The show starts at 9:30 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door for $15, however priority is given to festival badge holders.

The South Carolina native grew up listening to musical heroes like John Anderson and bluegrass great Ralph Stanley, and, when a college professor back home suggested he check out Nashville’s Belmont University, he transferred to Music City and got his degree.

Signing with MCA Records after graduation, he immediately struck a chord with listeners with the gospel-infused single/title track of his debut album, Long Black Train. That “Train” quickly took Turner straight into platinum territory, and the follow up to that album, Your Man, debuted at the top of Billboard’s Country Albums chart and yielded two back-to-back, multi-week, No. 1 singles: “Would You Go With Me” and “Your Man.”

The phenomenal success of that double-platinum album helped him become one of the Top 5 best-selling country artists of last year, and earned him a Top New Artist nod from the Academy of Country Music and a CMA nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year for 2007. In keeping with his country-as-cornbread roots, Turner recently released a special album of country standards through the Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores label, which was lauded by critics and fans alike.

Turner is currently gearing up for the release of his third CD, the aptly titled, Everything Is Fine, set for October 30 release. The album has already produced Turner’s fastest-rising single to date, “Firecracker,” and includes seven songs written or co-written by him. Writers Pat McLaughlin, Shawn Camp, Chris Stapleton, Jeremy Spillman, Anthony Hamilton, and others all contribute to the highly anticipated project, as well as Trisha Yearwood, who sings with Turner on the soaring ballad “Another Try.”

Turner is scheduled to appear on the upcoming CMA Awards broadcast in November, but he experienced one of the biggest moments of a country artist’s career on October 27, when, at 29, he becomes one of the youngest singers ever to become a member of the esteemed Grand Ole Opry. He’ll no doubt perform “Long Black Train” during the induction ceremony, since that historic stage is where he first debuted that song five years ago and received a standing ovation — undoubtedly the first of many in what will likely be a long and distinguished career.

Bob DiPiero, Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs and Hank Williams, Jr. were honored for their songwriting contributions and welcomed to the esteemed ranks of the Nashville Songwriters Hall Fame during the 38th Annual Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony held Sunday, October 14.  Members of the Nashville songwriting and publishing community filled the ballroom of the Renaissance Nashville hotel to celebrate the musical contributions of the newest inductees.

During the evening's ceremonies, each new member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame was inducted by a fellow artist, friend or family member, while star-studded performances highlighted their respective repertoires.

Bluegrass icons Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs were inducted by Marty Stuart, who joined Flatt's band at the age of 13.  The Grammy®-winning Del McCoury Band took the stage to perform the Flatt & Scruggs hits "If I Should Wander Back Tonight," "Earl's Breakdown," "Little Cabin Home on the Hill," "Don't Get Above Your Raisin'" and the Martha White jingle before Stuart joined them on "Foggy Mountain Breakdown."  Flatt's widow Gladys Flatt and granddaughter Tammy Brumfield joined Scruggs to accept the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Manny Award.  "It's been a wonderful ride," Scruggs said.  "Thank you all very much."

Hank Williams, Jr. was inducted in "family tradition" by his daughter, Holly Williams.  "It's a surprise that I'm inducting my dad tonight," she said.  "I'm a songwriter myself. It's my passion, and I am a true fan of my dad."  She then performed three of his songs-"Feelin' Better," "Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound" and "Blues Man"-before country chart-topper Gretchen Wilson took the stage to perform the Bocephus classic, "All My Rowdy Friends Have Settled Down."  With his induction, Williams joins his legendary father as the only father/son members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.  As he accepted his award, Williams told the crowd that he had taken banjo lessons from Scruggs at the age of 19.  "I'm from the old school," he said.  "I know a lot of you are saying that these awards don't mean anything to old Hank, but this one is special.  I need this, thank you, and I need y'all."

