EmiSunshine To Receive ASCAP Foundation Desmond Child Anthem Award In New York

Pictured: EmiSunshine. Photo: Alan Messer

Teen country and Americana singer-songwriter EmiSunshine has been selected as the 2019 recipient of The ASCAP Foundation Desmond Child Anthem Award. The award, which recognizes promising young musical artists, will be presented at The ASCAP Foundation Honors on Wednesday, Dec. 11 in New York City.

The event will also honor high school and college scholarship recipients and other music creators, including multi-Platinum recording artist, songwriter and social justice activist Natalie Merchant, who will receive The ASCAP Foundation Champion Award, and Francisco Núñez, composer, conductor, artistic director and founder of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City (YPC), who will accept The ASCAP Foundation Life in Music Award.

The Desmond Child Anthem Award was established by Grammy award-winning songwriter and producer Desmond Child as part of his ManUp4Kids program, which provides low-income families with opportunities to attend music, theater and other cultural events in their communities.

“I’m honored to be selected for this award,” EmiSunshine said. “The arts allow us to express what we as humans have to give of ourselves that no one else can. If children are not exposed to the arts, they will miss out on what they could bring into this world by creating, writing, imagining, dreaming, dancing, painting, drawing. All artful creations begin on the inside and are only allowed out through hope. Giving the kids arts programs blooms hope for a lifetime to come.”

15-year-old Emi started writing songs with her mother, Alisha Hamilton, at the age of five in their East Tennessee home. The mother-daughter creative team still collaborate, with Emi now also writing with acclaimed songwriters in Nashville, including Jim Lauderdale, Vicky McGehee, and others. Her album, Family Wars, addresses such topics as domestic violence, mass murder, dysfunctional families, political corruption, and freedom in America; and was produced by Grammy-winning producer Tony Brown.

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LB Cantrell

LB Cantrell is Editor/Director of Operations at MusicRow magazine, where she oversees, manages and executes all company operations. LB oversees all MusicRow-related content, including the publication’s six annual print issues and online news. She is a Georgia native and a graduate of the Recording Industry Management program at Middle Tennessee State University.

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