Brian Wilson will be honored with the 2004 BMI Icon Award at the 52nd annual BMI Pop Awards dinner. The event is scheduled for May 11th at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles, and Wilson will be saluted along with the songwriters and publishers of the most performed pop and rock songs of 2003.

Past Icon Award winners include the Motown songwriting team of Holland/Dozier/Holland, James Brown, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Isaac Hayes, Dolly Parton and Little Richard.

"I was so thrilled to hear that I've been chosen to receive the BMI Icon award, especially as so many of my all-time favorite songwriters have previously received this honor," says Wilson. "I still have a rock & roll heart, so to be included with a list of all-time greats that includes my heroes like Chuck Berry and Little Richard is unbelievable."

Founded in 1939, BMI is a U.S. performing rights organization that represents nearly 300,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers.

COLIN DEVENISH
(April 6, 2004)