Bob DiPiero's career began when he arrived in Music City in 1979 and found an early supporter in Amy Kurland, owner of the renowned Bluebird Café, so it was fitting that she presided over his induction.  DiPiero's friends in the Hit Men of Music Row-Craig Wiseman, Tony Mullins and Jeffrey Steele-performed a medley of his hits including "American Made," " Take Me As I Am" and "Blue Clear Sky" before Neal McCoy performed his #1 hit "Wink," which was named BMI Country Song of the Year in 1995. "Coming from Youngstown, Ohio, I thought I might be indicted, but not inducted," DiPiero quipped as he accepted his award.   "I definitely didn't get here by myself," he said, before acknowledging a long list of supporters, mentors and fellow writers.  "I love all of you.  Thank you for this honor."

In addition to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductions, the hall's sister organization, the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), presented its annual Songwriter Achievement Awards.  The organization's professional songwriter members named "Bless the Broken Road," by Bobby E. Boyd, Jeff Hanna and Marcus Hummon, their Song of the Year.  BMI singer/songwriter Taylor Swift shared the Songwriter/Artist of the Year honor with Alan Jackson. 2007 was a breakthrough year for Swift, who wrote or co-wrote every song on her platinum-selling eponymous debut. Taylor is the youngest recipient of the award to date.

NSAI's Professional Songwriters Division also voted for their favorite songs of the year. Informally dubbed "The Songs I Wish I'd Written," members select 10 hits each year that fit the bill. Bobby E. Boyd, Jeff Hanna and Marcus Hummon's "Bless the Broken Road," recorded by Selah with Melodie Crittenden; Casey Beathard and Ed Hill's "Find Out Who Your Friends Are," recorded by Tracy Lawrence; Bill Anderson and Jamey Johnson's "Give It Away," recorded by George Strait; Luke Bryan's "Good Directions," recorded by Billy Currington; Bobby Pinson and Trent Tomlinson's "One Wing in the Fire," recorded by Tomlinson; Sarah Buxton's "Stupid Boy," recorded by Keith Urban; Merle Haggard's "The Seashores of Old Mexico," recorded by George Strait; and John Scott Sherrill and Shawn Camp's "Would You Go With Me," recorded by Josh Turner all scored the colleague-voted nods.

Country music sensation and last year’s Top New Female Vocalist Carrie Underwood carried her streak of success into 2007, bagging five nominations, including Top Female Vocalist, Album and Single of the Year.

2006’s top selling country artists Rascal Flatts are up for Entertainer, Top Vocal Group, Album and Single of the Year. Big & Rich scored a total of four nominations in recognition of their diverse work as songwriters, artists and collaborators.

Old friends and country mainstays Tony Brown and Vince Gill each secured three nominations. Gill’s now platinum These Days earned an Album of the Year nod, while Brown’s production work on the last albums by George Strait and Brooks & Dunn turned Academy heads in his direction.

Singer/songwriter Miranda Lambert autonomously bridges the gap between newbees and veterans, snagging nominations in both Top New Female Vocalist and Top Female Vocalist of the Year categories. Jason Aldean earned two nods as well for his hit “Amarillo Sky.” Little Big Town, The Wreckers and Rodney Atkins also landed two nominations each.

The Academy of Country Music Awards will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 8 p.m. ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.

BMI's 2007 ACM Nominees

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn
Tim McGraw
Rascal Flatts

TOP MALE VOCALIST
Toby Keith
Keith Urban

TOP FEMALE VOCALIST
Sara Evans
Faith Hill
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Carrie Underwood

TOP VOCAL GROUP
Diamond Rio
Little Big Town
Lonestar
Rascal Flatts

TOP VOCAL DUO
Big & Rich
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
Sugarland
The Wreckers

TOP NEW MALE VOCALIST
Rodney Atkins
Craig Morgan

TOP NEW FEMALE VOCALIST
Miranda Lambert
Taylor Swift

TOP NEW DUO OR VOCAL GROUP
Heartland
Little Big Town
The Wreckers

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
Hillbilly Deluxe
Brooks & Dunn (Arista Nashville)
Produced by Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks
#3 Produced by Mark Wright, Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn, Kix Brooks
#6 Original demo produced by Kix Brooks, Tom Shapiro

It Just Comes Natural
Produced by Tony Brown

Me and My Gang
Rascal Flatts (Lyric Street Records)
Produced by Rascal Flatts

Some Hearts
Carrie Underwood (19 Recordings Limited/Arista Records)

