Bert Berns, the “Twist and Shout,” “Piece of My Heart” and “Hang On, Sloopy” songwriter who died of heart failure in 1967 at 38, has been inducted posthumously into The Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Hall announced today.
Berns contributed some of the most enduring songs in the pop and rock canon including “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love,” “Tell Him,” “I Want Candy,” “Cry to Me,” “I’ll Be a Liar,” “Cry Baby” and “Heart Be Still.” His songs were recorded by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Solomon Burke, Van Morrison, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Otis Redding, David Bowie, Big Brother and the Holding Company, The Isley Brothers, The Moody Blues, Wilson Pickett, Melissa Etheridge, Gene Pitney, The Animals, the Yardbirds, The Strangeloves, Dusty Springfield, The Exciters and others.
A producer as well as a songwriter, Berns came to the attention of Atlantic Records chiefs Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler in 1963 for his work with Burke. He joined the label as a producer, replacing the legendary Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller. In 1965, he started his own rock ‘n’ roll label, Bang Records, whose roster included Neil Diamond, Van Morrison and The McCoys. The following year he established R&B and soul music label Shout Records.
An induction ceremony at New York City’s 54 Below cabaret club was held Thursday night, hosted by former longtime David Letterman sidekick Paul Shaffer and Berns’ son Brett and daughter Cassandra. Tributes included video messages from SHOF inductees Paul McCartney and Van Morrison. Guests included SHOF inductee Steve Miller and Steven Van Zandt, with live performances by Cassandra Berns, singer Betty Harris, Mary Bridget Davies (A Night with Janis Joplin) and stars from the 2014 Off Broadway musical Piece of My Heart: The Bert Berns Story including Bryan Fenkart, Linda Hart and Teresa Gattison.
Established in 1969, the Songwriters Hall of Fame honors those whose work represents a spectrum of the most beloved songs from the world’s popular music songbook.