Charlie Feldman Award

The BMI Foundation honors colleague and retired BMI Creative Vice President Charlie Feldman with the establishment of the Charlie Feldman Award. The prize of $2,000 is given annually to an emerging BMI songwriter in any genre. BMI Foundation Vice President and BMI Creative VP Samantha Cox presides over the nomination process with a select committee of artists, writers, and BMI staff.

Charlie Feldman joined BMI in 1988 and held various roles of increasing responsibility in the company’s Creative department. During his 31-year tenure, he supported and worked with countless songwriters, including The Neville Brothers, James Brown, the Holland Brothers, Carole King, Chip Taylor, Greg Allman, Rihanna and Nile Rodgers, to name just a few. His many accomplishments include helping to establish BMI’s presence at many of the country’s most well-known music festivals and stages, such as SXSW and Lollapalooza; Feldman was also BMI’s liaison with many of the industry’s most important organizations, serving as a trustee and Past President of the New York Chapter of The Recording Academy and a board member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, among others. Feldman began his career in the music industry as a songwriter signed to Muscle Shoals Music. He later served as the Vice President of EMI-Nashville before joining BMI. His professional memberships have also included the Country Music Association (CMA), the Academy of Country Music, the Nashville Songwriters Association (NSAI), and he has served on the Boards of the UJA-Federation as a Vice Chair of the Entertainment Division and the T.J. Martell Foundation.