March 05, 2010

By By Ayala Ben-Yehuda, L.A.

In accepting the president's award at the 2010 BMI Latin Awards, Colombian star Juanes forwent the pomp and circumstance usually associated with these events in favor of a more subtle, introspected celebration.

"Like all my colleagues here, I've been writing ever since I can remember," said Juanes, who took the stage with five members of his band.

"It's a pleasure to share this moment with all of you," he added, before going into understated, acoustic renditions of his hits which rendered the music in a different, sometimes more beautiful light.

Juanes also invited Mexican singer Ximena Sarinana to share in the duet "Fotografia" and friend Juan Luis Guerra to sing with him on "Odio por Amor."

"I remember the first meeting I had with BMI, some 12 years ago, when I knew nothing of the music industry, and they walked me through all this," he said, receiving the award from BMI president and CEO Del Bryant.

"I can't think of anyone more deserving of this award," said Bryant.

Held at the Bellagio in Las Vegas March 4, the BMI awards were dominated by regional Mexican music, by far the dominant radio format in the United States.

"Regional Mexican music continues to grow in popularity," punctuated Delia Orjuela, who, in turn, was announced as the newly minted VP of writer/publisher relations for BMI, upped from her position as assistant VP.

Aside from the awards given by BMI for the most performed Latin songs in radio and television, music student Samuel Genao was awarded the seventh annual peermusic scholarship. The $5,000 scholarship is open to students between the ages of 16 and 24 attending colleges and universities in the United States and Puerto Rico.

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