Diane Warren and Mitchell Leib will receive lifetime achievement honors from the Guild of Music Supervisors at its annual awards ceremony in March, the organization announced Wednesday.
Warren, arguably the best-known pure songwriter in the business, will pick up the Icon Award, created to celebrate those who have made significant contributions to the music and film industry. Previous recipients include Quincy Jones, Burt Bacharach, Kenny Loggins and Marc Shaiman.
Leib is being given the annual Legacy Award, bestowed to music supervisors who have made a major impact. Leib is a former longtime president of music and soundtracks for Disney’s live action motion picture division. Previous recipients include music supervisors Maureen Crowe, Bob Hunka, Joel Sill, Gary Lemel and Chris Montan.
“Thank you, Guild of Music Supervisors, for this amazing honor,” said Warren in a statement. “I see that real icons have received this award previously, and I am proud and humbled to be in their company although I don’t really feel like I am one yet. I feel like I’m just getting started so maybe I’ll be an icon when I grow up if I ever grow up that is! I love writing songs for movies, and I’ve worked with a lot of you on them. There’s nothing like the perfect marriage of the right song in just the right place in just the right movie. I love being a part of it and always will.”
Leib commented, “It means so very much to me to be honored by my peers and friends at the GMS and to receive the Legacy Award. For me, it puts an exclamation point on the closing of this chapter of my professional career as a music supervisor, albeit mostly as a studio music executive at Disney, to whom I will forever be grateful. I started this journey as a rookie independent music supervisor and finish now having achieved every goal imaginable in my wildest dreams. I’ve been fortunate enough as well to have been given the opportunity to mentor, support, and work with so many talented music supervisors, who made me look so good, on so many projects. My appreciation for the GMS and its commitment to our craft is immense and it is truly humbling to be acknowledged by those whom I respect so greatly.”
The nominees in 16 categories for the annual competitive awards will be announced via a live streaming event Feb. 10., set to be seen live on the Guild of Music Supervisors’ social media channels across YouTube and Facebook.
The ceremony honoring this year’s winners along with Leib and Warren will take place March 20.
Said Joel C. High, president of the Guild of Music Supervisors, “We are so happy to be able to honor two individuals who have been vital to the craft of telling stories with music. Mitchell has been such a profound influence, both creatively and professionally on music supervision over his decades of amazing work, awarding him our Legacy trophy this year feels absolutely right. And Diane, our Icon Award recipient this year, is the true definition of the word ‘icon.’ Her body of work, her talent, her energy and her friendship with music supervisors and the Guild put her in a class to herself. This is a big year.”
