Songwriter and producer Bert Berns, who had a hand in some of the biggest hits of the 1960s, including co-writing “Twist and Shout” for the Isley Brothers and the plaintive “Piece of My Heart” sung by Janis Joplin, has been inducted posthumously into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Berns, who died in 1967 at age 38, was welcomed into the Hall on Tuesday at a ceremony at the 54 Below cabaret club in New York City. It included video tributes by Paul McCartney and Van Morrison and rock royalty like Steve Miller and Steven Van Zandt. It was hosted by Paul Shaffer and Berns’ son, Brett, and daughter, Cassandra.
