\n\tThe Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) celebrated its eighth annual Nashville Songwriter Awards on Tuesday evening (Sept. 23), held at the Ryman Auditorium. Forty-two individuals were honored for their excellence and dedication to the craft of songwriting\u2013or, as NSAI board president Lee Thomas Miller called songwriters that evening, \u201cthe lifeblood of our industry.\u201d <\/p>\n
\n\tThe organization was founded in 1967 as a not-for-profit trade organization for professional and developing songwriters.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tThe evening launched with a tribute to Kris Kristofferson (the namesake of the evening\u2019s Kris Kristofferson lifetime achievement award, which was given to country group Alabama). Kristofferson, known for elevating the craft of songwriting with his poetic approach and songs such as \u201cSunday Morning Coming Down\u201d and \u201cFor the Good Times,\u201d died<\/a> in 2024. During the Nashville Songwriter Awards, Lukas Nelson honored the late Kristofferson with a performance of Kristofferson\u2019s 1971 hit \u201cLoving Her Was Easier (Than Everything I\u2019ll Ever Do Again)\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cHe changed what you can write in this town,\u201d Bart Herbison, executive director of NSAI, said of Kristofferson.<\/p>\n \n\tAshley Gorley earned his ninth songwriter of the year accolade, for writing songs including \u201cCowgirls,\u201d \u201cI Am Not Okay,\u201d \u201cBulletproof,\u201d and \u201cWorld on Fire.\u201d Tyler Hubbard feted Gorley with a performance of \u201cPark\u201d and Dylan Scott performed \u201cThis Town\u2019s Been Too Good to Us.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tGorley thanked NSAI \u201cfor the work you do to fight for our rights\u2026 and to celebrate our talents tonight.\u201d He also thanked Sony, Tape Room, ASCAP, country radio and more. \u201cI want to thank the artists for recording the songs,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI Will Always Love You,\u201d written by Country Music Hall of Famer Dolly Parton, earned the legendary song award. Caylee Hammack honored Parton with a spot-on performance of the song.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThis song has become so many things to so many people,\u201d Parton said in a video acceptance speech. \u201cThat is the power of music, and I can\u2019t thank you enough for honoring me and allowing me to tell my stories.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cLittle Miss Dynamite\u201d Brenda Lee, who signed with Decca Records prior to her 12th birthday and went on to become the first woman inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, was celebrated as the NSAI president\u2019s keystone award recipient. Trisha Yearwood performed a rendition of Lee\u2019s 1959 hit \u201cSweet Nothin\u2019s,\u201d which was written by Ronnie Self.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cIt\u2019s such an honor for me because of the people who are giving me this. The songwriters have been the backbone of everything I\u2019ve ever done\u2026 I love this industry\u2026 You have been so so loyal and wonderful to this little short girl from Georgia,\u201d Lee said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tThe loss of esteemed Nashville songwriter (and NSAI board member) Brett James last week was palpable within the songwriter and publishing community gathered that evening. The screen included a tribute that read simply, \u201cWe love you, Brett.\u201d\u00a0Early in the evening, Lee Thomas Miller led the audience in observing a moment of silence to remember James, and to honor his enduring impact on the Nashville songwriting community.<\/p>\n \n\tMiller called James \u201can incredibly talented songwriter, publisher and producer. Few songwriters in our town have achieved the level of success that Brett did. Since the mid-\u201990s, him, and that hair, were a constant on Music Row and in our lives. He was a beautiful friend to all of us who knew and loved him and it\u2019s hard to imagine country music without him.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tIn accepting his songwriter of the year accolade, Gorley also took a moment to remember James and memories of spending time with him. He recalled playing a writer\u2019s round with James and how during the round, James took the time to encourage Gorley. Gorley said James was \u201cproof of living life to the fullest and being an encourager even more. My whole family ziplined with him at Sundance, I watched him get knighted at a castle in France at a writing camp one time. He gets all he can out of life.\u201d <\/p>\n \n\tMatthew West<\/a> was named songwriter-artist of the year for a second time, and honored as a writer on songs including \u201cDon\u2019t Stop Praying,\u201d \u201cUnashamed,\u201d \u201cNo Fear\u201d and \u201cStrong.\u201d He was celebrated as Anne Wilson performed her 2021 hit \u201cMy Jesus,\u201d which she wrote with West and Jeff Pardo. West is the first to be a multiple writer-artist of the year winner from the Christian music genre.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cA songwriter only goes as far as the champions they have in their life,\u201d West said, thanking \u201cevery artist and writer who lets me in the room to create.