The Gospel Music Channel aired an exclusive, one-hour special Sunday, September 14 highlighting the annual BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards gala, held earlier this year in Nashville. The program features dynamic musical tributes to BMI gospel greats Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Mighty Clouds of Joy and Pastor Marvin Winans. The broadcast marks the first time the public gained exciting access to the private, invitation-only event.

Legend Rance Allen performs "I've Been in the Storm Too Long" in the 2008 tribute to the Mighty Clouds of Joy.

Hosted by contemporary gospel queen Dorinda Clark Cole and BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations Catherine Brewton at Nashville venue Rocketown, the Trailblazers event on the Gospel Music Channel brings spine-tingling moments into homes across the country. The special features intimate performances by Smokie Norful, Keith "Wonderboy" Johnson, Rance Allen, Dave Hollister, Kelly Price, Anthony Hamilton, Fred Hammond, Marvin Winans, Jr., Lowell Pye & Juan Winans in tribute to contemporary and traditional gospel bridge builder Vanessa Bell Armstrong, legendary group Mighty Clouds of Joy and Pastor Marvin Winans.

Keith "Wonderboy" Johnson kicks off the 2008 musical tribute to Mighty Clouds of Joy, performing "I Came to Jesus."

On October 26, the Gospel Music Channel will offer viewers another one-hour special documenting the 2007 installment of the Trailblazers ceremony, during which BMI lauded trendsetters Yolanda Adams and Fred Hammond for their epic contributions to the gospel genre. Featured tribute performers include Coko, Karen Clark-Sheard, Sheri Jones-Moffett, Kim Burrell, Marvin Sapp, and Israel Houghton, along with Yolanda Adams herself.

For Gospel Music Channel availability, detailed show schedules and more, please visit www.gospelmusicchannel.com.

Kelly Price performs "Nobody but Jesus" in tribute to Vanessa Bell Armstrong.

About The Gospel Music Channel

The Gospel Music Channel is the first 24-hour, all music entertainment network devoted to the uplifting, inspiring and diverse music that is gospel. From the soulful sounds of artists like CeCe Winans, to the country gospel roots of Johnny Cash and Randy Travis, to the contemporary Christian music stylings of Kirk Franklin and Jars of Clay, Gospel Music Channel celebrates music that has a deep, spiritual place in people's lives. It embraces an audience that crosses cultures and captures generations delivering a fan base so large and passionate it deserves its own network.

Israel Houghton gives a breathtaking performance in tribute to Fred Hammond at the 2007 BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards.

2007 Trailblazer honoree Yolanda Adams says "thank you" with a mind-blowing performance.

All Photos by Arnold Turner, excluding Photo 2 by Kay Williams

The 13th Annual Hog's Breath Key West Songwriters Festival looms enticingly on the horizon. Presented by Cherry Heart Music and proudly supported by charter sponsor BMI, the event is slated for April 30 through May 4 in Key West, Florida. The festival revolves around five days and nights of more than 20 free shows, staged at an array of the island's most popular drinking holes and hot spots. Informal adaptations of Nashville's signature in-the-round acoustic showcases dominate much of the schedule, while this year, a street concert Saturday, May 3 featuring the Jeffrey Steele Band and Robert Earl Keen adds a Mardis Gras fillip to the mix.

