The winners of the 57th annual ASCAP Foundation Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Awards — bestowed upon outstanding books, articles, liner notes and broadcast programs on the subject of music — have been announced. Winners include fresh looks at such wide-ranging musicians as composer John Williams, children’s music star Ella Jenkins, R&B cult hero Swamp Dogg and rock legends Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention.
“The authors, journalists, and filmmakers we honor this year illuminate the soul of music creation across concert, rock, R&B, folk, musical theatre, and children’s music, ensuring the stories of music innovators are preserved with the depth and distinction they deserve,” Patricia Leonard, executive director of The ASCAP Foundation, said in a statement.
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The 2026 award recipients are as follows:
- The Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Broadcast/Media Award in pop music recognizes directors Isaac Gale, Ryan Olson and David McMurry for their documentary film Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted. Released in 2025, it’s a unique look at cult R&B musician Jerry “Swamp Dogg” Williams’ and his housemates’ musical creative life in Los Angeles surrounding his pool.
- The Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Broadcast/Media Award in concert music recognizes radio host and producer Gail Wein for “Classical Gas,” produced by Classical Voice North America. The 2025 podcast series of interviews with classical musicians is available on multiple platforms.
A Special Recognition Award in the above category is given to Rick Beato for his 2025 YouTube series “Everything Music,” which explores music, technology and issues facing music creators in today’s industry.
- The ASCAP Foundation Paul Williams “Loved the Liner Notes” Award honors percussionist Ruth Komanoff Underwood for her personal essay for “Cheaper than Cheep,” the live box set from the 1974 concert film by Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention, on ZAPPA RECORDS/UMe. This award was established in 2016 and is funded by ASCAP Foundation president Paul Williams.
The Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Book Awards in pop music are presented to:
- Gayle Wald for This Is Rhythm: Ella Jenkins, Children’s Music, and the Long Civil Rights Movement, the life story of “the first lady of children’s music,” published by University of Chicago Press.
- James O’Leary for The Middlebrow Musical: Between Broadway and Opera in 1940s America, an exploration of how musicals such as Oklahoma!, Beggar’s Holiday, and Street Scene embraced weighty stories in ways not seen before 1943, published by Oxford University Press.
The Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Book Awards in concert music go to:
- Lucy Caplan for Dreaming in Ensemble: How Black Artists Transformed American Opera, an account of Black innovation in American opera during the Harlem Renaissance, published by Harvard University Press.
- Tim Greiving for John Williams: A Composer’s Life, the first biography of the legendary film composer, published by Oxford University Press.
A Special Recognition Award in the above category is given to Steven C. Smith for Hitchcock and Herrmann: The Friendship and Film Scores that Changed Cinema, published by Oxford University Press.
The Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Award recipients for articles published in 2025 are:
- The Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Award for an article in the pop music field goes to Ben Sisario for “The ‘Race Against Time’ to Save Music Legends’ Decaying Tapes,” on the intricate efforts to restore analog tapes with original recordings from Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and more, published by The New York Times.
- The Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Award for an article in the concert music field goes to Robert Sandla for “Revolución: Mexican Composers on the Rise,” a look at Mexican composers whose works are being performed, commissioned, and recorded by orchestras around the world, published by Symphony Magazine.
A Special Recognition Award in the above category is given to Max Keller for “Does It Matter How a Cello Is Held? It’s a Centuries-Old Debate,“ published by The New York Times.
- The Virgil Thomson Award for Outstanding Music Criticism is presented to Gabriel Kahane for his article “A Love Letter to Music Listings,” published by The Atlantic.
Established in 1967 to honor the memory of composer, critic, commentator and former ASCAP president Deems Taylor, The ASCAP Foundation Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Awards are made possible by the support of the Virgil Thomson Foundation. The judging panel is comprised of ASCAP members Robert William “Robbie” Fulks, Julie Flanders, Carman Moore and Betsy Schramm. Jim Steinblatt provided professional guidance and advice.
Founded in 1975, The ASCAP Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established as a separate entity from ASCAP.
