The prestigious Album of the Year trophy went to Miranda Lambert for her critically acclaimed project, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Lambert accepted the award with genuine surprise and gratitude, thanking both the industry and fans for embracing her "left of center" approach. Her charged performance of single "Gunpowder and Lead" was easily one of the night's best.

Contemporary country royalty Carrie Underwood garnered the Top Female Vocalist crown for the second consecutive year. With the release of her sophomore effort, Carnival Ride, the powerhouse vocalist has eloquently underscored her undeniable staying power. Underwood also delivered a highlight of the ceremony, performing a duet with Brad Paisley on a beautifully pared-down version of Eddy Arnold's "Make the World Go Away," in tribute to the late icon.

Perennial favorites Brooks & Dunn took home yet another Top Vocal Duo win, marking their 15th award in the category. Brooks & Dunn stake a comfortable claim to the most-awarded pair in ACM history and remain contemporarily potent on top of their historically successful career.

Country golden girl Taylor Swift enjoyed more official recognition of her overwhelming crossover dominance with the Top New Female Vocalist honor. Eighteen year-old Swift tearfully thanked her mother for her early sacrifices and steadfast support.

Top New Male Vocalist went to singer/songwriter Jack Ingram. Already a familiar face to Texas and Americana fans, Ingram's win arrives on the heels of more than a decade of critically heralded albums and live shows. His breakout success in 2007 introduced him to a wider audience and delivered long overdue recognition.

Lady Antebellum earned Top New Duo or Vocal Group honors. The win marks the budding trio's first award and bodes well for their self-titled debut album.

Top Vocal Group honors went home with Rascal Flatts for the sixth consecutive year. The dominating crossover titans are now tied with legendary group Alabama for most wins in the coveted category. Rascal Flatts also received the Home Depot Humanitarian Award in recognition of their substantial philanthropic endeavors.

Tim McGraw shared in the Vocal Event of the Year win for "Find Out Who Your Friends Are," while Sugarland's Kristian Bush and producer Byron Gallimore enjoyed honors for their individual creative contributions to "Stay," named Single Record of the Year.

All BMI 2008 ACM Award Winners

Top Female Vocalist
Carrie Underwood

Top Vocal Group
Rascal Flatts

Top Vocal Duo
Brooks & Dunn

Top New Male Vocalist
Jack Ingram

Top New Female Vocalist
Taylor Swift

Top New Duo or Vocal Group
Lady Antebellum

Album of the Year
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Miranda Lambert

Single Record of the Year [Award to Artist(s)/ Producer(s)/ Record Company]
"Stay" by Sugarland
Co-produced by Kristian Bush and Byron Gallimore

Vocal Event of the Year
"Find Out Who Your Friends Are" featuring Tim McGraw

Home Depot Humanitarian Award
Rascal Flatts

Tennessee native Richard Edward Arnold was born in a farming community 20 miles outside of Jackson in 1918. A child during the Great Depression, Mr. Arnold's interest in music grew as other employment opportunities dried up. His first hit, "Cattle Call," would become one of his most beloved, even as he achieved broad crossover success into the pop world with unforgettable jewels including "What Is Life without Love," "I'll Hold You in My Heart ('Til I Can Hold You in My Arms)," "What's He Doing in My World," "Make the World Go Away" and "You Don't Know Me." Television warmly embraced Mr. Arnold as well; his smooth addresses and seemingly effortless vocals translated well on the new medium, through his own TV shows and guest appearances.

He received numerous lifetime achievement honors, both for musical and humanitarian endeavors. A longtime BMI songwriter and key component in Nashville's ascension to country music recording capitol of the world, Mr. Arnold's profound legacy will forever be remembered and cherished.

Read Peter Cooper's comprehensive look at Mr. Arnold's life and view archival photos from throughout the Tennessee Plowboy's career.

“I had a pop/doo-wop kind of vocal group that signed with RCA Victor and our first record was released in 1956,” recalls Crutchfield. “It’s amazing to think I’ve been in this crazy business for 50 years!”

Crutchfield’s group never had a hit. But it did start him on a successful songwriting career — and he remains a BMI writer.

