ASCAP Foundation Names 2026 Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Award Recipients: Full List
Categoria: Musica
Winners include studies of such wide-ranging musicians as composer John Williams and rock legends Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention.
Por Billboard | 21/10/2026
The winners of the 57th annual ASCAP Foundation Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Awards — bestowed upon outstanding books, articles, liner notes and broadcast programs on the subject of music — have been announced. Winners include fresh looks at such wide-ranging musicians as composer John Williams , children’s music star Ella Jenkins , R&B cult hero Swamp Dogg and rock legends Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. “The authors, journalists, and filmmakers we honor this year illuminate the soul of music creation across concert, rock, R&B, folk, musical theatre, and children’s music, ensuring the stories of music innovators are preserved with the depth and distinction they deserve,” Patricia Leonard , executive director of The ASCAP Foundation, said in a statement. Related ‘Schmigadoon!’ Creator Cinco Paul to Receive the ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers New Horizons Award Kim Kardashian Dressing Up as Daughter North West Is an Early Contender for Best Halloween Costume Little Big Town, HARDY & More to Lead 'Nashville's Big Bash' New Year's Eve Celebration The 2026 award recipients are as follows: The Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Broadcast/Media Award in pop music recognizes directors Isaac Gale, Ryan Olson and David McMurry for their documentary film Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted . Released in 2025, it’s a unique look at cult R&B musician Jerry “Swamp Dogg” Williams’ and his housemates’ musical creative life in Los Angeles surrounding his pool. The Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Broadcast/Media Award in concert music recognizes radio host and producer Gail Wein for “Classical Gas,” produced by Classical Voice North America. The 2025 podcast series of interviews with classical musicians is available on multiple platforms. A Special Recognition Award in the above category is given to Rick Beato for his 2025 YouTube series “Everything Music,” which explores music, technology and issues facing music creators in today’s industry. The ASCAP Foundation Paul Williams “Loved the Liner Notes” Award honors percussionist Ruth Komanoff Underwood for her personal essay for “Cheaper than Cheep,” the live box set from the 1974 concert film by Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, on ZAPPA RECORDS/UMe. This award was established in 2016 and is funded by ASCAP Foundation president Paul Williams . The Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Book Awards in pop music are presented to: Gayle Wald for This Is Rhythm: Ella Jenkins, Children’s Music, and the Long Civil Rights Movement , the life story of “the first lady of children’s music,” published by University of Chicago Press. James O’Leary for The Middlebrow Musical: Between Broadway and Opera in 1940s America , an exploration of how musicals such as Oklahoma!, Beggar’s Holiday , and Street Scene embraced weighty stories in ways not seen before 1943, published by Oxford University Press. The Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Book A