The Grammy Museum is taking music fans to where songs begin with a look at the lyricists behind the music in an exhibit titled “The Power of Song: A Songwriters Hall of Fame Exhibit.”
“For us to do an exhibit that focuses on the songwriters is exciting and it really feels important,” said Jasen Emmons, the museum’s chief curator. “This exhibit really looks at both the artistry, the craft and the industry of songwriting to help people better appreciate it and understand it.”
It opened April 26 and will run through Sept. 4 at the downtown Los Angeles museum.
The exhibit uses dozens of artifacts, including handwritten lyrics, musical instruments and videos to tell the origins of some of the most recognizable songs in music and oftentimes the not so famous people behind the music.
“One of the things I love about this exhibit is that it highlights many of those people who really do work behind the scenes and if you’re a serious music fan you’re aware of them but often those people are pulled in when you need a hit,” Emmons said.
One such songwriter who is featured in the exhibition is Diane Warren, whose massive list of songwriting credits include hits like “How Do I Live,” by Leann Rimes, “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” by Aerosmith and “Un-Break My Heart,” by Toni Braxton.
“There are probably a lot of people who have no idea who she is because she’s not a performer but she’s written so many hits and people like her just have a gift to get in a room with somebody and help sort of channel them and produce a great song,” Emmons said.
In the exhibition Warren appears in a film with several other songwriters talking about the creative process behind her songwriting.
Visitors to the museum will also see antique musical instruments like a 1927 piano owned by Irving Berlin, a turn of the 20th Century composer and lyricist who wrote songs on his piano.
“He ends up writing songs that become American standards,” Emmons…
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