Leading U.S. performing right organization Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) saluted the songwriters and publishers behind country music’s most-performed songs of the past year tonight during the 58th annual BMI Country Awards. The ceremony was held in the company’s Music Row offices. BMI President & CEO Del Bryant hosted the gala with Jody Williams, Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville.
At 20 years old, Taylor Swift became the youngest person ever to win the BMI Country Songwriter of the Year crown. She is followed by Bill Anderson, who won the honor in 1960 at 23, and Johnny Cash, who won in 1956 at 24. Swift earned the award thanks to her self-recorded compositions “Fifteen,” “White Horse” and “You Belong With Me,” as well as “Best Days of Your Life,” recorded by Kellie Pickler.
“You Belong With Me” also earned Swift her third consecutive BMI Country Song of the Year win, making her the only songwriter ever to win the award three years in a row. In 2008, she became the youngest songwriter ever to win the honor, while earlier this year she became the youngest individual ever to pen the BMI Pop Song of the Year. Co-written with frequent collaborator Liz Rose, the song is published by Sony/ATV Tree, Taylor Swift Music, Orbison Music LLC, and Wagnerville Music.
Another highlight included Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville earning its ninth consecutive BMI Country Publisher of the Year title.
Billy Sherrill, the father of the contemporary country sound, was named a BMI Icon. The Icon designation is given to BMI songwriters and artists who have had “a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.” Sherrill has received more BMI Country Awards than any other songwriter in history, and was named BMI Country Songwriter of the 20th Century in 1999. As a BMI Icon, he joins a list of past honorees that includes Kris Kristofferson, John Fogerty, Willie Nelson, Isaac Hayes, Merle Haggard, Brian Wilson, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, the Bee Gees, James Brown, and more.
An all-star tribute paid homage to Sherrill’s genre-shaping work as a producer and songwriter. Ronnie Dunn performed “The Most Beautiful Girl”; Martina McBride delivered “’Til I Can Make It on My Own”; Faith Hill contributed “Stand By Your Man”; and George Strait offered “My Elusive Dreams.”
For BMI Country Music Awards updates, follow http://twitter.com/bmi and www.facebook.com/broadcastmusicinc.
Two pivotal figures in Nashville music — one a 74-year-old songwriter and production mastermind, the other a 20-year-old experiencing unprecedented songwriting success — won major prizes at Tuesday evening’s 2010 BMI Country Music Awards.
Country Music Hall of Famer Billy Sherrill and singer-songwriter Taylor Swift are the figures in question, with Sherrill winning a BMI Icon Award for career achievement and Swift becoming the first-ever writer to win three consecutive BMI country song of the year awards, and the youngest person to ever win the BMI country songwriter of the year prize (next in that line: Bill Anderson, who was 23 when he won in 1960, and Johnny Cash, who was 24 in 1956).
The private, black tie event was held at BMI’s Music Row offices and hosted by BMI president and CEO Del Bryant and Nashville writer/publisher VP Jody Williams.
Swift’s self-recorded “Fifteen,” “White Horse” and “You Belong With Me” were among BMI’s most-recorded songs of the past year, as was her co-written hit for Kellie Pickler, “Best Days of Your Life.”
“You Belong With Me,” written by Swift and Liz Rose, was named BMI’s country song of the year. Swift’s “Love Story” won in 2009, and her “Teardrops On My Guitar” (co-written with Rose) was BMI’s top country song in 2008.
“Taylor writes about her own experiences, and sings about what she’s going through,” said Josh Turner, whose “Why Don’t We Just Dance” is country radio’s most-played single of 2010. “That’s something a lot of writers forget to do, for some reason.”
Sherrill’s uptown, “Countrypolitan” production style is a template for modern country music, and he has received more BMI Country Awards than any songwriter in history. During Tuesday’s tribute to Sherrill’s songs and style, Ronnie Dunn performed “The Most Beautiful Girl,” Martina McBride sang “’Til I Can Make It On My Own,” Faith Hill offered “Stand By Your Man” and George Strait delivered “My Elusive Dreams.” All of those songs are Sherrill co-writes.
