Legendary songwriter, guitarist, and producer Graham Lyle will receive the BMI Icon Award at the 2024 BMI London Awards, which will be held on December 9 at The Savoy.
The recognition will celebrate Lyle’s five-decade career and his contributions to hit songs. The ceremony, hosted by BMI President & CEO Mike O’Neill, will also honor the most successful British and European songwriters and publishers of the past year based on US performances of their music. Additionally, the event will present awards for Pop, Film, Television, and Cable Television Music.
Lyle has penned numerous chart-topping songs including the iconic What’s Love Got To Do With It for Tina Turner, co-written with Terry Britten. This song reached No. 1 in several countries, earned a Grammy Award, and remains Turner’s best-selling single. Lyle has received multiple BMI Awards and Million-Air awards for this and other hits like What’s Luv? by Fat Joe ft. Ashanti, which sampled What’s Love Got To Do With It, I Don’t Wanna Lose You, Jewel of the Nile, and Typical Male.
Lyle’s musical journey began in the late 1960s when he signed with the Beatles‘ Apple Company alongside Benny Gallagher. The duo wrote several songs for Apple artists, including Mary Hopkin‘s Sparrow and Fields of St. Etienne, both produced by Paul McCartney. They later formed the band McGuinness Flint and subsequently performed as Gallagher and Lyle, producing British Top 10 hits including I Wanna Stay with You, and Heart on My Sleeve.
“We’re very honored to salute the incomparable songwriter Graham Lyle with the BMI Icon Award in celebration of a lifetime of timeless hit songs that deeply resonate with global audiences.”
Mike O’Neill, BMI
His awards include an Ivor Novello Award in 1986 and a Tartan Clef Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2010. In 2012, he co-wrote One Woman: A Song for UN Women”supporting global gender equality initiatives.
In 1981, Lyle established GOODSINGLE, LTD, his publishing company, focusing on writing for other artists including Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Etta James, Rod Stewart, and Patti LaBelle. His collaborations have spanned genres, including work with Ray Charles, Reba McEntire, Kenny Rogers, and Ringo Starr.
Lyle’s BMI Icon Award places him among music legends like Sting, The Bee Gees, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Ray Davies, David Foster, Peter Gabriel, the Jacksons, Carole King, Kris Kristofferson, Barry Manilow, Stevie Nicks, Dolly Parton, Queen, Nile Rodgers, Carlos Santana, Paul Simon, Van Morrison and Brian Wilson, among others.
Mike O’Neill, BMI President & CEO, said, “We’re very honored to salute the incomparable songwriter Graham Lyle with the BMI Icon Award in celebration of a lifetime of timeless hit songs that deeply resonate with global audiences.”
“We’re also excited to pay tribute to all our outstanding 2024 BMI London Award winners and recognise their incredible accomplishments. It’s going to be a fantastic evening.”
With over 80 years in music rights management, US-based BMI represents performance rights for more than 22.4 million musical works created by over 1.4 million songwriters, composers, and music publishers. BMI created its “open-door policy” in 1939, welcoming creators across all musical genres.
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