These Days
Vince Gill (MCA Nashville)
Produced by Vince Gill, John Hobbs, Justin Niebank

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
"Before He Cheats"
Carrie Underwood

"Give It Away"
Produced by Tony Brown

"I Loved Her First"
Heartland

"What Hurts the Most"
Rascal Flatts
Produced by Rascal Flatts

SONG OF THE YEAR [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
"Amarillo Sky"
Jason Aldean
Writers: Big Kenny, Rodney Clawson
Publishers: Big Love Music, Carol Vincent and Associates, Grinnin' Girl Music
"Before He Cheats"
Carrie Underwood

"Give It Away"
Writers: Bill Anderson, Jamey Johnson
Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Mr. Bubba Music, Inc., Sony/ATV Music Publishing, EMI Blackwood Music Inc.

"If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)"
Rodney Atkins

"Would You Go With Me"
Writers: Shawn Camp, John Scott Sherrill
Publishers: Sony/ATV Songs LLC/All Mighty Dog Music/Travelin' Arkansawyer Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing; Sony/ATV Songs LLC/All Mighty Dog Music/City Wolf Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing

VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
"8th of November"
Big & Rich

"Amarillo Sky"
Jason Aldean

"Before He Cheats"
Carrie Underwood

"Hillbilly Deluxe"
Brooks & Dunn

"Seashores of Old Mexico"
Director: Trey Fanjoy

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
"Building Bridges"
Brooks & Dunn with Vince Gill & Sheryl Crow
Produced by Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks
Arista Nashville

"I Don't Want To"
Ashley Monroe & Ronnie Dunn
Produced by Mark Wright
Columbia Nashville

"Me and God"
Featuring Dr. Ralph Stanley and Marty Roe, Dana Williams and Gene Johnson of Diamond Rio
MCA Nashville

"Politically Uncorrect"
Featuring Merle Haggard
Produced by Mark Wright
Columbia Nashville

"That's How They Do It In Dixie"
Hank Williams Jr. with Big & Rich
Produced by Doug Johnson for Curb Productions
Curb Records

BMI presented the co-writers and artist with the traditional No. 1 cups. Pictured are (l to r): BMI songwriter John Scott Sherrill, artist Josh Turner, BMI songwriter Shawn Camp and BMI's Jody Williams

The song's penmen, Camp and Sherrill, first experienced success as a pair when Brooks & Dunn took "How Long Gone" to the top of the charts. Separately, singer, songwriter and guitarist Shawn Camp records critically acclaimed albums of his own and writes jewels for masters of their domains like Guy Clark and Garth Brooks. Songwriting legend-in-the-making John Scott Sherrill's catalog keeps growing, with country standards including Steve Wariner's "Some Fools Never Learn" and Patty Loveless' "Nothin' But the Wheel" already under his belt.

The room filled up quickly with some of the most talented pickers and voices in town. Pictured are (l to r): BMI's David Preston, songwriter John Scott Sherrill, guitarist & singer/songwriter Pat McLaughlin, artist Josh Turner and BMI songwriter John Prine.

Classic country enthusiasts keep cheering on Josh Turner, whose first two albums have both been certified platinum. Turner's quintessential country pipes and songwriting know-how lay the foundation for his burgeoning career and promising future.

It was a good day for one of Nashville's premiere indie publishing companies, Big Yellow Dog, whose staff writers include John Scott Sherrill and Shawn Camp. Pictured are (l to r): artist Josh Turner, Big Yellow Dog's Carla Wallace, Sherrill, songwriter Sarah Siskind, Big Yellow Dog's Hallie Harris, songwriter Scotty Emerick, Camp and producer Frank Rogers.

