January 27, 2009

By By Leila Cobo, Miami

Gloria Estefan will be honored as this year's BMI Icon during BMI's annual Latin Awards. The event takes place March 12 at the The Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, Fla. The invitation only gala will recognize the songwriters and publishers of the past year's top BMI Latin songs that have played on American radio and television. Awards will include the song of the year and top publisher and songwriter of the year.

The Icon award is given to artists who had have had "a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers." Past BMI Icon winners include Gustavo Santaolalla, Los Tigres del Norte, Juan Luis Guerra and Carlos Santana in the Latin realm as well as Willie Nelson, Isaac Hayes and Brian Wilson, among others.

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