Winners of 2012 Songwriters Hall of Fame

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The 43rd Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held on Thursday and saw Bob Seger, Jim Steinman (who penned Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell and Bat Out of Hell II albums), the Canadian folk rocker Gordon Lightfoot and Don Schlitz (writer of When You Say Nothing at All) all entering the celebrated group. 


The Songwriters Hall of Fame was founded in 1969, with the intention of highlighting the accomplishments of songwriters.


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Ne-Yo received the Hal David Starlight Award for young songwriters at this year's event in New York; beforehand, on the red carpet, the soul singer and three-time Grammy winner had been quick to highlight the importance that music has played in his life. "If not for my mom giving me the pad and the pen and telling me to take my emotions and put them there, there's no telling," he said.


Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks presented Bette Midler with the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognises veterans renowned for being "pioneers in their craft". Upon receiving the award, Midler rather modestly commented: "I mean people think of you and it is very sweet. It is all very sweet."


Over the course of the evening, Lightfoot took to the stage to sing If You Could Read My Mind, Nicks provided a rendition of The Rose (a song made famous by Midler) and Ben E King performed Stand by Me, with backing by Take 6, among other performances.


* John Carucci, Associated Press