Photos by Alan Mayor]]> 2006-11-22T03:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/534252 Aldean, Jason, Beathard, Casey, Beavers, Brett, Bentley, Dierks, Brooks & Dunn, Bush, Kristian, Camp, Shawn, Dalley, Amy, Davidson, Dallas, Dillon, Dean, DiPiero, Bob, Douglas, Tom, Dunn, Ronnie, Emerick, Scotty, Everett, Jace, Gentry, Montgomery, Hannan, Gary, Hicks, James Dean, Hill, Ed, Hill, Faith, Hughes, Jedd, Hughes, Jedd, Johnson, Doug, Keith, Toby, Kidd, Tammi, Kirkpatrick, Wayne, Lambert, Miranda, Linde, Dennis, Little Big Town, Lonestar, Luther, Bill, Martin, Tony, McBride, Martina, McDonald, Richie, McElroy, Jon, McEwan, Steve, McGehee, Vicky, McGraw, Tim, Melamed, Vince, Mobley, Wendell, Murrah Music, Myers, Frank, Niemann, Jerrod, Parton, Dolly, Pinson, Bobby, Rascal Flatts, Rochelle, Karyn, Shapiro, Tom, Shelton, Blake, Smith, Shaye, Steele, Jeffrey, Strait, George, Sugarland, Teren, George, Urban, Keith, Verges, Troy, White, Phillip, Wiggins, John, Country ALL JACKED UP
Vicky McGehee
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Oklahoma Girl Music
Gretchen Wilson
Epic Records

AS GOOD AS I ONCE WAS
Scotty Emerick
Toby Keith
Big Yellow Dog Music
Florida Cracker Music
Sony/ATV Tree
Tokeco Tunes
Toby Keith
DreamWorks

BELIEVE
Ronnie Dunn
Showbilly Music
Sony/ATV Tree
Brooks & Dunn
Arista Nashville

BETTER LIFE
Keith Urban
Guitar Monkey Music
Keith Urban
Capitol Records

BIG BLUE NOTE
Scotty Emerick
Toby Keith
Big Yellow Dog Music
Florida Cracker Music
Sony/ATV Tree
Tokeco Tunes
Toby Keith
DreamWorks/Show Dog Records

BILLY'S GOT HIS BEER GOGGLES ON
Phillip White
Katank Music
Murrah Music Corporation
Texabama Music
Neal McCoy
903 Music

BOONDOCKS
Karen Fairchild
Wayne Kirkpatrick
Kimberly Roads
Phillip Sweet
Jimi Westbrook
Sell The Cow Music
Tower One Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Little Big Town
Equity Music Group

CLASS REUNION (THAT USED TO BE US)
Richie McDonald
Frank Myers
Frank Myers Music
Sixteen Stars Music
Sony/ATV Tree
Lonestar
BNA

COME A LITTLE CLOSER
Brett Beavers
Run The Trotline Music
Sony/ATV Tree
Dierks Bentley
Capitol Records

DO YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT
Casey Beathard
Lavender Zoo Music
Sony/ATV Acuff Rose
Tim McGraw
Curb Records

DON'T ASK ME HOW I KNOW
Bart Butler
Bobby Pinson
Bill Butler Music
Bobby's Song and Salvage
Music of Stage Three
Bobby Pinson
RCA

DRUGS OR JESUS
Aimee Mayo
Troy Verges
Careers-BMG Music Publishing
Silverkiss Music
Songs from the Engine Room
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Tim McGraw
Curb Records

FAST CARS AND FREEDOM
Wendell Mobley
Lexi's Palm Tree Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Rascal Flatts
Lyric Street

GEORGIA RAIN
Ed Hill
Karyn Rochelle
Big Yellow Dog Music
Careers-BMG Music Publishing
Sagrabeaux Songs
Sony/ATV Tree
Trisha Yearwood
MCA Nashville

GOD'S WILL
Tom Douglas
Sony/ATV Tree
Tomdouglasmusic
Martina McBride
RCA

GOOD RIDE COWBOY
Richie Brown
Jerrod Niemann
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
First Wind Music
New Songs of Sea Gayle
Garth Brooks
Pearl/Lyric Street

GOODBYE TIME (2nd Award)
James Dean Hicks
Roger Murrah
Sony/ATV Acuff Rose
Blake Shelton
Warner Bros.