“Billy Sherrill’s recordings still sound cutting edge,” said Kristian Bush of Sugarland. “Country music has a long history of stretching, and he certainly stretched things.”
Songwriter Bobby Tomberlin said he was a disc jockey when he began playing Billy Sherrill songs on the air.
“So many of them, he wrote and produced,” Tomberlin said. “It’s amazing.”
Sherrill wrote nine songs that have generated more than a million performances. In addition to the songs performed on Tuesday, Sherrill’s credits include “A Very Special Love Song,” “Almost Persuaded,” “Every Time You Touch Me I Get High,” “I’m A Stand By My Woman Man” and “Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad.”
Sony/ATV Music Publishing won its ninth consecutive BMI country publisher of the year award, in recognition of hit titles including “You Belong With Me,” “Fifteen,” “I Run To You” and “People Are Crazy.”
Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) is a performing rights organization that represents more than 475,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers. Performing rights organizations collect license fees from businesses that use music and distributes those fees as royalties to the music’s creators and copyright owners.Reach Peter Cooper at 615–259‑8220 or [email protected]. BMI Country Awards 2010 honorees
Songwriter Of The Year
Taylor Swift
“Best Days Of Your Life”
“Fifteen”
“White Horse”
“You Belong With Me”
Publisher Of The Year
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville
(Sony/ATV Acuff Rose, Sony ATV Songs LLC And Sony/ATV Tree)
“All I Ask For Anymore”
“American Ride”
“Best Days Of Your Life”
“Fifteen”
“I Run To You”
“I’m Alive”
“Living For The Night”
“Love Your Love The Most”
“Only You Can Love Me This Way”
“People Are Crazy”
“Sideways”
“Southern Voice”
“White Horse”
“White Liar”
“Why Don’t We Just Dance”
“You Belong With Me”
Song Of The Year
“You Belong With Me”
Liz Rose
Taylor Swift
Sony/ATV Tree
Taylor Swift Music
Wagnerville Music
BMI Icon
Billy Sherrill2010 BMI Country Awards Award-Winning Songs
title, songwriter(s), publisher(s), performing artist
"All I Ask For Anymore"
Casey Beathard, Tim James
Sony/ATV Acuff Rose, T-Bird's Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Trace Adkins
"Always The Love Songs"
George Ducas
Pure Blue Music
Eli Young Band
"American Ride"
Dave Pahanish, Joe West
Songs For My Good Girl, Sony/ATV Tree, Totally Wrighteous Music
Toby Keith
"Barefoot And Crazy"
Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc., Rhettneck Music, String Stretcher Music
Jack Ingram
"Best Days Of Your Life"
Taylor Swift
Sony/ATV Tree, Taylor Swift Music
Kellie Pickler
"Big Green Tractor"
Jim Collins
Hope-N-Cal Music, Sexy Tractor Music
Jason Aldean
"Bonfire"
Tom Botkin, Kevin Denney, Craig Morgan
Botkin Music, Craven Music, Key Brothers Music, KRD Music, Magic Mustang Music, Inc., Nashvistaville Songs, Triple Shoes Music
Craig Morgan
"Boots On"
Randy Houser, Brandon Kinney
Burn 1 Baby Music, How 'Bout That Skyline Music, Kinney Empire Music, Songs Of Windswept Pacific
Randy Houser
"The Climb"
Jon Mabe
Mabe It Big Music, Music Of Stage Three
Miley Cyrus
"Consider Me Gone"
Marv Green
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Reba McEntire
"Cowboy Casanova"
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Okie Music
Carrie Underwood
"Do I"
Luke Bryan, Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley
Bug Music, DWHaywood Music, Murrah Music Corporation, Planet Peanut Music, Radiobulletspublishing, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Luke Bryan
"Fifteen"
Taylor Swift
Sony/ATV Tree, Taylor Swift Music
Taylor Swift
"Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song)"
Cory Batten, Kent Blazy
I Want To Hold Your Songs
Chris Young
"Here Comes Goodbye"
Chris Sligh
Bridge
At 20 years old, Taylor Swift became the youngest person ever to win the BMI Country Songwriter of the Year crown. She is followed by Bill Anderson, who won the honor in 1960 at 23, and Johnny Cash, who won in 1956 at 24. Swift earned the award thanks to her self-recorded compositions “Fifteen,” “White Horse” and “You Belong With Me,” as well as “Best Days of Your Life,” recorded by Kellie Pickler.
