1972 BMI Award for Elton John's Single “Honky Cat” Awarded to His Publishing Company “Dick James Music, Inc.”

Offered is the Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) Citation of Achievement from 1972 for Elton John's single "Honky Cat." The award was presented to "Dick James Music, Inc." The BMI awards were given to artists in recognition to the amount of radio play they received in a given year. BMI was responsible for collecting the royalties from broadcast media and distributing those royalties to the publishing companies who in turn distribute a portion to the artists.  Dick James Music, Inc. was Elton John's publishing company. Founder Dick James signed Reginald Dwight and Bernie Taupin to their first song publishing deal, and Dick's son Stephen James is credited with encouraging the young Reginald Dwight to change his name to Elton John. So that worked out OK.

"Honky Cat" was the first song on Elton John's 1972 LP Honky Chateau, and the single reached the Top 10 of Billboard's Hot 100, with its b-side "Slave." As the offered award attests, even competing with the hit single "Rocket Man" from the same album, "Honky Cat" got its fair share of radio play. The award measures 12 1/2 x 16 1/2 inches and presents with heavy wear from poor storage, including some chipped areas to the frame and moderate to heaving scuffing and scratches to the surface of the award. Very Good to Excellent condition.