HELP SOMEBODY
Kip Raines
Jeffrey Steele
3 Ring Circus Music
Jeffrey Steele Music
Songs of Windswept Pacific
Van Zant
Columbia Records

HICKTOWN
Big Kenny
Vicky McGehee
Big Love Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Jason Aldean
Broken Bow

HOMEWRECKER
George Teren
House of Full Circle Music
Gretchen Wilson
Epic Records

HONKY TONK BADONKADONK
Dallas Davidson
Randy Houser
Jamey Johnson
Big Borassa Music LLC
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Songs of Windswept Pacific
Trace Adkins
Capitol Records

HONKYTONK U
Toby Keith
Tokeco Tunes
Toby Keith
DreamWorks

(I NEVER PROMISED YOU A) ROSE GARDEN (7th Award)
Joe South
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Martina McBride
RCA

IF SOMETHING SHOULD HAPPEN
Dan DeMay
Atlantic Bridge Music
Music of Stage Three
Darryl Worley
DreamWorks

I'LL TAKE THAT AS A YES (THE HOT TUB SONG)
Jon McElroy
Vince Melamed
Senor Vicente Music
Songs of Mighty Isis
Vista Larga Music
Phil Vassar
Arista Nashville

LIKE WE NEVER LOVED AT ALL
Vicky McGehee
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Faith Hill
Warner Bros.

LONG, SLOW KISSES
Jeff Bates
Gordon Bradberry
New Works Music Co.
Smith Haven Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Jeff Bates
RCA

LOT OF LEAVIN' LEFT TO DO
Brett Beavers
Run The Trotline Music
Sony/ATV Tree
Dierks Bentley
Capitol Records

ME AND CHARLIE TALKING
Miranda Lambert
Heather Little
Nashville Star Music
Sony/ATV Tree
Tiltawhirl Music
Miranda Lambert
Epic Records

MY GIVE A DAMN'S BUSTED
Joe Diffie
Tony Martin
Tom Shapiro
Difftunes
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Mike Curb Music
Music of Stage Three
Sony/ATV Tree
Jo Dee Messina
Curb Records
MY OLD FRIEND
Steve McEwan (PRS)
Careers-BMG Music Publishing
Tim McGraw
Curb Records

MY SISTER
Amy Dalley
Music of Stage Three
Reba McEntire
MCA Nashville

NOBODY BUT ME
Shawn Camp
Phillip White
Big Yellow Dog Music
Murrah Music Corporation
Sony/ATV Tree
Travelin' Arkansawyer Music
Blake Shelton
Warner Bros.

PLAY SOMETHING COUNTRY
Ronnie Dunn
Terry McBride
Showbilly Music
Sony/ATV Tree
Still Working For The Man Music, Inc.
Turn Me On Music
Brooks & Dunn
Arista Nashville

PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE THIS WAY
Tammi Kidd
Irving Music
LeAnn Rimes
Asylum-Curb

SHE DON'T TELL ME TO
Bob DiPiero
Tom Shapiro
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Love Monkey Music
Piano Wire Music LLC
Sony/ATV Tree
Montgomery Gentry
Columbia Records

SHE LET HERSELF GO
Dean Dillon
Sony/ATV Acuff Rose
Unwound Music
George Strait
MCA Nashville

SKIN (SARABETH)
Doug Johnson
Mike Curb Music
Sweet Radical Music
Rascal Flatts
Lyric Street

SOMEBODY'S HERO
Ed Hill
Shaye Smith
Careers-BMG Music Publishing
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Sagrabeaux Songs
Shaye Smith Music
Jamie O'Neal
Capitol Records

SOMETHING MORE
Kristian Bush
Dirkpit Music
Sugarland
Mercury Nashville

SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF
Jeffrey Steele
Gottahaveable Music
Songs of Windswept Pacific
Montgomery Gentry
Columbia Records

SONGS ABOUT ME
Ed Hill
Shaye Smith
Careers-BMG Music Publishing
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Sagrabeaux Songs
Shaye Smith Music
Trace Adkins
Capitol Records

STAY WITH ME (BRASS BED)
Jedd Hughes
Terry McBride
Still Working For The Man Music, Inc.
Terry McBride Music
Wilmington Road Publishing
Josh Gracin
Lyric Street

THE TALKIN' SONG REPAIR BLUES
Dennis Linde
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Rising Gorge Music
Alan Jackson
Arista Nashville

