decades, but Grammy voters were shamefully late in getting on board. The Stones weren’t nominated in any category until the 1979 ceremony, when Some Girls was nominated for album of the year.

How could that be? How could such classic albums as Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main St. have been completely ignored – not to mention such landmark singles as “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “Honky Tonk Women” and “Brown Sugar”?

One reason is that Grammy voters in ’60s and ’70s were resistant to rock, favoring pop and what we now call traditional pop. (Nowadays, Grammy voters love rock and have been slow to embrace hip-hop. Resistance to the new and different is often a byproduct of institutional voting.)

The Beatles landed five consecutive album of the year nominations in the ’60s, but The Beatles were more in line with Grammy tastes. They were more often on the pop side of pop/rock, and Lennon/McCartney’s songwriting was more rooted in traditional songcraft.

Another reason The Stones were left out for so long was the Grammys didn’t have performance categories dedicated to rock until 1990 – and didn’t have a best rock album category until 1995. (Fittingly, The Stones were the first winner of the latter award.)

Since Grammy voters belatedly discovered The Stones, the band has fared pretty well in the nominations. They won a Grammy (best traditional blues album) for their previous studio album, High & Lonesome. Their three studio albums before that were each nominated for best rock album.

The band’s 2023 album Hackney Diamonds, which was mostly produced by Andrew Watt, has an excellent chance of landing a best rock album nod and an outside chance of landing an album of the year nod. “Angry,” the album’s opening track and lead single, was nominated for best rock song at the ceremony in February. The 2025 nominations will be announced on Nov. 8. The awards will be presented on Feb. 2, 2025.

Watt (profiled here) has his own following in Grammyland – he won producer of the year, non-classical in 2021, which makes him the most recent producer not named Jack Antonoff to win that award. Watt, who is just 33, wasn’t even born when The Stones’ Steel Wheels album was released in 1989.

Look and see how The Stones have fared in the Grammy nominations since 1979, the year Grammy voters first invited them to the party. The year show is the year of the Grammy ceremony.

22 Jul 2024

Jerry Fuller, Songwriter-Producer Whose Hits Spanned Decades & Genres, Dies at 85

Jerry Fuller, who wrote and/or produced hits that spanned decades and genres, died of lung cancer on Thursday (July 18) at his home in Sherman Oaks, Calif. He was 85.

Fuller wrote two songs that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100: Ricky Nelson’s “Travelin’ Man” in 1961 and Al Wilson’s “Show and Tell” in 1974. He also produced the latter song, which in addition to topping the Hot 100 reached No. 10 on what was then known as Billboard‘s Best Selling Soul Singles.

He also wrote Nelson’s “A Wonder Like You,” his follow-up to “Travelin’ Man,” which reached No. 11 on the Hot 100, as well as two subsequent Nelson singles that went top 10: “Young World” (No. 5) and “It’s Up to You” (No. 6).

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Fuller had another solid run of hits in 1968 with Gary Puckett & the Union Gap. He wrote the group’s punchy pop hits “Young Girl” and “Lady Willpower,” which spent a combined five weeks at No. 2 on the Hot 100, and the mellower, adult contemporary-oriented “Over You,” which reached No. 7. All three of those singles went gold.

“What can I say about a guy whose vision defined my musical identity and destiny,” Puckett said in a statement in the wake of Fuller’s death. “What can ANYONE say about a man who gave SO much to SO many through his talents and efforts in the world of music. Thank you, Jerry! The world was a better place with you in it.”

Fuller was born in Fort Worth, Texas on Nov. 19, 1938, and moved to Los Angeles in early 1959. In 1960, while touring with The Champs (best known for their 1958 smash “Tequila”), Fuller got to know Glen Campbell, who remained a lifelong friend.

Early in his career, Fuller worked as a demo singer, which led to a recording and songwriting contract with Gene Autry’s Four Star Music and Challenge Records.

Fuller had four Hot 100 hits as an artist from 1959-61, the highest-charting of which (a rockabilly cover version of the standard “Tennessee Waltz”) reached No. 61. But he had far more success working with other artists. He originally wrote “Travelin’ Man” for Sam Cooke — it has the pop flavor of such Cooke hits of the period as “Only Sixteen,” “Wonderful World” and Cupid” — but it made its way to Nelson instead.

Fuller was unique among writer/producers in that he also produced songs he didn’t write, including O.C. Smith’s recording of Bobby Russell’s “Little Green Apples,” which reached No. 2 on both the Hot 100 and Billboard‘s Best Selling Rhythm & Blues Singles (as the chart was then known) in 1968.

He also produced but did not write Gary Puckett & the Union Gap’s breakthrough hit “Woman, Woman” (which was written by Jim Glaser and Jimmy Payne); Mark Lindsay’s solo hits “Arizona” and “Silver Bird” (which were written by Kenny Young, the latter in tandem with Artie Butler); and The Knickerbockers’ 1965 hit “Lies” (which was written by Beau Charles and Buddy Randell).

The power-pop hit “Lies,” which has the energy of Beatles hits of the era, also underscores Fuller’s range. From power-pop to ballads; from pop/soul to country, his hits defied easy categorization.

In the early ’90s, Fuller co-produced (with John Hobbs) Collin Raye’s “Love, Me,” which topped Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs for three weeks in early 1992. The song brought Raye, Fuller and Hobbs a nomination for single of the year at the 1991 CMA Awards.

Elsewhere, Fuller also wrote numerous country hits for Ray Price, including “That’s All She Wrote,” “To Make a Long Story Short” and “Feet.”

In the 1970s, Fuller formed his own companies, Moonchild Productions In. and Fullness Music Company.

Fuller was never personally nominated for a Grammy, though some of the records he worked on were. And, somewhat surprisingly, he was not inducted into either the Songwriters Hall of Fame or the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. But he wrote and/or produced many songs that are fondly remembered.

Fuller is survived by his wife, the former Annette Smerigan, and their two children, Adam Lee and Anna Nicole.

22 Jul 2024

Now That the Apollo Has Been Selected, What’s the Next Concert Venue That Deserves a Kennedy Center Honor?

Last week, the Apollo theater in Harlem was selected as the first venue to receive a Kennedy Center Honor. The Apollo will receive a special award as an iconic American institution, right alongside the four individuals who are being honored — Bonnie Raitt; Grateful Dead; jazz trumpeter, pianist, and composer Arturo Sandoval; and filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola.

The prestigious honors will be presented on Dec. 8 at a ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. CBS will broadcast the two-hour program on Dec. 23.

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“The Apollo, one of the most consequential, influential institutions in history, has elevated the voices of Black entertainment in New York City, nationally, and around the world, and launched the careers of legions of artists,” Kennedy Center chairman David M. Rubenstein said in a statement announcing the surprise selection.

This is a rare occasion that the Kennedy Center Honors has veered from its usual practice of honoring individuals. Six years ago, the program honored four key creators of the Broadway sensation Hamilton: An American Musical (Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas Kail, Alex Lacamoire, and Andy Blankenbuehler). Five years ago, it honored the legendary children’s TV program Sesame Street (the award was presented to the show’s creators, Lloyd Morrisett and Joan Ganz Cooney).

It’s easy to see why the Kennedy Center chose the Apollo to receive this honor. For 90 years, The Apollo has been a beacon of the Harlem community; a platform for artists from the worlds of jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Artists who have played The Apollo’s famed Amateur Night include Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, H.E.R., D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill and Miri Ben-Ari.

Now that The Apollo has gotten the nod, what other venues would you like the Kennedy Center Honors to consider for recognition? Here are 20 choices, in alphabetical order: