For the first time in history, on April 11, 2021, the Guild of Music Supervisors (GMS) held its star-studded 11th Annual Award ceremony virtually. Normally, it’s live from Los Angeles, California. But, because it was virtual, I was able to attend for Splash Magazine Worldwide from Atlanta.
It was fascinating to join in the celebration of the stellar musical accomplishments of 2020 in the Music Supervision of film, television, documentaries, games, advertising, and trailers.
The Guild provides an environment in which the knowledge, resources, and skills specific to music supervision are expanded and shared as a means to sustain the highest level of professionalism and evolve the collective expertise.
The highlight of the evening was seeing 88-year-old music legend Quincy Jones receive the Icon Award. His extraordinary accomplishment as a record producer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger, film and television producer that have spanned over 7 decades not to mention his many awards were revealed. It was so good seeing him and listening to the many tributes from different artistes including Stevie Wonder who said he met Quincy at age 14 at the Apollo (in 1964) and they have been friends since then.
Mr. Jones’ words of wisdom were so dear to me when he said, “I was blessed to find my life’s passion, “music”. That journey has taken me around the world, and with God’s whispers in my ears, allowed me to create music that, thankfully, is as resonant today as it was when it was originally written.”
The other highlight was Maureen Crowe receiving the Legacy Award. She is actually the proud founding President of the Guild of Musical Supervisors Award Show dating back to 2010. She wanted to introduce an award for music supervisors and now she is trying to get the Motion Picture Academy to follow in the GMS Award ‘s footsteps. She is a veteran music supervisor who has brought us featured films including the Bodyguard, Wayne’s World, Chicago, Fame – TV Series, just to name a few. It is so true music help tells the stories.
The GMS were right on point when asking the lovely Andra Day, the Oscar Best Actress Nominee for The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021) to open the show singing “Tigress & Tweed” from the movie.
I thoroughly enjoyed the other influential musical performers, Celeste, “If I Ever Loose This Heaven” and ” I Hear My Voice”; Darius de Haas “One Less Angel” , and upcoming-rising star Angelica Garcia, “Guadalupe” and “It Don’t Hinder Me” .
Celebrity presenters and those who offered tributes to the honorees for the evening included Debbie Allen, Angela Bassett, Mary J. Blige, Connie Britton, Michael Chiklis, Jacob Collier, Kevin Costner, Bryan Cranston, Clive Davis, Billie Eilish, Gloria & Emilio Estefan, Tony Hawk, Marin Hinkle, Regina King, Savan Kotecha, Jay Landers, John Legend, Michael Levine, Michael McDonald, Neil Meron, Rickey Minor, Eva Noblezada, Finneas O’Connell, Folake Olowofoyeku, Kenny Ortega, Dean Pitchford, Lionel Richie, Tony Shalhoub, Robin Thicke, Diane Warren, and Paul Williams.
The event was Executive Produced by Joel C. High, Robin Kaye, and Thomas Golubić. Angelia Bibbs-Sanders produced, while Nick Urbom acted as Technical Producer and Jessica Milten served as Talent Producer. Combining their talents really made the show run smoothly, it was very well paced and everyone appeared pleased.
The “Zoom” After-Party was a lot of fun listening to the great sounds of the DJ’s including Thomas Golubic with the last song of the evening featuring Michael Jackson since Quincy and Michael still hold the historical Best-Selling album of all Time, “Thriller”. DJ Golubic even said, “The spirit of Michael is with us” and I agreed.
While the music played, we enjoyed listening to everyone recap the rewarding exciting evening. GMS even had a contest winner for the best background who had colorful trolls. The most unique moment was when one person wanted to introduce us to his large white pet lizard. It scared me even though I was in Atlanta and the person and lizard were in Los Angeles.