\u201d <\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI\u2019m humbled to be a part of this community,\u201d he added, and urged songwriters on Music Row to let \u201chope and love flow\u201d from their pens \u2014 citing songs such as \u201cJesus, Take The Wheel\u201d and \u201cGo Rest High on That Mountain\u201d as enduring examples of songs of faith within the genre.<\/p>\n \n\tLater in the evening, Lisa Kristofferson, who attended in honor of her late husband Kris Kristofferson, presented the Kris Kristofferson lifetime achievement award to this year\u2019s honorees, Alabama\u2019s Teddy Gentry, Randy Owen and Jeff Cook (who was honored posthumously). The group has earned 33 No. 1 Billboard Hot Country Songs hits and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005. <\/p>\n \n\tLorrie Morgan performed \u201cThere\u2019s No Way,\u201d while singer-pianist Gordon Mote honored the group with a medley of songs including \u201cTennessee River\u201d and \u201cFeels So Right.\u201d Jason Aldean performed \u201cMy Home\u2019s in Alabama,\u201d calling the country group \u201cmy favorite band of all time.\u201d <\/p>\n \n\tAlabama<\/a>\u2018s Randy Owen, who also wrote many of Alabama\u2019s hits, took the stage to accept the honor. He thanked longtime Alabama producer Harold Shedd, who was in attendance. Owen also thanked Cook and Gentry for their camaraderie and thanked those who fight on behalf of songwriters.<\/p>\n \n\tThe evening concluded with the song of the year accolade, which went to \u201cDirt Cheap,\u201d a solo-written song from Josh Phillips. In a brief acceptance speech, Phillips offered gratitude to artist Cody Johnson for recording the song, as well as to Johnson\u2019s producer Trent Willmon. Phillips also thanked Warner Chappell Music and thanked NSAI for their continued advocacy for songwriters, before he took up an acoustic guitar and offered a performance of the song.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cDirt Cheap\u201d joins an illustrious group of songs that have earned the honor, among them \u201cFor the Good Times,\u201d \u201cHe Stopped Loving Her Today,\u201d \u201cLucille,\u201d \u201cStrawberry Wine,\u201d \u201cBless the Broken Road,\u201d and \u201cThe Song Remembers When.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tJohnson feted Phillips during brief video comments, saying, \u201cYou have no idea how much [\u2018Dirt Cheap\u2019] changed my life\u2026 the impact that I get to see of the song you wrote.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tThroughout the evening, 10 additional songs were recognized as part of the \u201c10 Songs I Wish I\u2019d Written Awards,\u201d voted on by the professional songwriter members of NSAI to honor the work of their peers. The songs eligible have to have at least one Nashville-based writer and charted in the top 20 of Billboard<\/em> Airplay chart in the Christian, Country, Mainstream Top 40, and\/or Rock genres between May 1, 2024, and April 30, 2025. The NSAI song of the year is the highest vote-getter. Many of the songs\u2019 writers were on hand to perform the songs throughout the evening.<\/p>\n \n\tThis year\u2019s recognized songs were:<\/p>\n \n\t\u201c4X4XU\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Written by: Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson (recorded by: Lainey Wilson)<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cEspresso\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Written by: Amy Allen, Julian Bunetta, Sabrina Carpenter, Steph Jones (recorded by: Sabrina Carpenter)<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI Had Some Help\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Written by: Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Charlie Handsome, Jonathan Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen, Chandler Paul Walters (recorded by: Morgan Wallen feat. Post Malone)<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI Never Lie\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Written by: Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols, Zach Top (recorded by: Zach Top)<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI\u2019m Gonna Love You\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Written by: Kelly Archer, Travis Denning, Chris Stevens (recorded by: Cody Johnson and Carrie Underwood)<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cLies Lies Lies\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Written by: Jessie Jo Dillon, Josh Miller, Daniel Ross, Chris Tompkins (recorded by: Morgan Wallen)<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cOne Bad Habit\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Written by: Marc Beeson, Aaron Eshuis, Tony Lane (recorded by: Tim McGraw)<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cShe\u2019s Somebody\u2019s Daughter (Reimagined)\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Written by: Drew Baldridge, Cameron Jaymes, Jimmy Yeary (recorded by: Drew Baldridge)<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cTexas\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Written by: Johnny Clawson, Josh Dorr, Lalo Guzman, Kyle Sturrock (recorded by: Blake Shelton)<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cYou Look Like You Love Me\u201d<\/strong> \u2013 Written by: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere (recorded by: Ella Langley feat. Riley Green)<\/p>\n
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