<\/p>\n
\n\tOn Tuesday night (Nov. 19), performing rights organization BMI celebrated the songwriters and publishers behind 50 of the previous year\u2019s most-performed country songs during its annual BMI Country Awards, held at BMI Nashville\u2019s offices.<\/p>\n
\n\tAmong the songs honored were Jelly Roll\u2019s \u201cNeed a Favor,\u201d Cody Johnson\u2019s \u201cThe Painter,\u201d Kane Brown\u2019s \u201cBury Me in Georgia,\u201d Luke Combs\u2019s \u201cWhere the Wild Things Are\u201d and more. Leading the festivities were BMI\u2019s President & CEO Mike O\u2019Neill, BMI Nashville\u2019s VP, Creative, Clay Bradley, and BMI Nashville\u2019s executive director of creative Shannon Sanders.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe evening launched with Ella Langley, Lukas Nelson and Aaron Raitiere teaming for a rendition of \u201cWith a Little Help From My Friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tZach Bryan and Chase McGill tied as honorees for the BMI songwriter of the year honor, with each songwriter co-writing six of BMI\u2019s most-performed songs in country music. Bryan\u2019s credits were \u201cBurn, Burn, Burn,\u201d \u201cDawns,\u201d \u201cHey Driver,\u201d \u201cI Remember Everything,\u201d \u201cOklahoma Smokeshow\u201d and \u201cSun to Me,\u201d while McGill co-wrote Morgan Wallen\u2019s \u201cAin\u2019t That Some,\u201d Luke Bryan\u2019s \u201cBut I Got a Beer in My Hand,\u201d Conner Smith\u2019s \u201cCreek Will Rise,\u201d Russell Dickerson\u2019s \u201cGod Gave Me a Girl,\u201d Jordan Davis\u2019s \u201cNext Thing You Know,\u201d and Thomas Rhett\u2019s \u201cMamaw\u2019s House.\u201d Bryan was not in attendance, but McGill took the stage to thank his family and those who have been a part of his journey.<\/p>\n
\n\tHe also thanked his longtime music publisher, Universal Music Publishing Group, and recalled telling UMPG executive Terry Wakefield about his career aims. \u201cTerry came to my house the day we started working together and he asked me, \u2018What are your goals as a songwriter?\u2019 I said, \u2018I don\u2019t have goals\u2013I have a goal: I want to be BMI writer of the year.\u2019 So Terry laid out a plan and here we are. So thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tMorgan Wallen\u2019s \u201cLast Night\u201d 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. \u201cLast Night\u201d led the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 16 nonconsecutive weeks.<\/p>\n
\n\tWarner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp was named publisher of the year, publishing 34 of the 50 most-performed songs of the year, including Parker McCollum\u2019s \u201cBurn It Down,\u201d Tyler Hubbard\u2019s \u201cDancin\u2019 in the Country,\u201d Riley Green\u2019s \u201cDifferent \u2018Round Here,\u201d Warren Zeiders\u2019 \u201cPretty Little Poison\u201d and Bailey Zimmerman\u2019s \u201cReligiously.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAlabama 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 group\u2019s enduring hit songs including \u201cChristmas in Dixie,\u201d \u201cTennessee River,\u201d \u201cFeels So Right,\u201d and \u201cMy Home\u2019s in Alabama.\u201d Along the way, Owen has won 25 BMI Million-Air Awards and in 2000, he was honored with the BMI president\u2019s award.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cOne thing I learned early on, when I signed to BMI under [former BMI Nashville president\/CEO] Frances Preston,\u201d Owen told Billboard<\/em> on the red carpet. \u201cHonestly, 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.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tDolly Parton and Kenny Chesney offered tributes to Owen via video, while Riley Green honored Owen by performing \u201cMy Home\u2019s in Alabama.\u201d Luke Bryan offered a superb vocal rendering on the soulful and sultry \u201cFeels So Right.\u201d The evening recognized not only Owen\u2019s 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 Children\u2019s Research Hospital since 1989. <\/p>\n \n\tOne of the highlights of the evening came when Blake Shelton performed a rendition of Alabama\u2019s 1982 hit \u201cMountain Music.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cCongratulations, you deserve this,\u201d Shelton told Owen. <\/p>\n \n\tShelton 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 Owen\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n \n\tOwen and his wife Kelly took the stage, with Kelly offering insights into Owen\u2019s 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 group\u2019s success, including producer Harold Shedd, who was in attendance. \u201cYou may be 115 years old, but you\u2019re still a stud to me,\u201d Owen told Shedd with a chuckle.<\/p>\n \n\tOwen honored his late Alabama bandmate Jeff Cook, calling Cook \u201ca musical genius.\u201d He also welcomed his Alabama bandmate Teddy Gentry to the stage alongside him, thanking him for their friendship, and praising Gentry\u2019s work in crafting the group\u2019s harmonies.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cTeddy, I love you and I appreciate you being here tonight. It means the world to me and my family. I appreciate you, and we\u2019re still rockin\u2019,\u201d Owen said, ending by thanking the musicians who played on all of Alabama\u2019s records. <\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThank you for this night. It\u2019s a highlight.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n