“You Belong With Me” also earned Swift her third consecutive BMI Country Song of the Year win, making her the only songwriter ever to win the award three years in a row. In 2008, she became the youngest songwriter ever to win the honor, while earlier this year she became the youngest individual ever to pen the BMI Pop Song of the Year. Co-written with frequent collaborator Liz Rose, the song is published by Sony/ATV Tree, Taylor Swift Music, Orbison Music LLC, and Wagnerville Music.
Another highlight included Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville earning its ninth consecutive BMI Country Publisher of the Year title.
Billy Sherrill, the father of the contemporary country sound, was named a BMI Icon. The Icon designation is given to BMI songwriters and artists who have had “a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.” Sherrill has received more BMI Country Awards than any other songwriter in history, and was named BMI Country Songwriter of the 20th Century in 1999. As a BMI Icon, he joins a list of past honorees that includes Kris Kristofferson, John Fogerty, Willie Nelson, Isaac Hayes, Merle Haggard, Brian Wilson, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, the Bee Gees, James Brown, and more.
An all-star tribute paid homage to Sherrill’s genre-shaping work as a producer and songwriter. Ronnie Dunn performed “The Most Beautiful Girl”; Martina McBride delivered “’Til I Can Make It on My Own”; Faith Hill contributed “Stand By Your Man”; and George Strait offered “My Elusive Dreams.”
For BMI Country Music Awards updates, follow http://twitter.com/bmi and www.facebook.com/broadcastmusicinc.
Two pivotal figures in Nashville music — one a 74-year-old songwriter and production mastermind, the other a 20-year-old experiencing unprecedented songwriting success — won major prizes at Tuesday evening’s 2010 BMI Country Music Awards.
Country Music Hall of Famer Billy Sherrill and singer-songwriter Taylor Swift are the figures in question, with Sherrill winning a BMI Icon Award for career achievement and Swift becoming the first-ever writer to win three consecutive BMI country song of the year awards, and the youngest person to ever win the BMI country songwriter of the year prize (next in that line: Bill Anderson, who was 23 when he won in 1960, and Johnny Cash, who was 24 in 1956).
The private, black tie event was held at BMI’s Music Row offices and hosted by BMI president and CEO Del Bryant and Nashville writer/publisher VP Jody Williams.
Swift’s self-recorded “Fifteen,” “White Horse” and “You Belong With Me” were among BMI’s most-recorded songs of the past year, as was her co-written hit for Kellie Pickler, “Best Days of Your Life.”
“You Belong With Me,” written by Swift and Liz Rose, was named BMI’s country song of the year. Swift’s “Love Story” won in 2009, and her “Teardrops On My Guitar” (co-written with Rose) was BMI’s top country song in 2008.
“Taylor writes about her own experiences, and sings about what she’s going through,” said Josh Turner, whose “Why Don’t We Just Dance” is country radio’s most-played single of 2010. “That’s something a lot of writers forget to do, for some reason.”
Sherrill’s uptown, “Countrypolitan” production style is a template for modern country music, and he has received more BMI Country Awards than any songwriter in history. During Tuesday’s tribute to Sherrill’s songs and style, Ronnie Dunn performed “The Most Beautiful Girl,” Martina McBride sang “’Til I Can Make It On My Own,” Faith Hill offered “Stand By Your Man” and George Strait delivered “My Elusive Dreams.” All of those songs are Sherrill co-writes.