BMI songwriters dominate the diverse lineups. Americana trendsetters including Robert Earl Keen, Raul Malo, Kim Richey and John Oates will perform alongside Nashville's most engaging and prolific hitmakers, including Jeffrey Steele (Rascal Flatts' "What Hurts the Most"), John Scott Sherrill (Steve Wariner's "Some Fools Never Learn"), Wendell Mobley (Rascal Flatts' "Fast Cars & Freedom"), Jamey Johnson (George Strait's "Give It Away"), Scotty Emerick (Toby Keith's "As Good As I Once Was"), David Lee (Tim McGraw's "I Need You," featuring Faith Hill), Keith Follese (Tim McGraw's "Something Like That"), Jim Beavers (Gary Allan's "Watching Airplanes"), Heather Little (Miranda Lambert's "Gunpowder and Lead"), Steve Bogard (Dierks Bentley's "Every Mile A Memory"), Bobby Pinson (Sugarland's "Want To"), Doug Johnson (Randy Travis's "Three Wooden Crosses"), Chas Sandford (John Waite's "Missing You"), Chuck Cannon (Toby Keith's "How Do You Like Me Now"), Max T. Barnes (Diamond Rio's "That's How Your Love Makes Me Feel"), Chuck Jones (Chris LeDoux's "Cadillac Ranch"), Rodney Clawson (Jason Aldean's "Why"), Gary Hannan (Joe Nichols's "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off"), Billy Yates (George Jones's "Choices"), Jerrod Niemann (Garth Brooks' "Good Ride Cowboy") and Dallas Davidson (Trace Adkins's "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk"), with Curb recording artist Lee Brice (Garth Brooks' "More Than A Memory"), singer/songwriters Heather Morgan, Stephanie Chapman and Lauren Lucas and Orange County rock outfit Lit's Jeremy Popoff.

For a complete list of sponsoring hotels, local businesses, schedules and participating songwriters, please visit www.keywestsongwritersfestival.com or call 305.296.4222.

New Hall of Famers and BMI songwriters Hugh Prestwood and Jimmy Buffett (center) celebrate their induction with Nashville Songwriters Foundation Chairman and Hall of Fame songwriter Roger Murrah, and BMI's Jody Williams, Del Bryant and Phil Graham.

Buffett's ascension from Nashville hopeful to beloved cultural phenomenon is well-known. Staples like "Margaritaville," "Son of a Son of a Sailor" and "Come Monday" skim the surface of not simply an extensive song catalog, but a way of life. This marks Jimmy Buffett's first induction into a hall of fame of any kind, but most certainly not the last.

Posing for a BMI family portrait are (l-r): songwriter and publisher Roger Murrah, Big & Rich's Big Kenny, hit songwriter and NSAI Board of Directors President Steve Bogard, BMI's Del Bryant, BMI hit songwriter Gary Hannan, NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison, Hall of Fame inductee Jimmy Buffett, BMI's Phil Graham, hit songwriters Tammi Kidd and George Teren, Hall of Fame inductee Hugh Prestwood, singer Michael Johnson, BMI's Jody Williams, and American Idol finalist George Huff.

Elder statesman Hugh Prestwood's contributions include nuggets like Randy Travis' "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart," Trisha Yearwood's "The Song Remembers When" and Shenandoah's "Ghost In This House." Prestwood's soliloquies mine the depths of human experience to heartbreaking perfection.

The NSAI also named BMI's Jeffrey Steele 2006's Songwriter of the Year. The unstoppable Steele, also dubbed Music Row's 2006 Songwriter of the Year, composes hits at a mind-numbing pace; Rascal Flatts' "What Hurts the Most" and Steve Holy's "Brand New Girlfriend" are his most recent chart-toppers.

Country superstar Toby Keith was named 2006 Songwriter/Artist of the Year, adding another songwriting honor to his impressive collection. "As Good As I Once Was," "Honky Tonk U" and "A Little Too Late" number among the latest hits written or co-written by Keith.

Songwriters also voted on their peers' Top Ten contributions to country music in the "10 Songs I Wish I'd Written" category. BMI winners were well-represented, thanks to "Believe," co-written by Ronnie Dunn, "Probably Wouldn't Be This Way," co-written by Tammi Kidd, Joe South's classic "Rose Garden," "Skin (Sarabeth)" co-written by Doug Johnson, John Wiggins' and Gary Hannan's "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off," "What Hurts the Most" co-written by Jeffrey Steele, and "When I Get Where I'm Going," co-written by George Teren.

The NSAI's 2006 President's Award was posthumously bestowed on SunTrust's Brian Williams, Music Row friend and new breed of banker, for his unrelenting dedication to and fostering of Nashville's songwriting community.

