Um, the Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony takes place every June, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel.
But last night, an off calendar unadvertised event happened at 54 Below, the cabaret club below the fabled Studio 54, now Roundabout Theater.
The late Bert Berns was inducted posthumously, which is fine. Berns wrote a lot of hits including The Isley Brothers’ “Twist and Shout” and Janis Joplin’s (and Erma Franklin’s) “Piece of My Heart.” Berns was a key part of Atlantic Records in the 1960s before starting his own label, Bang Records. He died much too young, at age 37 in 1968.
Berns has major fans who never knew but support his work to this day including E Street Band leader Stevie van Zandt, who helped produce an off Broadway musical about him called “Piece of My Heart.”
van Zandt was on hand last night, along with Paul Shaffer, who hosted the event, rocker Steve Miller, and a smattering of local rock music luminaries. There were some live performances, too, by Broadway performers who’d appeared in the musical. There were also some folks from the SHOF board, but president Linda Moran was a no-show (she hasn’t missed an event since 1932), as was titular group chief Nile Rodgers, who was probably on tour somewhere exotic.
Why wasn’t Berns inducted back in June? Or even nominated? Why didn’t they wait until next June? Did they think Ahmet Ertegun would find out? It’s all very cloak and dagger. A press release insists that the SHOF regularly inducts members posthumously, but that has not been the case in the past.
Well, whatever, as they kids say. Congrats to Bert’s family. He certainly should have been in the SHOF a long time ago. His other hits include either writing or co-writing “Hang On, Sloopy,” “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love,” “Tell Him,” “I Want Candy,” “Cry to Me,” “I’ll Be a Liar,” “Cry Baby,” and “Heart Be Still.”
Anyway, Erma Franklin was one of Aretha Franklin’s two very talented sisters. She recorded “Piece of My Heart” and had an R&B hit with it before Janis and Big Brother and the Holding Company.
