Brian Damage
06-20-2010, 12:49 AM
NEW YORK - The iconic ballad "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was so stirring that even a young Paul Simon knew he was onto something special when he composed it 40 years ago.
"I thought, 'Hmm. That's better than I usually write,'" Simon recalled. "I was completely surprised that I wrote it -- it was completely unlike anything I had ever done before."
Simon's magical moment was honored by the Songwriters Hall of Fame in a ceremony on Thursday that featured Billy Joel, John Mayer, Judy Collins and more while honoring legends including Leonard Cohen as well as wunderkind Taylor Swift.
Swift was not among the inductees into the Songwriters Hall. But the 20-year-old Grammy winner was given the Hal David Starlight Award, which pays tribute to young songwriters with promise.
Mayer, a Swift friend and collaborator, presented her with her award, saying "she's no accident."
"You could put her in a time machine in any era and she would have a hit record," he said.
Along with Cohen, the inductees included Jackie DeShannon, reggae great Bob Marley, the late Laura Nyro, Johnny Mandel and the principal members of the legendary band Earth, Wind & Fire.
"Bridge Over Troubled Water" was given the Towering Song Award.
http://www.pressherald.com/life/songwriters-honored-by-their-hall-of-fame_2010-06-20.html
"I thought, 'Hmm. That's better than I usually write,'" Simon recalled. "I was completely surprised that I wrote it -- it was completely unlike anything I had ever done before."
Simon's magical moment was honored by the Songwriters Hall of Fame in a ceremony on Thursday that featured Billy Joel, John Mayer, Judy Collins and more while honoring legends including Leonard Cohen as well as wunderkind Taylor Swift.
Swift was not among the inductees into the Songwriters Hall. But the 20-year-old Grammy winner was given the Hal David Starlight Award, which pays tribute to young songwriters with promise.
Mayer, a Swift friend and collaborator, presented her with her award, saying "she's no accident."
"You could put her in a time machine in any era and she would have a hit record," he said.
Along with Cohen, the inductees included Jackie DeShannon, reggae great Bob Marley, the late Laura Nyro, Johnny Mandel and the principal members of the legendary band Earth, Wind & Fire.
"Bridge Over Troubled Water" was given the Towering Song Award.
http://www.pressherald.com/life/songwriters-honored-by-their-hall-of-fame_2010-06-20.html