Overall, I was most impressed with those who helped plan this beautiful, upbeat event and the hard work it took to pull it off. The GMS staff expressed appreciation for all the sponsors, presenters, nominees, winners and everyone who joined in virtually. Mostly, everyone kept saying, we will see you on the red-carpet next year. So, until then may other Music Supervisors continue to make their music for the movies and television. We might just see you accepting your award on stage next year at the Guild Music Supervisor Awards (GMS).
Until then let’s check out this year’s categories, nominees and winners:
FILM
Best Music Supervision for Film Budgeted Over $25 Million
Tom MacDougall – Soul *WINNER*
Jonathan Leahy – Bill & Ted Face The Music
Becky Bentham – Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Julia Michels – Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Angela Leus – Trolls World Tour
Best Music Supervision for Film Budgeted Under $25 Million
Dawn Sutter Madell – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom *WINNER*
Season Kent – Happiest Season
Linda Cohen – The High Note
Dan Wilcox – I’m Your Woman
Kevin Edelman – I Still Believe
Best Music Supervision for Film Budgeted Under $10 Million
Susan Jacobs – Promising Young Woman *WINNER*
Tracy McKnight – The Half Of It
Liz Gallacher – Military Wives
Robin Urdang – Palm Springs
Best Music Supervision for Film Budgeted Under $5 Million
Dondrea Erauw, Michael Perlmutter – The Cuban *WINNER*
Jessica Moore – Babyteeth
Gerry Cueller, Greg Danylyshyn – Burden
Javier Nuño, Joe Rodríguez – I’m No Longer Here (Ya No Estoy Aquí)
Adèle Ho, Graham Kurzner – Yellow Rose
Best Song Written and/or Recorded for a Film
“Hear My Voice” from The Trial of The Chicago 7 *WINNER*
Writer: Celeste Waite, Daniel Pemberton
Performed By: Celeste
Music Supervisor: Peter Afterman, Alison Litton
“Turntables” from All In: The Fight for Democracy
Writer: George “George 2.0” A. Peters II, Janelle “Django Jane” Monáe, Nathaniel Irvin III
Performed By: Janelle Monáe
Music Supervisor: Andrew Gross
“Love Myself” from The High Note
Writer: Greg Kurstin, Sarah Aarons
Performed By: Tracee Ellis Ross
Music Supervisor: Linda Cohen
“Make It Work” from Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey
Writer: John Stephens
Performed By: Forest Whitaker, Anika Noni Rose
Music Supervisor: Julia Michels
“Carried Me with You” from Onward
Writer: Brandi Carlile, Phil Hanseroth, Tim Hanseroth
Performed By: Brandi Carlile
Music Supervisor: Tom MacDougall
TELEVISION
Best Music Supervision – Television Drama
Liza Richardson – Watchmen – Season 1 *WINNER*
Ashley Neumeister – American Soul – Season 2
Thomas Golubić – Better Call Saul – Season 5
Amanda Krieg Thomas, Alexis Martin Woodall, Ryan Murphy – Hollywood – Season 1
Sarah Bromberg, Stephanie Diaz-Matos – P-Valley – Season 1
Best Music Supervision – Television Comedy or Musical – THREE WAY TIE
Manish Raval, Alison Rosenfeld, Tom Wolfe – High Fidelity – Season 1 *WINNER*
Kier Lehman – Insecure – Season 4 *WINNER*
Robin Urdang – The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Season 3 *WINNER*
Andrea von Foerster – Daybreak – Season 1
Matt Biffa – Sex Education – Season 2
Best Music Supervision – Reality Television
Meryl Ginsberg – The Masked Singer – Season 3 *WINNER*
Robin Kaye, Ashley Viergever – American Idol – Season 4
Cathy Duncan – America’s Most Musical Family – Season 1
Matthew Hearon-Smith – Legendary – Season 1
Best Music Supervision – Television Movie
Warren Fischer, Laura Webb, Lindsay Wolfington – To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You *WINNER*
Mandi Collier, Frankie Pine – Patsy & Loretta
Liz Gallacher – The Sleepover