“I sent a demo of ‘Little Sparrow’ to Chet Atkins and he cut it with Eddy Arnold — my first major [cover] release,” says Crutchfield, who had to sing the melody part for Atkins on the phone since it was mixed too low on the demo. He would go on to land over 150 covers by the likes of Elvis Presley, Tanya Tucker, Lee Greenwood and Tammy Wynette. His “My Whole World Is Falling Down” became a pop hit for Brenda Lee in 1963 and was also a major European hit for French singing and film star Sylvie Vartan.

But Crutchfield began producing, too. “I really enjoyed the energy of the studio — and musicians making music,” he says, and sure enough, he produced Dave Loggins’s “Please Come to Boston,” one of the most successful pop records ever cut in Nashville — not to mention country hits including Lee Greenwood’s Grammy-winning “I.O.U.”

Crutchfield would serve as Executive Vice President/General Manager of Capitol Records and President of the Nashville division of MCA Music. But he also established MCA Music Publishing (now Universal Music Publishing) as a major Nashville publishing house, and had a hand in signing and developing such top Music Row writers as Loggins, Don Schlitz, Gary Burr and Mark Nesler.

He continues to run the Crutchfield Music Group of publishing companies (its Glitterfish Music catalog has had hits by George Strait, Tim McGraw and Martina McBride) while writing a series of “The Adventures of Dr. Raccoon” children’s books.

His alma mater, Murray State University in Kentucky, is currently exhibiting his memorabilia to commemorate a new scholarship in his name, but Crutchfield looks ahead. “People complain about changes in the business,” he says, “but time marches on and you have to stay with the program.”

Del (left) & Dane Bryant smile over their parents' plaque

Boudleaux and Felice's body of work reflects a quintessential partnership, and includes songs for the Everly Brothers like "Bye Bye Love" and "Wake Up, Little Susie," along with hits for country music legends Little Jimmy Dickens, Eddy Arnold and Jim Reeves. The list of icons who have recorded the Bryants' material reads like a who's who of the very canon of American music, from Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Elvis Presley, the Grateful Dead, the Beach Boys, Elvis Costello, Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly to Dean Martin.

Hank Williams, Jr. says a few words about legend Roy Orbison

Felice Bryant was also inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in October.

Other Walk of Fame inductees included country singer Reba McEntire, affectionately dubbed the "first lady of country music"; effervescent vocalist Ronnie Milsap, who performed a vital role in introducing country music to mainstream audiences; a capella student ensemble the Fisk Jubilee Singers, which first formed in 1871 and went on to educate and entertain American presidents and European royalty with their passionate performances of traditional African-American music; American legend Roy Orbison, regarded as one of the founding fathers of rock and roll; and Maestro Kenneth D. Schermerhorn, the beloved Nashville Symphony music director whose achievements included the first East Coast tour for the Nashville Symphony and several Grammy-nominated albums.

Del (left) & Dane Bryant accept the honor on behalf of their parents

Created earlier this year, the Music City Walk of Fame on Nashville's Music Mile will be a landmark tribute to those from all genres of music who have made significant contributions to preserving the musical heritage of Nashville and have contributed to the world through song or other industry collaboration. Permanent sidewalk medallions made of stainless steel and terrazzo, with each honoree's name displayed in a star-and-guitar design, will be installed in the sidewalk along the Music Mile, the roughly one-mile stretch of Demonbreun Street from 4th Avenue South to the Music Row Roundabout at 16th Avenue South. The first plaques will be inlaid in Hall of Fame Park on Demonbreun, between 4th and 5th Avenues South.

The Orbison family celebrates Roy's induction with friend Hank Williams, Jr. Pictured are (l to r): son Roy Orbison Jr., wife Barbara Orbison and Hank Williams, Jr.

The Music City Walk of Fame is an official project of Music City, Inc, the charitable foundation of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB), and is produced with the support of presenting sponsor Gibson Guitar, sponsor GAC, the City of Nashville and Metro Parks.

The Bryants' plaque will sit in Hall of Fame Park on Demonbreun Avenue

A large crowd gathered downtown to mark the occasion

Former BMI President & CEO Frances Preston (left) looks on as Del and Dane Bryant (at podium) accept their mother's induction into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame

Other BMI songwriters inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame this year include Gregg Allman, Dallas Austin and members of R.E.M.

