Lyricist and composer Paul Williams will be honored by the 13th annual Guild of Music Supervisors awards with the 2023 Icon award at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles on March 5. The awards show will also be posthumously honoring former Sony Pictures Entertainment senior VP and music supervisor, Pilar McCurry.
Williams’ standards have been recorded by such decorated artists as Ray Charles, David Bowie, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Diana Ross, the Carpenters, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Luther Vandross and Willie Nelson, among others. He’s previously been recognized with six Oscars, nine Grammys, six Golden Globes, and two Emmy nominations.
“There is a strange, beautiful alchemy, that occurs when the perfect song placement transforms both the scene and the song,” said Williams in a news release. “I have been graced with many opportunities to write music for picture in my career, and it feels like magic every single time. Thank you to the Guild of Music Supervisors for this incredible recognition.”
The Guild of Music Supervisors awards the Icon award to an artist and music supervisor who has made legendary contributions to the music and film industry. Williams joins an acclaimed group of previous recipients including Diane Warren, Quincy Jones, Burt Bacharach, Kenny Loggins, and Marc Shaiman.
The Legacy award is bestowed on a music supervisor who has made an impact within the industry over the course of their career. Pilar McCurry was best known for her work on films such as “Love Jones,” “Stomp the Yard,” “Set It Off” and “Men in Black.”
Throughout her 25-year career, McCurry worked on projects with artists like Will Smith, Beyoncé, Questlove, Aaliyah, Enrique Iglesias, Lauryn Hill, 2Pac and En Vogue. She passed away in March 2018 at the age of 53. Previous recipients of the award include music supervisors Mitchell Leib, Maureen Crowe, Bob Hunka, Joel Sill, Gary Lemel, and Chris Montan.
“We are thrilled to honor Paul Williams and Pilar McCurry at our 13th Annual Awards. Both have contributed immensely to the Entertainment Industry through their songs and supervision,” said the Guild of Music Supervisors VP Madonna Wade Reed. “Also, this year we have focused on curating presenting duos that will include one supervisor and one member from the entertainment community. This is a great opportunity to highlight and showcase the connection and collaboration Music Supervision has to all the components of the storytelling process.”
Performing at this year’s Guild of Music Supervisors Awards are nominees Gaby Moreno and Ruth B. Gaby will deliver a rendition of “A Song In My Heart” from “The Valet,” while Ruth B. will perform her song “Paper Airplanes” from “Jazzman’s Blues.” Joshua Radin is also confirmed to perform in tribute to Paul Williams. Celebrity Presenters include Sharon Stone, Debbie Allen, Pamela Adlon, Lindsey Blaufarb, and Odeya Rush. See more nominees here.