Marius de Vries – Stargirl
Best Song Written and/or Recorded for Television
Title: “The Way It Used to Be” *WINNER*
Songwriters: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross
Artists: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Program: Watchmen
Episode: #106 “This Extraordinary Being”
Music Supervisor: Liza Richardson
Title: “Build It Up”
Songwriter: Ingrid Michaelson
Artist: Ingrid Michaelson
Program: Little Fires Everywhere
Episode: #108 “Find a Way”
Music Supervisor: Mary Ramos
Title: “Memorized”
Songwriters: Taylor Goldsmith, Siddhartha Khosla
Artist: Blake Stadnik
Program: This Is Us
Episode: #401 “Strangers”
Music Supervisors: Manish Raval, Tom Wolfe
Title: “One Less Angel”
Songwriters: Thomas Mizer, Curtis Moore
Artist: Darius de Haas
Program: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Episode: #301 “Strike Up the Band”
Music Supervisor: Robin Urdang
Title: “The Whole of the Moon”
Songwriter: Michael Scott
Artist: Fiona Apple
Program: The Affair
Episode: #511
Music Supervisor: Michael Hill
DOCUMENTARIES
Best Music Supervision for a Documentary
Aminé Ramer – Crip Camp *WINNER*
Liz Gallacher – Belushi
Ian Neil – Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds With Shane MacGowan
Chris Robertson – Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President
Ed Gerrard – Mr. Soul!
Best Music Supervision in a Docuseries
Rudy Chung – The Last Dance *WINNER*
Jon Ernst – Cheer
Willa Yudell – Helter Skelter: An American Myth
Dan Wilcox – Street Food: Latin America
TRAILERS
Best Music Supervision in a Trailer
Mike Lynn – Judas And The Black Messiah *WINNER*
Brian Murphy – Jungleland
Gregory Sweeney – Land
Chase Casanova – Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Mike Lynn – Pieces of A Woman
ADVERTISING
Best Music Supervision in Advertising (Synch)
Andy Hamm – Apple “A Journey Into The Valley Of Fire – Shot on iPhone” *WINNER*
David Lapinsky – Procter & Gamble “The Choice”
Mike Ladman – New York Times “Life Needs Truth”
Mike Ladman – Facebook “Never Lost”
Andrew Kahn, Morgan Thoryk – Zillow “The Real Value of Home”
Best Music Supervision in Advertising (Original Music)
Mike Ladman – Hennessy “Maurice And The Black Bear School” *WINNER*
Rebecca Grierson – JaxJox “The All-In-One Interactive Studio”
Andrew Kahn, Morgan Thoryk – Xfinity Mobile “Go Your Own Way”
Jessie Kalikow – Apple – “The Magic Of Mini feat. Tierra Whack”
Jonathan Wellbelove – Apple iPhone 12 Pro – “Make Movies Like The Movies”
VIDEO GAMES
Best Music Supervision in a Video Game
Eric Kalver, Brandon Young – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 *WINNER*
Karyn Rachtman, Otis Rachtman – BEYOND BLUE
Eric Craig, Przemysław “Malik” Malicki, Brian McNelis, Krzysztof Ostrowski – Cyberpunk 2077
Raphaella Lima, Cybele Pettus, Steve Schnur – FIFA 21
Mary Ramos – Wasteland 3
About the Guild of Music Supervisors
The Guild of Music Supervisors is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2010 with the goal of preserving and promoting the critical role of the Music Supervisor within all forms of media. The Guild holds numerous educational and networking events throughout the year, including the annual State of Music in Media Conference. Check here for more information.
DANA RICE OF DANA RICE MUSIC – Via Email – April 16, 2021- Renee, thank you for sharing
TOMMIE HARRIS-NASH – April 21, 2021 – Via Email -Thanks for sharing this with us, Renee. Some interesting facts–things that I did not know.–Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones. I remember when Stevie Wonder started. Again–thanks for sharing. 👏
CARRIE PEEK – April 15, 2021 – Via Email – You are a hard working and a very special little cousin