Born in Milwaukee, Felice Bryant lived for many years in Moutrie, Ga., the hometown of husband and writing partner Boudleaux Bryant. The potent combination of Felice and Boudleaux resulted in one of the most enduring songwriting teams in popular music history. The couple penned standards like "Bye Bye Love" and "Wake Up, Little Susie" for the Everly Brothers, catapulting the rock and roll duo to stardom. Buddy Holly's rendition of the Bryants' "Raining in My Heart" was captured during his final recording session in 1958. Prior to their pivotal foray into the burgeoning world of rock and roll, the Bryants wrote hits for a number of country music's legendary figures, including Little Jimmy Dickens, Eddy Arnold and Jim Reeves. A virtual who's who of 20th century music giants recorded songs by the Bryants-names like Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Elvis Presley, the Grateful Dead, the Beach Boys, Elvis Costello, Dolly Parton, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly and Dean Martin color the iconic list.

Though Felice rarely worked without her husband, her solo composition and one-time birthday gift to Boudleaux, "We Could," was recorded by Jim Reeves, Little Jimmy Dickens, George Jones & Tammy Wynette, Kitty Wells, George Morgan, the Louvin Brothers, Charley Pride, Al Martino and John Prine-a resounding affirmation of her gift.

Tennessee adopted the Bryants' tune, "Rocky Top," as its state song in 1982; the Georgia Music Hall of Fame inducted Boudleaux that same year, and he lived until 1987. Felice passed away in 1997 at her home in Gatlinburg, Tenn.]]> 2006-10-10T05:00:01-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/334739 Artists, Arnold, Eddy, Bryant, Del, Howard, Harlan, Nelson, Willie, Presley, Elvis, Walker, Cindy, Musical Styles, Country "(Best tunes) are songs with a face. You recognize them. You know them. It's like a person. They have a face that's outstanding. Other songs don't have a face; you just hear them, that's all. The really good ones are few and far between."
-Cindy Walker

Rarely has the country music community witnessed the timeless versatility that songwriter Cindy Walker perfected.

"Cindy Walker was a cherished member of BMI for over 50 years," said BMI President and CEO Del Bryant. "Her voice spoke to and for many, and even if she had only written her classic 'You Don't Know Me,' she still would be considered one of the most respected songwriters of our time. Thankfully, she gave us much more."

The legendary Country Music Hall of Fame inductee died March 23 at the age of 87. Her niece, Carol Adams, said she had been ill for several months.

Songwriting luminary Harlan Howard called Walker "the greatest living songwriter of country music" - a title void of any exaggeration in spite of its lofty verbiage. The list of artists who have recorded Walker's work reads like a "who's who" of American giants: from frequent collaborator Bob Wills to Roy Rogers, Webb Pierce, Eddy Arnold and Elvis, Walker's co-writers and musical partners turned to her often for her signature hooks and poignant story-telling.

Walker's renowned pieces include "Cherokee Maiden," "You Don't Know Me," "Take Me in Your Arms (and Hold Me)," "In the Misty Moonlight," "Dream Baby," "Sugar Moon," "Distant Drums" and "I Don't Care." She wrote over 50 songs for Wills, the bandleader for the Texas Playboys, and garnered a new wave of media attention in recent weeks because of Willie Nelson's newest album, Songs of Cindy Walker. Many are calling the project Nelson's best work in decades.

Walker never stopped pitching her songs. "Songwriting is all I ever did, love," Ms. Walker confessed in a recent interview for The New York Times. "I still can't cook to this day!"

In recent years, she split her year in two, spending half her time in her home town of Mexia, Texas, and the other half in Nashville. Cindy Walker's creations were born and reborn, transcendent and oblivious to the chains of decades and passing fancies. She will be deeply missed.]]> 2006-03-26T17:00:01-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/334662 Artists, Arnold, Eddy, Bienstock, Johnny, Presley, Elvis, Snow, Hank, Tubb, Ernest Johnny Bienstock, a 60-year publishing and record label veteran, died Jan. 20 in Naples, Fla. The cause was complications from heart disease and a stroke, according to his family. He was 83.

Bienstock, a native of Vienna, Austria, fled to the U.S. with his brother Freddy at the onset of World War II and later served in the U.S. Army Mountain Division. He began his music career in 1944 when he and his brother joined the music publishing company of their cousins Jean and Julian Aberbach, who went on to found Hill & Range Music. While there, he worked with such BMI songwriters as Ernest Tubb, Eddy Arnold, Hank Snow and Elvis Presley.

