BMI Awards
On Tuesday night (Nov. 19), performing rights organization BMI celebrated the songwriters and publishers behind 50 of the previous yearâs most-performed country songs during its annual BMI Country Awards, held at BMI Nashvilleâs offices.
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Among the songs honored were Jelly Rollâs âNeed a Favor,â Cody Johnsonâs âThe Painter,â Kane Brownâs âBury Me in Georgia,â Luke Combsâs âWhere the Wild Things Areâ and more. Leading the festivities were BMIâs President & CEO Mike OâNeill, BMI Nashvilleâs VP, Creative, Clay Bradley, and BMI Nashvilleâs executive director of creative Shannon Sanders.
The evening launched with Ella Langley, Lukas Nelson and Aaron Raitiere teaming for a rendition of âWith a Little Help From My Friends.â
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Zach Bryan and Chase McGill tied as honorees for the BMI songwriter of the year honor, with each songwriter co-writing six of BMIâs most-performed songs in country music. Bryanâs credits were âBurn, Burn, Burn,â âDawns,â âHey Driver,â âI Remember Everything,â âOklahoma Smokeshowâ and âSun to Me,â while McGill co-wrote Morgan Wallenâs âAinât That Some,â Luke Bryanâs âBut I Got a Beer in My Hand,â Conner Smithâs âCreek Will Rise,â Russell Dickersonâs âGod Gave Me a Girl,â Jordan Davisâs âNext Thing You Know,â and Thomas Rhettâs âMamawâs House.â Bryan was not in attendance, but McGill took the stage to thank his family and those who have been a part of his journey.
He also thanked his longtime music publisher, Universal Music Publishing Group, and recalled telling UMPG executive Terry Wakefield about his career aims. âTerry came to my house the day we started working together and he asked me, âWhat are your goals as a songwriter?â I said, âI donât have goalsâI have a goal: I want to be BMI writer of the year.â So Terry laid out a plan and here we are. So thank you.â
Morgan Wallenâs âLast Nightâ was named the 2024 BMI country song of the year, and was published by Big Loud Mountain, John Byron Music, Sony/ATV Songs LLC and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. âLast Nightâ led the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 16 nonconsecutive weeks.
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp was named publisher of the year, publishing 34 of the 50 most-performed songs of the year, including Parker McCollumâs âBurn It Down,â Tyler Hubbardâs âDancinâ in the Country,â Riley Greenâs âDifferent âRound Here,â Warren Zeidersâ âPretty Little Poisonâ and Bailey Zimmermanâs âReligiously.â
Alabama frontman Randy Owen was honored with the BMI Icon award, joining an elite group of fellow recipients that have included Toby Keith, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Bill Anderson, Dean Dillon and Kris Kristofferson. Owen is not only the lead singer for three-time CMA vocal group of the year winners Alabama, but his songwriting prowess is evidenced by some of the groupâs enduring hit songs including âChristmas in Dixie,â âTennessee River,â âFeels So Right,â and âMy Homeâs in Alabama.â Along the way, Owen has won 25 BMI Million-Air Awards and in 2000, he was honored with the BMI presidentâs award.
âOne thing I learned early on, when I signed to BMI under [former BMI Nashville president/CEO] Frances Preston,â Owen told Billboard on the red carpet. âHonestly, I had no idea that you could make money writing songs. I just wrote songs that I enjoyed writing, songs that I felt like I had to write.â
Dolly Parton and Kenny Chesney offered tributes to Owen via video, while Riley Green honored Owen by performing âMy Homeâs in Alabama.â Luke Bryan offered a superb vocal rendering on the soulful and sultry âFeels So Right.â The evening recognized not only Owenâs work as a songwriter, but his dedication to giving back to others, most notably through his work in launching the Country Cares for St. Jude Kids program, which recently reached its milestone 35th anniversary and celebrated raising $1 billion for St. Jude Childrenâs Research Hospital since 1989.