Photos: Krista Lee for Krista Lee Photography]]> 2006-10-26T05:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/musicworld/entry/234416 Artists, Braddock, Bobby, Krauss, Alison, Overstreet, Paul, Shelton, Blake, Travis, Randy, Whitley, Keith, Musical Styles, Country, Musicworld, Feature For Paul Overstreet, heading to the beach not only feeds his soul, it sometimes feeds his family. The well-respected singer/songwriter recently returned to the top of the country charts with "Some Beach," which was in residence for four weeks. The success of the song was sweetened for both Overstreet and the artist who recorded it, Blake Shelton, through their mutual admiration society. Blake has repeatedly credited Overstreet as one of his main influences growing up, citing Overstreet's Heroes as the album that virtually changed his life and piqued his interest in becoming an artist. Overstreet is flattered that 15 years later, he is having an effect on the younger generation of artists coming through Music City.

"You never know what motivates people out there," admits Paul, "and if something I did back then got him excited about music, then man, that's cool! I couldn't be more thrilled to be working now with him and his producer, Bobby Braddock."

Overstreet has a second cut on Blake Shelton's Barn & Grill, and is excited to be at top of the charts againa. He and his co-writer, Rory Lee Feek, came upon the idea for "Some Beach" when they heard that Kenny Chesney was recording an island-themed album and hoped to land a song on the collection (Chesney had already scored with Overstreet's "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy"). Instead, "Some Beach" found "the right home" with Shelton, and sparked something in Overstreet creatively that he hadn't tapped into before.

"I've been going to the Caymans a lot," he explains. "I really relax down there and love to scuba dive. And I've written so many island type songs now, that I'm going to do an island-themed album soon."

Paul also has material ready for a traditional country record, much like those he recorded in the early 1990s, and songs for a wacky, funny album as well. The second one might surprise people who don't know Paul well and think he is a serious, pious artist without a sense of humor. "Perception is a lot of what goes on in our business, and the perception of me from my records is that I was real stoic and not too jovial — but I've always been into pranks and jokes."

At the island-themed "Some Beach" bash, the five-time BMI Country Songwriter of the Year also received a Million-Air certificate for "Deeper Than the Holler," recorded by Randy Travis, and a 4 Million-Air honor for "When You Say Nothing At All," a career song for both Keith Whitley and Alison Krauss. The feats are particularly gratifying for a songwriter who is 20 years into his career and can still see his songs holding up and receiving recognition. "I love those certificates, because that lets you know that your song is still out there working, and that radio's playing it, even though it's been awhile."

Pictured are songwriter Doug Johnson, BMI's Joyce Rice and Mike Curb Music's Drew Alexander photo: Brian Tipton

The song is from Randy Travis's Word Records album Rise and Shine and made history as the first release from a Christian label to top Billboard's Country Singles chart. Johnson's other hits include BMI Country Award winners and Million-Air-certified "Lucky Moon" (The Oak Ridge Boys), "Love Is Stronger Than Pride" (Ricochet) and "I Want My Goodbye Back" (Ty Herndon). Based on an average length of three minutes, one million airplays is the equivalent of 50,000 hours or 5.7 years of continuous airplay.]]> 2004-10-06T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233959 Artists, Henley, Larry, LaBelle, Patti, Travis, Randy, Musical Styles, Singer-Songwriter Larry Henley was recently presented a Million-Air Certificate for "Wind Beneath My Wings," which has received over six million broadcast performances. Co-written with Jeff Silbar, the song has been recorded by dozens of artists including Patti LaBelle, Bette Midler and Gary Morris. Henley's list of writing credits also includes the BMI Award winners "Is It Still Over" (Randy Travis) and "Lizzie and The Rain Man" (Tanya Tucker). Based on an average length of three minutes, six million performances is the equivalent of 300,000 hours, or 34 years, of continuous airplay.