For the remainder of his career, Bienstock moved back and forth between publishing and label positions, including Big Top, Atlantic, Cotillion and RSO Records. After leaving RSO, he reteamed with Freddy to buy Moss Rose Music, a country catalog that was incorporated into Johnny Bienstock Music administered by Freddy Bienstock Enterprises. In 1983, he became GM of E.B. Mark Music Company, a subsidiary of Freddy's Carlin America. They continued to work together until his retirement in 2003.

In addition to his brother, Bienstock is survived by his wife, two daughters, a step-son, four grandchildren and a great-grandchild. Funeral services were held Jan. 23 in New York City.]]> 2006-01-22T17:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/234336 Artists, Adams, John, Arnold, Eddy, Basement Jaxx, Ben-Ari, Miri, Black Eyed Peas, Blanchard, Terence, Blind Boys of Alabama, The, Cachao, Chapman, Steven Curtis, Charles, Ray, D'Rivera, Paquito, Dixie Chicks, Douglas, Jerry, Frisell, Bill, Garza, David Lee, Guzman, Joel, Hancock, Herbie, Intocable, James, Etta, Jones, Norah, Lennon, John, Lil Jon, Lilly, Harold, Los Lonely Boys, Lynn, Loretta, McBride, Christian, McGraw, Tim, Nichols, Tim, Ozomatli, Sauceda, Sunny, Scruggs, Earl, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Spears, Britney, Usher1, West, Kanye, White, Jack, Wilco, Wilson, Brian, Awards, Industry Awards, Grammy Awards, Musical Styles, Blues, Classical, Country, Dance, Jazz, Latin, Pop, R&B, Rock, Type, Important Ray Charles, whose posthumously-released album of duets Genius Loves Company earned him five trophies at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards, leads the list of BMI winners, announced last night (2/13) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Charles' Album of the Year win marked the first time the top album prize has gone to a deceased artist since John Lennon received it in 1982.

Kanye West	Ray Charles

Charles, whose Grammy haul now totals 17, also took home the coveted Record of the Year title as well as Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for "Here We Go Again," featuring pianist/singer Norah Jones. She won three awards herself, two for her duet with Charles and one for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the song "Sunrise" from her sophomore release Feels Like Home.

Norah Jones	John Adams	Loretta Lynn

Genius engineer Al Schmitt won four Grammys, including one for Best Engineered Album (non-classical); the album's producer, Don Mizell, also took home a statuette.

Maroon5	Tim McGraw

Ten-time nominee Kanye West took home three awards, including Best Rap Song for his hit "Jesus Walks" (co-written with Miri Ben-Ari) from his multiplatinum release The College Dropout, which earned the Best Rap Album title. His Best R&B Song win, also a songwriter award, was shared with BMI co-writer Harold Lilly for the smash "You Don't Know My Name."

Blind Boys of Alabama	Brian Wilson

Pop-rockers Maroon5 took home the prestigious Best New Artist Grammy, a surprise to even the band's own members. When lead singer, Adam Levine, accepted the award, he commented: "Kanye West, I want to thank you so much for being unbelievable."

Miri Ben-Ari	Al Schmitt	Harold Lilly

BMI artists once again dominated the Latin category, winning five of the six awards, including Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album (Street Signs) by multicultural, hip-hop outfit Ozomatli and Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album by Tejano-norte�o fusion band Intocable. Cuban bassist Israel "Cachao" L�pez's �Ahora S�! was named Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra won for Best Salsa/Merengue Album. The Best Tejano Album win went to BMI composers David Lee Garza, Joel Guzman and Sunny Sauceda.

Ozomatli

BMI jazz artists also had a strong showing, winning Grammys in four out of six fields, with the Best Jazz Instrumental Album statuette going to McCoy Tyner, Gary Bartz, Terence Blanchard and Christian McBride for Illuminations. Herbie Hancock picked up his ninth career Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, Charlie Haden's release Land of the Sun was named Best Latin Jazz Album and Bill Frisell's Unspeakable earned the Best Contemporary Jazz Album title.

Winning two Grammys each were classical composer John Adams and BMI Icon Loretta Lynn. This is legendary country singer's second Grammy; she won in 1971 for her collaboration with Conway Twitty. Her album, Van Lear Rose, earned her the Best Country Album trophy, which she accepted with the album's producer Jack White of the White Stripes. The pair also won Best Country Collaboration With Vocals for the track "Portland Oregon."