One of the highlights of the evening came when Blake Shelton performed a rendition of Alabamaâs 1982 hit âMountain Music.â
âCongratulations, you deserve this,â Shelton told Owen.
Shelton welcomed Bryan back to the stage to join him, backed by guitar and searing fiddle. The crowd of songwriters, publishers and other industry members, all garbed in suits and elegant dresses, immediately rose to their feet, clapping and singing along to Owenâs lyrics of flowing rivers, rustic Cajun hideaways and playing baseball with chert rocks. As artists performed their tributes, Owen could often be seen wiping away tears as he watched from the audience.
Owen and his wife Kelly took the stage, with Kelly offering insights into Owenâs songwriting and praising how his songs have impacted not only their family, but so many music fans. Owen himself then thanked those who have been essential to the groupâs success, including producer Harold Shedd, who was in attendance. âYou may be 115 years old, but youâre still a stud to me,â Owen told Shedd with a chuckle.
Owen honored his late Alabama bandmate Jeff Cook, calling Cook âa musical genius.â He also welcomed his Alabama bandmate Teddy Gentry to the stage alongside him, thanking him for their friendship, and praising Gentryâs work in crafting the groupâs harmonies.
âTeddy, I love you and I appreciate you being here tonight. It means the world to me and my family. I appreciate you, and weâre still rockinâ,â Owen said, ending by thanking the musicians who played on all of Alabamaâs records.
âThank you for this night. Itâs a highlight.â
SZA had a big night at the BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards, which were held at Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles on Thursday (Sept. 5). In addition to receiving the previously announced BMI Champion Award, she was named BMIâs R&B/Hip-Hop Songwriter of the Year and received Song of the Year for âKill Billâ alongside her co-writers Rob Bisel and Carter Lang. The smash hit reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has over one billion streams on Spotify.
Upon receiving the BMI Champion Award, SZA said, âI have to say songwriting awards mean the most to me because when I started and I needed people to come and write for me; I didnât have anybody. ⌠Iâm grateful to be honored today because thereâs so many songwriters in here that literally made me.âÂ
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This marked the first time the BMI Champion Award has been presented in the R&B/Hip-Hop ceremonyâs 24-year history. Mike Steinberg, BMIâs EVP, chief revenue & creative officer, praised SZA âfor using her voice as a champion ⌠and raising the bar in songwriting creativity and breaking boundaries at every turn.â He added, âHer once-in-a-lifetime sound has mesmerized audiences around the globe.â
In a tribute to SZA, Bren Joy performed âBroken Clocks,â and MaKenzie performed âNobody Gets Me.â
The private event was hosted by BMI president & CEO Mike OâNeill and BMI vice president, creative, Atlanta, Catherine Brewton.
As previously announced, Babyface was named a BMI Icon at the ceremony. In accepting the award, Babyface said, âI only know that I got here because I love music, and it was the one pure thing that I knew that I could do, and I did it with all my heart. If you do it from the heart, thatâs the main thing that keeps you going.â
He then surprised the audience with a performance of his 1990 smash âWhip Appeal.â Babyface and Perri McKissack co-wrote the song, which reached the top 10 on both the Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
Babyface has collected 64 BMI Awards. He received BMIâs Song of the Year three times, BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year seven times and, together with his LaFace Records co-founder L.A. Reid, was named a BMI Icon in 2006.
Several artists paid tribute to Babyface by performing his songs. Mac Royals opened with âMy My My,â followed by Tamar Braxton with âSuperwomanâ and Mario with âIâll Make Love to Youâ and âCan We Talk.â Lil Wayne paid tribute to his mentor and friend before OâNeill and Brewton presented the Icon Award. OâNeill praised Babyfaceâs talent and impact on generations of music makers, and for being with the BMI family for nearly five decades.
Hitmaker Tay Keith received Producer of the Year for his work on hits such as âFirst Person Shooterâ performed by Drake featuring J. Cole, âMeltdownâ by Travis Scott featuring Drake, âSkeeYeeâ by Sexyy Red and âCirco Locoâ by Drake and 21 Savage. This marks the third time Keith has been named Producer of the Year. (He was also named BMIâs R&B/Hip-Hop Songwriter of the Year in 2018.)
