May 29, 2008

By By Gail Mitchell, L.A.

New Edition will be presented with the Golden Note Award at ASCAP's 21st annual Rhythm & Soul Music Awards.

The ceremony -- which also honors the organization's top songwriters and publishers in R&B/hip-hop -- will take place June 23 in Los Angeles.

A progenitor of the '90s boy band craze, New Edition is celebrating its 25th anniversary as a group. Members Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant, Ronnie DeVoe and Johnny Gill are known for the R&B/pop hits "Candy Girl," "Cool It Now," "Mr. Telephone Man" and "Hit Me Off," among others.

New Edition joins such previous ASCAP Golden Note Award honorees as Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z and Quincy Jones.

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