Pictured at BMI Nashville are Henley (center) with BMI's Thomas Cain and Patsy Bradley. photo by Brian Tipton

]]> 2004-02-05T17:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233947 Artists, Gill, Vince, Haggard, Merle, Howard, Harlan, Lynn, Loretta, Preston, Frances, Travis, Randy, Musical Styles, Country, Pop

BMI Award-winning songwriter Max D. Barnes, co-writer of such classics as "Chiseled In Stone," "Look at Us" and "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes," died January 11 of pneumonia at Baptist Hospital in Nashville. He was 67.

One of Music City's most respected and honored writers - and a favorite writing partner of Harlan Howard, Merle Haggard and Vince Gill - Barnes provided hits to country music legends like George Jones, Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, Vern Gosdin, Randy Travis, Keith Whitley and Waylon Jennings, during a career that lasted nearly 40 years.

Born July 24, 1936, in Hardscratch, Iowa, Max Duane Barnes grew up in Nebraska. After leaving school at 16, he began singing in an Omaha nightclub. He later formed his own band, the Golden Rockets; their lead singer, Patsy, eventually became his wife and a songwriting collaborator.

His first songwriting success came in 1966 when Tree Music published his "Uncanny Connie From Calgary." He moved to Nashville in 1973 and saw his career take off in 1974 when Charley Pride recorded two of his songs.

At the 1992 BMI Country Awards presentation to "Look At Us": David Conrad, Vince Gill, Mary Del Scobey, Roger Sovine, Chris Oglesby, Max D. Barnes, Frances Preston, Lance Freed

In 1979, Conway Twitty delivered Barnes his first #1 with "Don't Take It Away." Other hits included "I Can't Love You Enough" (for Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty), "Red Neckin' Love Makin' Night" (Twitty), "Look at Us" (Vince Gill), "Thank God For the Radio" (The Kendalls), "Joe Knows How To Live" (Eddy Raven), "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes" (George Jones), "I Won't Need You Anymore" and "If I Didn't Have You" (Randy Travis), "Ten Feet Away" (Keith Whitley) "Don't Tell Me What to Do" (Pam Tillis), "I've Got It Made" (John Anderson), "Chiseled In Stone," "If You're Gonna Do Me Wrong (Do It Right)" and "This Ain't My First Rodeo" (Vern Gosdin).

He was a two-time winner of the Country Music Association's prestigious Song of the Year prize: in 1998 for "Chiseled In Stone," co-written with Gosdin and inspired by the death of Barnes' elder son, Duane, in 1975, and in 1992 for "Look At Us," co-written with Gill. He was inducted to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992.

Barnes is survived by his wife, Patsy, daughter, Genevieve Kephart, and son, Max T. Barnes, who is also a songwriter.

Visitation hours are from 2 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, January 14, at the Hendersonville (Tenn.) Memory Gardens Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held Thursday, January 15, at 11 a. m. at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Hendersonville. Burial will be in the Hendersonville Memory Gardens.

BMI Awards List

"Chiseled In Stone" - 1989 Country Award

"Don't Take It Away" - 1980 Country Award

"Don't Tell Me What To Do" - 1982 Country Award/Million-Air (2 million)

"Drinkin' And Dreamin'" - 1986 Country Award

"I Can t Love You Enough" - 1978 Country Award

"I've Got It Made" - 1995 Country Award/Million-Air

"I Won't Need You Anymore" - 1988 Country Award/Million-Air

"If I Didn't Have You" - 1993 Country Award/Million-Air (2 million)

"Joe Knows How To Live" - 1989 Country Award/Million-Air

"Let Go Of The Stone" - 1993 Country Award/Million-Air

"Look At Us" -- 1992 Country Award/Million-Air (2 million)

"Love Ten Feet Away" - 1987 Country Award

"Red Neckin' Love Makin' Night" -- 1982 Pop Award/1982 Country Award

"Thank God For The Radio" - 1985 Country Award

"That Just About Does It" - 1990 Country Award

"Way Down Deep" - 1984 Country Award

"Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes" - 1987 Country Award

"Do You Believe Me Now" - Million-Air

Del Way

Doug Johnson

Paula Slow

The Male Vocalist trophy was handed to Del Way, with Paula Slow taking Female Vocalist. Nashville Star winner Buddy Jewell and Lisa Ryan of the "700 Club" hosted the evening, which included performances and presentations by Sherri� Austin, George Jones, LaVerne Tripp and the Fox Brothers.