Coleman, Dougie F, Metro Boomin, RIOTUSA and Jahaan Sweet were also named top producers during the ceremony.
Universal Music Publishing was named BMIâs R&B/Hip-Hop Publisher of the Year for representing 21 of the previous yearâs most-performed songs, including âKill Bill,â âBarbie World,â âPaint the Town Red,â âPlayers,â âSuperhero (Heroes & Villains)â and âSnooze.â
Over the course of the ceremony, BMI recognized the top producers and songwriters of the previous yearâs 35 Most-Performed R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in the U.S., naming 56 first-time winners.
To see a complete list of winners, visit BMIâs site.
Singer-songwriter John Oates will be feted for his contributions to the art of songwriting when he is honored with BMIâs Troubadour Award on Sept. 16 in Nashville. The accolade recognizes a songwriter who has made âa profound impact on the creative community as their craft continues to set the pace for generations to follow,â according […]
Taylor Swift took pop songwriter of the year at the 2024 BMI Pop Awards, which were held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Tuesday (June 4).
Swift had a hand in writing 10 of BMIâs most-performed songs of 2023 â âAnti-Hero,â âBejeweled,â âCruel Summer,â âKarma,â âLavender Haze,â âMaroon,â âMidnight Rain,â âSnow on the Beach,â âVigilante Shitâ and âYouâre on Your Own, Kid.â Swift has received a total of 65 BMI Awards, including the BMI Presidentâs Award in 2009.
On Nov. 10, 2023, Swift received her seventh Grammy nomination for song of the year for âAnti-Hero,â which enabled her to set a new record for the most nods in the category.
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Miley Cyrus, Gregory âAldaeâ Hein and Michael Pollack won the BMI Pop Award for song of the year for Cyrusâ megahit, âFlowers.â The smash entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 1 and remained there for eight nonconsecutive weeks. It won Grammys for record of the year and best pop solo performance on Feb. 4 (and was nominated for song of the year).
Sony Music Publishing received publisher of the year for the seventh year in a row. The company represented 34 of the previous yearâs most performed songs, including âAnti-Hero,â âBarbie World,â âEyes Closed,â âFlowers,â âTrustfallâ and âUnholy.â
As previously announced, Benny Blanco, 36, received the BMI Presidentâs Award. Blanco has won 55 BMI Awards, was named songwriter of the year four times, and won pop song of the year in 2013 for co-writing âMoves Like Jaggerâ performed by Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera.
Blanco has received two Grammy nods for song of the year, for the Julia Michaels hit âIssuesâ and the Justin Bieber smash âLove Yourself.â Blanco has gone 0-11 at the Grammys over the years, so this BMI recognition was probably especially meaningful.
Blanco was presented with the award by BMI president and CEO Mike OâNeill, who praised the songwriter as an âunstoppable creative force who has shaped the sound of popular music.â Some of Blancoâs top collaborators, including Lil Dicky, John Janick, Blake Slatkin and Ed Sheeran, sent in video congratulatory messages. Sia then hit the stage to perform Rihannaâs 2012 hit âDiamonds,â which she co-wrote with Blanco.
On receiving the honor, Blanco said, âWe have the best job in the world, and we are so thankful and lucky to be in this room. We have the opportunity to make things better through music and help people. Weâre giving the soundtrack to peoplesâ lives.â
Previous recipients of the BMI Presidentâs Award include Luis Fonsi, Noel Gallagher, Ellie Goulding, Imagine Dragons, Jay Kay of Jamiroquai, Ludacris, P!nk, Willie Nelson, Pitbull, Taylor Swift, Brian Wilson, and Dwight Yoakam.
BMI celebrated 53 first-time Pop Award winners including Sabrina Carpenter (âNonsenseâ), Ice Spice (âBoyâs a Liar Pt. 2â), Jelly Roll and Rob Ragosta (âNeed a Favorâ), Kamille (âIâm Good (Blue)â) and Stephen Sanchez (âUntil I Found Youâ).
