Nile Rodgers was unanimously re-elected to a second three-year term as chairman of the Songwriters Hall of Fame by the group’s board of directors at its annual board meeting on June 11. Rodgers was first elected to the post in 2018, when he succeeded Philly soul architects Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff.
“Three years ago, I was honored and humbled to be elected by my peers as the chairman of the Songwriters Hall of Fame,” Rodgers said in a statement. “It has been one of the most important experiences of my life to represent and advocate for the songwriting community. To now be given the opportunity to serve for another three years is a responsibility I take very seriously. We’ve done great work in the first three years despite the pandemic but we are just getting started. There is no music industry without the song and I’m delighted to serve the songwriters that have delivered the most iconic songs of all time.”
“Nile is tremendously respected and admired by his peers and fans of all generations for being a musical pioneer,” said Linda Moran, SHOF president and CEO. “…Having him as a partner has been a very special and rewarding experience and the Songwriters Hall of Fame can ask for no better representative, both to the songwriting community and to the world at large.”
Rodgers, 68, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2016. He was voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, in the award for musical excellence category, the following year. He has won three Grammys — all for his work on Daft Punk’s 2013 smash “Get Lucky” and the duo’s Random Access Memories album.
As a songwriter and producer, Rodgers has been responsible not only for many hits with his former group Chic, such as “Le Freak” and “Good Times,” both of which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, but also also hits for Sister Sledge, Diana Ross, David Bowie, Madonna, INXS and Duran Duran, among many others.
Other re-elected officers are Moran as president and CEO; Tom Kelly as CFO and treasurer; senior vice presidents David Israelite, Beth Matthews and Mike O’Neill; secretary Mary Jo Mennella; and deputy secretary April Anderson.
Elected members to the board of directors who will serve three-year terms are Paul Williams, Desmond Child, Steve Dorff, Ne-Yo, Martin Bandier, Caroline Bienstock, Donna Caseine, Samantha Cox, Charlie Feldman, Fletcher Foster, Pete Ganbarg, Randy Grimmett, John Josephson, Jody Klein, Evan Lamberg, Carianne Marshall, Nancy Munoz, Jon Platt, Irwin Z. Robinson, Patrice Rushen and John Titta. Barry Slotnick will continue as counsel.
Four of these board members have been honored by the SHOF. Williams was inducted into the SHOF in 2001, followed by Child in 2008 and Dorff in 2018. Ne-Yo received the Hal David Starlight Award in 2012. Williams is slated to receive the organization’s top honor, the Johnny Mercer Award, in 2022. The award has been delayed two years because of the pandemic.
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