TEQUILA MAKES HER CLOTHES FALL OFF
Gary Hannan
John Wiggins
Chobe Music
Fiddle Stock Music
Heavy Leather Music, Inc.
Notewrite Music
Joe Nichols
Universal South

TONIGHT I WANNA CRY
Keith Urban
Coburn Music, Inc.
Guitar Monkey Music
Keith Urban
Capitol Records

WHEN I GET WHERE I'M GOING
George Teren
House of Full Circle Music
Brad Paisley featuring Dolly Parton
Arista Nashville

WHO YOU'D BE TODAY
Bill Luther
Aimee Mayo
Careers-BMG Music Publishing
Evansville Music
Little Blue Typewriter Music
Kenny Chesney
BNA

YOU'LL BE THERE
Cory Mayo
Coburn Music, Inc.
George Strait
MCA Nashville
YOUR MAN
Jace Everett
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Josh Turner
MCA Nashville

Pictured at BMI Nashville are John Scott Sherrill, BMI's Thomas Cain, Karyn Rochelle, Mindy Smith, Big Yellow Dog Music's Carla Wallace and Shawn Camp. photo by Brian Tipton

]]> 2004-02-29T17:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233946 Artists, Camp, Shawn, Emerick, Scotty, Keith, Toby, Musical Styles, Country, Regions, Nashville Toby Keith, the song spent six weeks at the top of the charts. BMI's Thomas Cain emceed the festivities via the bowling alley's telephone intercom. After handing out the traditional pewter BMI #1 cups to Emerick, producer James Stroud, and publishers Big Yellow Dog Music and Sony/ATV Tree, Cain surprised Emerick with a personalized bowling ball, shirt and shoes. Emerick's previous #1 hits are Keith's "I'm Just Talkin' About Tonight" and the Grammy-nominated "Beer For My Horses." "I Love This Bar" is featured on Keith's latest DreamWorks Nashville release, Shock 'N Y'all .   Emerick is currently on the country charts with “I Can’t Take You Anywhere,” the leadoff single from his debut album, The Coast Is Clear, due in June from DreamWorks.

BMI's Thomas Cain, Big Yellow Dog Music's Kerry O'Neil, Sony/ATV Tree's Terry Wakefield, Big Yellow Dog Music's Carla Wallace, Scotty Emerick, DreamWorks Nashville's Alison Jones

BMI's Thomas Cain, Sony/ATV Tree's Terry Wakefield, Sony/ATV Tree's Woody Bomar

Scotty Emerick

Scotty Emerick, Shawn Camp

Scotty Emerick, Kris Bergnes, BMI's Perry Howard, Billy Currington

Eric Gallimore, BMI's Perry Howard, Mike Taliaferro, BMI's Bradley Collins

photos by Alan Mayor]]> 2004-01-11T17:00:01-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233854 Artists, Camp, Shawn, Keen, Robert Earl, Lambert, Miranda, Ritter, Josh, Smith, Mindy, Thorn, Paul, Van Zandt, J.T., Warden, Monte, Musical Styles, Country, Dance  

The 2nd Annual Austin City Limits Music Festival was bigger and better in every way: more music, more stages, greater attendance - even one more day. The event, produced by Capital Sports & Entertainment, was held September 19-21 across 15 acres in Zilker Park, and drew nearly 150,000 music fans total during the long weekend.

BMI sponsored a Singer/Songwriter stage which featured Pauline Reese, Shawn Camp, Robert Earl Keen, J.T. Van Zandt, Alexi Murdoch, Corn Mo, Jeff Klein, Justin King, Mason Jennings, Bruce Robison, Josh Ritter, Monte Warden, Paul Thorn, Kaki King, Tim Easton, Mindy Smith and Miranda Lambert.

The ACL Festival focuses on alternative country and roots music and presented more than 130 bands on eight stages over three days. The Festival takes its name from the award-winning PBS series that has been showcasing live music for almost 30 years. This year's title sponsor was communications giant SBC; stage sponsors in addition to BMI were HEB, Heineken, Cingular Wireless, Austin Ventures LP, Jackson Walker LLP, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Blackstone Winery.

Sunset at the festival