The private event was co-hosted by OâNeill and BMI vice president, creative, worldwide, Barbara Cane.
For the full list of 2024 honorees, visit https://www.bmi.com/award-shows/pop-2024/
Composer Ramin Djawadi is set to receive the BMI Icon Award at the 40th annual BMI Film, TV and Visual Media Awards on June 5 in Beverly Hills, Calif. The Emmy-winning composer will receive the accolade for his body of work across film, television and video games. The ceremony will also salute the composers of the previous yearâs top-grossing films, top-rated primetime network television series, and highest-ranking cable and streamed media programs.
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The event will be hosted by BMI president and CEO Mike OâNeill and BMI vice president of creative, film, TV & visual media, Tracy McKnight.
Previous BMI Icon Award recipients include Terence Blanchard, Mychael Danna, Alexandre Desplat, Harry Gregson-Williams, James Newton Howard, Christopher Lennertz, Thomas Newman, Rachel Portman (PRS), Mike Post, Alan Silvestri, Brian Tyler and John Williams.
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Djawadi has received 15 BMI Awards for outstanding scores for films, cable TV programs and streamed media. He won back-to-back Primetime Emmy Awards in 2018-19 for outstanding music composition for a series (original dramatic score) for Game of Thrones. He has received five other Primetime Emmy nods for Game of Thrones, Prison Break, FlashForward and Westworld. In addition, Djawadi has received three Grammy nods.
âWeâre excited to honor Ramin Djawadi and celebrate his outstanding musical achievements,â McKnight in a statement. âRaminâs innovative compositions for films, TV shows, and video games have captivated audiences worldwide, exemplifying his remarkable range and talent.â
Djawadi collaborated with Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy on Amazon Primeâs Fallout and partnered with David Benioff and D.B. Weiss on the Netflix series 3 Body Problem.
Djawadi, 49, got his start by collaborating with Hans Zimmer on such films as Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Batman Begins. (Both composers were born in what was then known as West Germany.) Djawadi went on to score such films as Iron Man, Eternals, A Wrinkle in Time, Clash of the Titans, Pacific Rim and Blade:Trinity.
In addition, Djawadi, has composed music for several video games including âMedal of Honor,â âGears of War 4â and âGears 5.â
Kirk Franklin, Travis Greene and Tamela Mann tied for BMIâs Gospel Songwriter of the Year at the 2024 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards, which were held at Flourish in Atlanta on Thursday March 28. Each songwriter wrote two of the most performed gospel songs of the year. Franklin was honored for âBless Meâ and âKingdom,â Greene for âFinishedâ and âTent Revival,â and Mann for âFinishedâ and âHe Did It for Me.â
Franklin won a second award for âKingdom,â which was named the BMI Gospel Song of the Year. Franklin cowrote the song with Jonathan Jay, Chandler Moore and Jacob Poole. The song, which was recorded by Maverick City Music X Kirk Franklin, won a Grammy for best gospel performance/song at the 65th annual Grammy Awards in February 2023.
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BMIâs Gospel Publisher of the Year went to Essential Music Publishing for the second year in a row.
Throughout the luncheon event, BMI saluted the Top 25 most-performed gospel songs of the previous year. The private ceremony was hosted by Mike OâNeill, BMIâs president & CEO, and Catherine Brewton, vice president, creative, Atlanta.
As previously announced, gospel legend and evangelist Dorinda Clark-Cole, of the acclaimed Clark Sisters, was honored as a Trailblazer of Gospel Music. Upon receiving the honor, Clark-Cole offered this advice for songwriters: âWhen you are at your lowest, thatâs when God can get your greatest⌠keep writing, keep getting inspired by God because somebody is being blessed.â
Crystal Aikin, Tasha Page-Lockhart, Yolanda Adams, Lisa Knowles-Smith and Clark-Coleâs niece Kierra Sheard performed songs to fete Clark-Cole.