“Billy Sherrill’s recordings still sound cutting edge,” said Kristian Bush of Sugarland. “Country music has a long history of stretching, and he certainly stretched things.”
Songwriter Bobby Tomberlin said he was a disc jockey when he began playing Billy Sherrill songs on the air.
“So many of them, he wrote and produced,” Tomberlin said. “It’s amazing.”
Sherrill wrote nine songs that have generated more than a million performances. In addition to the songs performed on Tuesday, Sherrill’s credits include “A Very Special Love Song,” “Almost Persuaded,” “Every Time You Touch Me I Get High,” “I’m A Stand By My Woman Man” and “Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad.”
Sony/ATV Music Publishing won its ninth consecutive BMI country publisher of the year award, in recognition of hit titles including “You Belong With Me,” “Fifteen,” “I Run To You” and “People Are Crazy.”
Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) is a performing rights organization that represents more than 475,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers. Performing rights organizations collect license fees from businesses that use music and distributes those fees as royalties to the music’s creators and copyright owners.Reach Peter Cooper at 615–259‑8220 or [email protected]. BMI Country Awards 2010 honorees
Songwriter Of The Year
Taylor Swift
“Best Days Of Your Life”
“Fifteen”
“White Horse”
“You Belong With Me”
Publisher Of The Year
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville
(Sony/ATV Acuff Rose, Sony ATV Songs LLC And Sony/ATV Tree)
“All I Ask For Anymore”
“American Ride”
“Best Days Of Your Life”
“Fifteen”
“I Run To You”
“I’m Alive”
“Living For The Night”
“Love Your Love The Most”
“Only You Can Love Me This Way”
“People Are Crazy”
“Sideways”
“Southern Voice”
“White Horse”
“White Liar”
“Why Don’t We Just Dance”
“You Belong With Me”
Song Of The Year
“You Belong With Me”
Liz Rose
Taylor Swift
Sony/ATV Tree
Taylor Swift Music
Wagnerville Music
BMI Icon
Billy Sherrill2010 BMI Country Awards Award-Winning Songs
title, songwriter(s), publisher(s), performing artist
"All I Ask For Anymore"
Casey Beathard, Tim James
Sony/ATV Acuff Rose, T-Bird's Music, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Trace Adkins
"Always The Love Songs"
George Ducas
Pure Blue Music
Eli Young Band
"American Ride"
Dave Pahanish, Joe West
Songs For My Good Girl, Sony/ATV Tree, Totally Wrighteous Music
Toby Keith
"Barefoot And Crazy"
Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc., Rhettneck Music, String Stretcher Music
Jack Ingram
"Best Days Of Your Life"
Taylor Swift
Sony/ATV Tree, Taylor Swift Music
Kellie Pickler
"Big Green Tractor"
Jim Collins
Hope-N-Cal Music, Sexy Tractor Music
Jason Aldean
"Bonfire"
Tom Botkin, Kevin Denney, Craig Morgan
Botkin Music, Craven Music, Key Brothers Music, KRD Music, Magic Mustang Music, Inc., Nashvistaville Songs, Triple Shoes Music
Craig Morgan
"Boots On"
Randy Houser, Brandon Kinney
Burn 1 Baby Music, How 'Bout That Skyline Music, Kinney Empire Music, Songs Of Windswept Pacific
Randy Houser
"The Climb"
Jon Mabe
Mabe It Big Music, Music Of Stage Three
Miley Cyrus
"Consider Me Gone"
Marv Green
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Reba McEntire
"Cowboy Casanova"
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Okie Music
Carrie Underwood
"Do I"
Luke Bryan, Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley
Bug Music, DWHaywood Music, Murrah Music Corporation, Planet Peanut Music, Radiobulletspublishing, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Luke Bryan
"Fifteen"
Taylor Swift
Sony/ATV Tree, Taylor Swift Music
Taylor Swift
"Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song)"
Cory Batten, Kent Blazy
I Want To Hold Your Songs
Chris Young
"Here Comes Goodbye"
Chris Sligh
Bridge
© Moments By Moser Photography * Bev Moser
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