BMI congratulates the following 2003 Christian Country Music Award winners:

Song of the Year
"Three Wooden Crosses"
Doug Johnson
Songwriter

Male Vocalist
Del Way

Female Vocalist
Paula Slow

Vocal Duo of the Year
Twice Robin

Vocal Group of the Year
Fox Brothers

Trio of the Year
Jeff Treece Band

New Artist of the Year
Glenn Kearney

Music Evangelist of the Year
CrossCountry]]> 2003-12-07T17:00:01-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233894 Artists, Anderson, Bill, Cannon, Chuck, Collins, Jim, Gentry, Montgomery, Hill, Faith, Johnson, Doug, Keith, Toby, Kristofferson, Kris, Miller, Lee Thomas, Morgan, Craig, Overstreet, Paul, Preston, Frances, Prine, John, Rascal Flatts, Regan, Bob, Steele, Jeffrey, Travelin' Soldier, Travis, Randy, Urban, Keith, Musical Styles, Country, Dance Paul Overstreet and John Prine are the newest additions to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Overstreet and Prine, along with Hal Blair and Rodney Crowell, were inducted November 2 during annual ceremonies hosted by the Nashville Songwriters Foundation at Loews Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel in Nashville.

Craig Morgan, Kris Kristofferson, Doug Johnson, Paul Overstreet, John Prine, Bonnie Raitt, Jeffrey Steele, Jim Collins

Songwriters Jim Collins and Rory Lee performed favorites from Overstreet's catalog: "When You Say Nothing At All," "A Long Line Of Love," and two CMA Songs of the Year: "On the Other Hand" and "Forever and Ever, Amen." Randy Travis, via videotape, led the tribute to the five-time BMI Country Songwriter of the Year (1987-1991).

Doug Johnson, Paul Overstreet, BMI's Frances Preston, John Prine, Jeffrey Steele

After an introduction of Prine by longtime friend Kris Kristofferson, Cowboy Jack Clement, Roger Cook and Bonnie Raitt treated the audience a sampling from his unique collection of songs, including "Paradise," "I Just Want To Dance With You," "Angels From Montgomery" and "Hello In There."

Dennis Morgan, Paul Overstreet

In conjunction with the Hall of Fame inductions, the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) conferred a series of Songwriter Achievement Awards, with both top songwriter prizes won by BMI affiliates. Jeffrey Steele was named NSAI Songwriter of the Year, placing three songs among the top 40 vote-getters: Montgomery Gentry's "My Town," Rascal Flatts' "These Days," and Faith Hill's "When The Lights Go Down." Toby Keith was proclaimed Songwriter/Artist of the Year on the strength of his songs "Beer For My Horses" and "Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)," from his DreamWorks album Unleashed.

Manager Al Bunetta, John Prine, Dawn Bunetta

The writer members of NSAI's Professional Songwriters Division also honored 10 songs with 2003 Achievement Awards (dubbed "The Songs I Wish I'd Written"). "Three Wooden Crosses," by BMI writer Doug Johnson and co-writer Kim Williams, was named Song of the Year. Other BMI winners were Bill Anderson and Dean Dillon for "A Lot Of Things Different," Craig Morgan for "Almost Home," Donny Kees and Skip Ewing for "I Believe," Keith Urban for "Somebody Like You," Billy Kirsch for "Stay Gone," Lee Thomas Miller for "The Impossible," Jim Collins and Sunny Russ for "Then They Do" and Bruce Robison for "Travelin' Soldier."

Past NSAI President Chuck Cannon, Jeffrey Steele, NSAI President Bob Regan

Photos by Kay Williams]]> 2003-11-09T17:00:00-05:00