Jonathan McReynolds received the BMI Champion Award, the first time this accolade was presented at this ceremony. DOE, Tyree Miller, Darrel Walls and Jason Nelson sang tributes to McReynolds.
Tim Bowman, Jr., Kim Burrell and Faith City Music and Zacardi Cortez also performed at the event.
Gospel legend Dorinda Clark-Cole of The Clark Sisters will receive the Trailblazer of Gospel Award at the 2024 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards. The awards will be held at Flourish Atlanta on Thursday, March 28.
Jonathan McReynolds will receive the BMI Champion Award for his artistry and impact on gospel music, marking the first time this accolade has been presented at this ceremony.
The private event will be hosted by BMI president and CEO Mike OâNeill, and Catherine Brewton, BMI vice president, creative, Atlanta. Throughout the ceremony, BMI will recognize the songwriters, producers and music publishers of the past yearâs 25 most-performed gospel songs in the U.S.
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âThe Clark Sisters are among the legends of gospel, and Dorindaâs distinctive jazzy sound lends a unique brilliance to the group,â Brewton said in a statement. âIâm so proud to be honoring her work and highlighting the impact sheâs made on the genre and community through her music and evangelism. Weâre also paying tribute to one of the most incredible voices in gospel, Jonathan McReynolds, whose music is often referred to as âlifeâ songs, speaking to the hearts of all.â
Clark-Cole and McReynolds are both Grammy winners. With The Clark Sisters, Clark-Cole won two Grammys in 2008 â best traditional gospel album for Live â One Last Time and best gospel performance for âBlessed and Highly Favored.â Earlier this month, The Clark Sisters received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy. McReynolds won a Grammy for best gospel performance/song three years ago for âMovinâ On.â
Clark-Cole, known as the âRose of Gospel Music,â is a singer-songwriter, talk-show host and evangelist. Born and raised in Detroit, ClarkâCole is the daughter of pioneering choral director Mattie Moss Clark. In addition to her two Grammys, Clark-Cole has won two GMA Dove Awards, three BMI Awards, 13 Stellar Gospel Music Awards and a Lady of Soul Award. The sistersâ lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy followed a James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award at the Stellar Awards in 2020. That same year, The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel biopic, produced by Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott and Queen Latifah, premiered on Lifetime to millions of viewers.
In addition to his Grammy, McReynolds has received four BMI Awards and was named BMIâs Gospel Songwriter of the Year in 2023. He has also been honored at the Stellar Awards and the GMA Dove Awards. He has had seven top five albums on Billboardâs Top Gospel Albums chart, including two that reached No. 1: Life Music: Stage Two (2015) and Make Room (2018). He has also had 10 top 10 hits on Hot Gospel Songs, including âMovinâ Onâ (a collaboration with Mali Music) and âNot Lucky, Iâm Loved.â
The CMA Awards may be rightfully billed as âCountry Musicâs Biggest Night,â but in terms of pure star power, the annual BMI Country Awards just might prove a close rival, as artists including Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Ashley McBryde, Kenny Chesney, Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, The War and Treaty, Cole Swindell, Kane Brown, Ronnie Dunn, Tyler Hubbard, Bailey Zimmerman, Chris Young, Charles Kelley, Dustin Lynch and Priscilla Block were all in attendance on Tuesday evening (Nov. 7), as the awards ceremony was held at BMIâs Nashville office.
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The evening began as BMI president/CEO Mike OâNeill addressed the elephant in the room â speculation over a potential private equity sale of BMI â by stating that no deal has been made.
âIf we move in that direction, it will only be with a company that shares in our mission, which is to support your creative growth and grow our distribution. That is and will always be our number one priority. That will never change, no matter what happens,â OâNeill told the audience.
Additional BMI executives including BMI Nashvilleâs VP, Creative Clay Bradley and executive director, creative Shannon Sanders were on hand to honor BMIâs 50 most-performed country songs of the previous year, which included 27 first-time BMI Award winners.
