NEW YORK — Sting performed in honor of Elton John, Billy Joel sang snippets of Foreigner’s hits when introducing the band and Smokey Robinson debuted part of a new song he wrote about Berry Gordy.

The 44th annual Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony was full of star power that included Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Nickelback and Petula Clark. Tyler, Perry, Mick Jones and Lou Gramm of Foreigner, Holly Knight, JD Souther and Tony Hatch were inducted Thursday into the Songwriters Hall 2013 class in New York City.

John and writing partner Bernie Taupin received the Johnny Mercer award, and Sting kicked off the night with a performance of “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting.”

John, who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall in 1992, said songwriting is often taken for granted.

Joel introduced Jones and Gramm, who gave the night’s most rousing performance when they sang the Foreigner hits “Juke Box Hero” and “I Want to Know What Love Is.”

By The Associated Press