Newcomers Los Lonely Boys opened the Grammy show with their #1 breakthrough smash "Heaven," which earned the Tex-Mex brothers the trophy for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal. Hip-hop party band the Black Eyed Peas picked up a Grammy for "Let's Get It Started," named Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group, while crunk rapper Lil Jon received a Grammy nod for his collaboration on the Usher hit "Yeah!".

Other BMI winners included Basement Jaxx [PRS] (Best Electronic/Dance Album), Tim McGraw (Best Male Country Vocal Performance), The Blind Boys Of Alabama (Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album), Brave Combo (Best Polka Album), and BMI Icon Brian Wilson, who also earned his very first Grammy. The Beach Boys leader was also honored on February 11 as the Person of the Year at the annual MusiCares dinner, which cited him as "one of the most important songwriters and recording artists of our time."

BMI's 2005 Grammy Award Winners:

Ray Charles
Record Of The Year
"Here We Go Again"
Album Of The Year
Genius Loves Company
Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
"Here We Go Again"
Best Pop Vocal Album
Genius Loves Company
Best Gospel Performance
"Heaven Help Us All"

Al Schmitt
Record Of The Year
"Here We Go Again"
Album Of The Year
Genius Loves Company
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
Genius Loves Company
Best Surround Sound Album
Genius Loves Company

Norah Jones
Record Of The Year
"Here We Go Again"
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
"Sunrise"
Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
"Here We Go Again"

Kanye West
Best R&B Song
"You Don't Know My Name"
Best Rap Song
"Jesus Walks"
Best Rap Album
College Dropout

John Adams
Best Classical Album
Adams: On The Transmigration Of Souls
Best Classical Contemporary Composition
Adams: On The Transmigration Of Souls

Loretta Lynn
Best Country Album
Van Lear Rose
Best Country Collaboration With Vocals
Portland Oregon"

Maroon5
Best New Artist

Don Mizell
Album Of The Year
Genius Loves Company

Los Lonely Boys
Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal
"Heaven"

Britney Spears
Best Dance Recording
"Toxic"

Basement Jaxx (PRS)
Best Electronic/Dance Album
Kish Kash

Mot�rhead (PRS)
Best Metal Performance
"Whiplash"

Brian Wilson
Best Rock Instrumental Performance
"Mrs. O'Leary's Cow"

Wilco
Best Alternative Music Album
A Ghost Is Born

Harold Lilly
Best R&B Song
"You Don't Know My Name"

The Black Eyed Peas
Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group
"Let's Get It Started"

Lil Jon
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
"Yeah!"

Miri Ben Ari
Best Rap Song
"Jesus Walks"

Tim McGraw
Best Male Country Vocal Performance
"Live Like You Were Dying"

Dixie Chicks
Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal
"Top Of The World"

Jack White
Best Country Collaboration With Vocals
"Portland Oregon"

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Best Country Instrumental Performance
"Earl's Breakdown"

Earl Scruggs
Best Country Instrumental Performance
"Earl's Breakdown"

Randy Scruggs
Best Country Instrumental Performance
"Earl's Breakdown"

Jerry Douglas
Best Country Instrumental Performance
"Earl's Breakdown"

Tim Nichols
Best Country Song
"Live Like You Were Dying"

Will Ackerman
Best New Age Album
Returning

Bill Frisell
Best Contemporary Jazz Album
Unspeakable

Herbie Hancock
Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
"Speak Like A Child"

McCoy Tyner
Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
Illuminations

Gary Bartz
Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
Illuminations

Terence Blanchard
Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
Illuminations

Christian McBride
Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
Illuminations

Charlie Haden
Best Latin Jazz Album
Land Of The Sun

Steven Curtis Chapman
Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
All Things New

The Blind Boys Of Alabama
Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album
There Will Be A Light

Ozomatli
Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album
Street Signs

Israel L�pez "Cachao"
Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album
�Ahora S�!

Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Best Salsa/Merengue Album
Across 110th Street

Intocable
Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album
Intimamente

David Lee Garza
Best Tejano Album
Polkas, Gritos y Acorde�nes

Joel Guzman
Best Tejano Album
Polkas, Gritos y Acorde�nes

Sunny Sauceda
Best Tejano Album
Polkas, Gritos y Acorde�nes

Etta James
Best Traditional Blues Album
Blues To The Bone

Keb' Mo'
Best Contemporary Blues Album
Keep It Simple

Bill Miller
Best Native American Music Album
Cedar Dream Songs

Toots & The Maytals
Best Reggae Album
True Love

Brave Combo
Best Polka Album
Let's Kiss: 25th Anniversary Album

Paquito D'Rivera
Best Instrumental Composition
"Merengue"

Slide Hampton (SACEM)
Best Instrumental Arrangement
"Past Present & Future"

Ray Cooper (PRS)
Best Long Form Music Video
Concert For George

Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
Best Classical Crossover Album
LAGQ's Guitar Heroes

Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners:
Eddy Arnold
Art Blakey
The Carter Family
Jerry Lee Lewis
Pinetop Perkins
The Staple Singers

Merle Kilgore, Al Gallico, BMI's Frances Preston

Born Wyatt Merle Kilgore in Chickasha, Oklahoma, he grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana. As a teenager, he often hung around the "Louisiana Hayride" radio show, meeting numerous performers including Hank Williams Sr., whose guitar case he carried for his first job, at 14, in the music business.

(Bottom row) Leon Butler, Gary Walker, Emil LaViola, (top row) BMI's Frances Preston and (partially obscured) Robert J. Burton, June Carter, Merle Kilgore

At age 18, Mr. Kilgore wrote his first hit song: "More and More," which Webb Pierce took to No. 1 in 1954. Mr. Kilgore also worked as a disc jockey, TV show host and radio station manager in Louisiana throughout most of the 1950s. With Pierce's help, he landed his first recording contract with Imperial Records in Los Angeles; during a 20+ year singing career, he also recorded for Starday (producing a Top 10 hit with "Dear Mama"), Mercury (a Top 10 with "Love Has Made You Beautiful"), MGM, Epic, Columbia, Ashley and Warner Bros.

Justin Bradshaw, Judy & Merle Kilgore, BMI's Thea Zavin and Bob Sour

After enjoying success in 1959 with "Johnny Reb" (a million-seller for Johnny Horton), he moved to Nashville in 1961 to become manager of the Nashville office of Shapiro-Bernstein Music. He also became a regular performer on the Grand Ole Opry and joined the Johnny Cash road show while continuing to write; his biggest hits were Claude King's "Wolverton Mountain" and Johnny Cash's "Ring Of Fire" (written with June Carter as she was falling in love with Cash). Other notable songs included John Anderson's "Let Somebody Else Drive," Eddy Arnold's "The Easy Way" and "The Folk Singer," Margie Singleton's "Old Records," Claude King's "Tiger Woman," and Ricky Nelson's "Old Enough To Love."

Merle Kilgore, Cindy Walker, BMI's Frances Preston

In 1964 Mr. Kilgore joined the Hank Williams Jr. road show as an opening act and later turned his focus to Williams' business concerns. In 1969 he became the general manager of Williams' publishing companies, and in 1986 was named executive vice president and head of management of Hank Williams Jr. Enterprises, which relocated from Alabama to Paris, Tennessee.

BMI's Ed Cramer, Merle Kilgore, BMI's Frances Preston

Reflective of his multi-faceted career, he was named the Country Music Association's first Manager of the Year in 1990 at the SRO Awards and was inducted to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1998.

Mr. Kilgore was also a member of the CMA Board of Directors and once served as vice president of the CMA. He worked with numerous other industry organizations and was elected President of the Nashville Songwriters Association International's Board of Directors and of ROPE (Reunion of Professional Entertainers). He was even a member of the Screen Actors Guild, appearing in movies including "Roadie," "Coal Miner's Daughter," and "Nashville and Living Proof," the 1981 NBC movie about Hank Williams Jr. in which he played himself.

Mr. Kilgore is survived by his wife, Judy; sons, Steve and Duane Kilgore; daughters, Pam Compton, Kim Pomeroy and Shane McBee; eight grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

A funeral service will be held Feb. 15 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Arrangements are being coordinated by Hendersonville Funeral Home (353 Johnny Cash Parkway, Hendersonville, TN 37075), where flowers may be sent.

Merle Kilgore's BMI Awards:

"Ring Of Fire"
BMI Country Award 1963 / Million-Air

"More and More"
BMI Country Award 1955, 1984

"Old Records"
BMI Country Award 1964

"Tiger Woman"
BMI Country Award 1965

"Wolverton Mountain"
BMI Country Award 1962 / BMI Pop Award 1962 / Million-Air]]> 2005-02-07T17:00:01-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/234242 Jean, Arnold, Eddy, Wright, Johnny, Country, International

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