Lady Gaga, Van Morrison celebrated at Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony

NEW YORK, June 19 (UPI) -- The 46th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony Thursday night honored artists ranging in genres from country to pop to rock and roll.

Honorees in attendance at the event, held at Marriot Marquis Hotel in New York, were Lady Gaga, Nate Ruess, Van Morrison, John LoFrumento, and seven hall of fame inductees.

Gaga, born as Stefani Germanotta, received the hall's first-ever Contemporary Icon Award while also taking part in the event's music showcase. Legendary singer-songwriter Van Morrison accepted the Johnny Mercer Award, making one of his two scheduled performances in the U.S. this year. His award is meant to honor a songwriter with "an established history of outstanding creative works."

Previous winners of the Johnny Mercer Award include Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson, Stevie Wonder and Burt Bacharach. Morrison and Michael Buble performed a duet of "Real Real Gone" during a musical showcase.

Among the seven inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame was singer, actress and activist Cyndi Lauper. Carly Rae Jepson performed a rendition of Lauper's "Time After Time" in tribute to the inductee's 30-year career.

The additional inductees included Bobby Braddock, Willie Dixon, Toby Keith, Linda Perry, and the Grateful Dead's Robert Hunter and the late Jerry Garcia.

Nate Ruess, headman of the pop-rock band Fun. received the Hal David Starlight Award which is given to songwriters at the height of their careers. Past recipients of the award include Ne-Yo, Drake, Taylor Swift and John Legend. Ruess' solo album Grand Romantic was released this week.