Combs and Wallen shared the songwriter of the year accolade. Combs was honored for co-writing his own singles âDoinâ This,â âGoing, Going, Gone,â âThe Kind of Love We Make,â as well as Zac Brown Bandâs âOut in the Middle.â Wallen co-wrote Keith Urbanâs âBrown Eyes Baby,â Corey Kentâs âWild as Her,â as well as his own âThought You Should Knowâ and âYou Proof.â Combs and Wallen surprised the audience by taking the stage together, and offered a twist on a typical performance by swapping songs, as Combs performed Wallenâs âThought You Should Knowâ and Wallen returned the favor by performing Combsâs âGoing, Going, Gone.â
Wallenâs âYou Proofâ was named the 2023 BMI country song of the year, published by Big Loud Mountain, Bo Wallace Publishing, Ern Dog Music, Songs of Universal, Inc., Sony/ATV Songs LLC and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. BMIâs most-performed Country song of the year was written by Wallen, Ernest Keith Smith and Charlie Handsome.
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. was named publisher of the year, for publishing 25 of the 50 most-performed songs of the year, including Hubbardâs â5 Foot 9,â Maren Morrisâs âCircles Around This Town,â Thomas Rhettâs âSlow Down Summer,â Zach Bryanâs âSomething in the Orangeâ and Zimmermanâs âRock and a Hard Place.â
The awarding of the eveningâs highest accolade provided some of the most heartfelt moments, as Matraca Berg was recognized with the BMI Icon Award. The BMI Icon Award has previously been awarded to songwriters including Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, James Brown, Brian Wilson, Carole King and Kris Kristofferson.
Bergâs BMI Icon Award is the latest in a career filled with prestigious honors, including the ACM Poetâs Award and induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Bradley called Berg âa trendsetter, a rulebreaker.â
Former BMI CEO Del Bryant signed Berg as a BMI affiliate at the beginning of her career; she earned her first No. 1 as a writer at just 18, when her collaboration with Bobby Braddock, âFaking Love,â became a No. 1 Billboard Country hit for T.G. Sheppard and Karen Brooks in 1983. Berg went on to be the go-to writer for numerous artists over the past four decades, a writer who can.
In 1996, she became the first woman to have five No. 1s in a single calendar year. Her ability to exquisitely detail the stories held closest to the heart, and deftly characterize an array of emotions, made Berg a go-to writer for many artists, but particularly many of the female artists whose music dominated country music in the 1990s. She is a writer and/or co-writer on hits recorded by Patty Loveless (âIâm That Kinda Girl,â âYou Can Feel Badâ), Deana Carter (âStrawberry Wine,â âWe Danced Anywayâ), Reba McEntire (âThe Last One to Knowâ), Martina McBride (âWild Angels,â âStill Holding Onâ), Trisha Yearwood (âXXXs and OOOs (An American Girl),â âWrong Side of Memphis,â âEverybody Knows,â âThey Call It Fallingâ), The Chicks â(If I Fall Youâre Going Down With Meâ), Faith Hill (âYouâre Still Hereâ) and more. Her songs have also garnered three best country song Grammy nominations, for the Kenny Chesney-Grace Potter duet âYou and Tequila,â Carterâs âStrawberry Wineâ and the Gretchen Wilson-recorded âI Donât Feel Like Loving You Today.â She also released seven of her own albums along the way.
Prior to Berg accepting her honor Tuesday evening, video tributes were shown from Loveless and Yearwood, as well as songwriters and publishers who played essential roles in Bergâs career, including Dean Dillon, Bobby Braddock, Aimee Mayo, Pat Higdon, and Chris Farren.
Two of the artists indelibly influenced by Bergâs work â Lainey Wilson and Ashley McBryde â performed in her honor, with Wilson performing the CMA song of the year-winning hit âStrawberry Wine,â and McBryde performing âWrong Side of Memphis.â
McBryde recalled that as she was preparing to move to Nashville, a friend gifted her with a copy of Bergâs 1997 album Sunday Morning to Saturday Night. âThank you for setting the bar,â McBryde said.
Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter performed their 2010 Grammy-nominated hit âYou and Tequila,â a song that proved a full-circle career moment for Berg, as she co-wrote it with Carter.
Chesney recalled being in Malibu when he heard âYou and Tequilaâ for the first time, saying, âI went, âWow, this song is going to maybe bring a lot of people togetherâ â and it brought me and the wonderful Grace Potter togetherâŚthank you Matraca, I love you.â
Berg thanked several of her co-writers, including âWild Angelsâ co-writer Harry Stinson, her âYou Can Feel Badâ co-writer Tim Krekel, and her âStrawberry Wine,â âWrong Side of Memphisâ and âWild Angelsâ co-writer Gary Harrison. âThere would be no me standing up here with out him,â she said of Harrison. She also thanked Carter, saying, ââYou and Tequila,â we just go on and on, donât we?â She also thanked music publishing exec Higdon, another early champion. âWe started working together, I think I was 22 years old. Boy, you saw something in me.â
âIâve been a BMI writer since right out of high school. It means so much, this honor,â Berg told the packed audience. âAll I ever wanted to be was a songwriter.â
BMI is set to present ZZ Topâs Billy F Gibbons with the Troubadour Award on Monday, Sept. 18, during a private reception at BMIâs Nashville office.
While Gibbons is also known as a premier guitarist and entertainer through his musical accomplishments, including his work as part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band ZZ Top, this accolade honors his songwriting work, as a composer who has âmade a profound impact on the creative community as their craft continues to set the pace for generations to follow,â according to a press release.
As the chief songwriter for ZZ Top, Gibbonsâ writing credits include âSharp Dressed Man,â âLegs,â âCheap Sunglassesâ and âLa Grange,â the lead single from the bandâs Tres Hombres album, which garnered them mainstream success 50 years ago.
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âWith a career spanning several decades, Billy has penned an array of timeless hits that have left an indelible mark on the music industry,â Clay Bradley, BMIâs vp of creative, Nashville, said in a statement. âHis ability to craft lyrics that resonate with audiences across generations is a testament to his songwriting prowess and he is the epitome of what the BMI Troubadour Award represents.â
Previous Troubadour Award recipients have included John Hiatt, John Prine, Robert Earl Keen and Lucinda Williams.
Over the years, ZZ Top earned two top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: âLegsâ in 1984 and âSleeping Bagâ in 1985. The group also earned six No. 1 hits on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.
In 2002, the album Sharp Dressed Man: A Tribute to ZZ Top reached No. 7 on Billboardâs Top Country Albums chart. The project featured covers from artists including Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson and Willie Nelson.
Khalid is set to receive the BMI Champion Award at the 71st annual BMI Pop Awards. The private event, hosted by BMI president and CEO Mike OâNeill and vice president worldwide creative Barbara Cane, will be held on Tuesday, May 9, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.
âKhalid exemplifies the true spirit of a champion as one who believes, one who does and one who generously gives back,â Cane said in a statement. âIn addition to recognizing him for his many creative accomplishments, weâre honoring Khalid for his dedication to charitable causes, community, education, and his commitment to supporting the next generation of songwriters and music makers.â
Khalid has received 20 BMI Awards, including being named 2019 BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year. His smash âTalkâ from his sophomore album Free Spirit was named 2019 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Song of the Year.
In addition, he has been nominated for seven Grammy Awards and has won six Billboard Music Awards, three American Music Awards and an MTV Video Music Award.
Previous BMI Champion Award recipients include Keith Urban, Mark Ronson, Residente, Sebastian Krys and Lee Thomas Miller.
BMIâs Pop Song of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Publisher of the Year and BMIâs top 50 most-performed pop songs in the U.S. of the previous year will also be celebrated at the event.
Khalid, alongside his mother, created The Great Khalid Foundation in 2020 to bridge education, innovation and music. The foundation offers music education programs, scholarship awards, community partnerships and gift giveaways to support and nurture children.
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