FOREIGNER's MICK JONES And LOU GRAMM To Perform At 'Songwriters Hall Of Fame'

Mick Jones and Lou Gramm (FOREIGNER) and Steven Tyler and Joe Perry (AEROSMITH) will become some of the latest inductees of the Songwriters Hall Of Fame at the organization's 44th annual induction and awards dinner. The star-studded induction event is slated for Thursday, June 13 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

Speaking to Artisan News (see video below),Gramm said of the honor: "It feels fantastic. I was just stunned [when I found out about it].

"I read up on the Songwriters Hall Of Fame, and boy, are we in some good company. And when I say 'we,' I mean, Mick Jones and myself are being inducted together, which is… you know, I think it's a really, really good thing. And I've talked with Mick for the first time in over ten years. He seems to be doing well; his health has improved quite a bit.

"The Hall Of Fame people would like for us, actually, to perform a few songs, so I've been on the phone with Mick talking about what couple of songs we're gonna do, and I think we're gonna do them with the house band for the awards show."

Asked who made the call between him and Jones, Gramm said: "I made the call. It wasn't so difficult, considering we were both being honored as a songwriting team. I didn't have any trepidations about it. I called him and congratulated him, and then he congratulated me. And we both knew that they were expecting us to perform a couple of songs and we got right down to talking about it. And I think there's probably gonna be a couple of rehearsals with the house band, too — maybe the day before the awards — and whatever happens, it's gonna be a lot of fun."

Established in 1969, the Songwriters Hall Of Fame serves as a vital bridge between music’s past and future. In the Hall, musical pioneers are enshrined and celebrated, while the organization’s outreach to the music community grooms the next generation of troubadours.

"Each of our 2013 inductees has been responsible for captivating the world with their creativity for decades, serving up a rich variety of songs for our global soundtrack," said Songwriters Hall Of Fame chairman Jimmy Webb. “We are looking forward to celebrating their contributions at our annual awards gala."

For more information, visit SongHall.com.

According to AllMusic Guide, Gramm was sidelined with several health issues in the late 1990s. He was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor on the eve of the band's planned Japanese tour in 1997, and the surgery that followed damaged his pituitary gland. After a year of rehabilitation and radiation treatment, the singer made a full recovery and resumed touring in 1999. He split with FOREIGNER once again in 2003, however, preferring to tour in support of his solo material instead.