Loudilla Johnson, Loretta Johnson, Kay Johnson, Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell, Marie Ratliff, Patsy Bradley, Janet Butler, Jo Walker-Meador, and Jean Stromatt

The honorees were BMI Assistant Vice President Patsy Bradley; WSM Radio and Billboard's Emily Bradshaw Weiland; publishing/record label executive Janet Butler; International Fan Club Organization (IFCO) founders Kay, Loretta & Loudilla Johnson; radio and magazine executive Marie Ratliff; longtime Kitty Wells & Johnny Wright Show staffer Jean Stromatt; and, posthumously, Cedarwood Music Publishing's Dollie Dearman Denny and Mary Claire Rhodes.

Patsy Bradley	Brenda Lee welcomes Patsy Bradley

Former CMA Executive Director Jo Walker-Meador was given SOURCE's first Lifetime Achievement Award, to be named in her honor in future years. Country music legend Eddy Arnold, winner of the CMA's first Entertainer of the Year award, made the presentation of an engraved Baccarat vase.

Mayor Bill Purcell, CMA's Tammy Genovese, Jo Walker-Meador, Eddy Arnold

Devon O'Day, Brenda Lee and Charlie Monk hosted the awards ceremony, which also featured a presentation by Robert K. Oermann on the history of women on Music Row.

Devon O'Day, Charlie Monk, Robert K. Oermann

SOURCE, a non-profit organization of female executives, created the Foundation Awards in 2003 to honor women in the country music industry who received little recognition during their careers for their contributions to the growth of country music. The awards dinner was created by Kay Smith, Vice President/A&R Administration, Sony Music Nashville.

Patsy Bradley, Charlie Lamb, Katherine Bradley

Photos by Alan Mayor

Johnny Wright, BMI's Patsy Bradley, Kitty Wells

Johnny Wright receives a Special Citation of Appreciation from BMI's Patsy Bradley

photos by Hope Powell

So it's no surprise that at the age of 19, Milian is making a serious bid for stardom with her eponymous debut album. Scheduled for release this January on Def Soul Records, this slick disc represents a fetching collection of Janet Jackson-type R&B-pop.

Milian's career was launched about a decade ago when she began appearing in commercials and the musical Annie Warbucks. A number of television and film roles followed, including appearances on The Steve Harvey Show, Sister, Sister and the film smash American Pie. Proving that she also had some journalistic talent, she worked as a Disney Channel correspondent.

But the Maryland native of Cuban descent began to get seriously noticed when she entered the music arena. She sang the chorus to Ja Rule's number one single "Between Me and You." It also didn't hurt that sheappeared in the song's video. People took immediate notice and a flurry of fan websites subsequently emerged.

Milian's debut solo single, "AM To PM," has already sailed to the top of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart, and she's also toured with *NSYNC. Managed by Johnny Wright, the man behind teen titans 'N Sync and Britney Spears, the wholesome vocalist is vying for the same type of success.

Like Britney and the other Christina (Aguilera), Milian can sing and dance. But what helps to set her apart from most of her peers is her ability to write songs, particularly lyrics. She co-wrote many of the songs on her debut album and co-wrote the Jennifer Lopez hit "Play."

"I don't think there will ever be a point where I'll be able to say that I've truly made it," Milian told a reporter recently. "I'm always striving for more. Whether somebody's asking for my autograph or I'm performing with someone huge, I'll still think there's more work to do."