Kenny Chesney Receives BMI President’s Award at the 2016 BMI Country Awards
Keith Urban, Eric Church and Dean Dillon pay tribute to the songwriting legend
Ross Copperman, Sony/ATV among honorees
Congressman Doug Collins receives BMI Champion Award
BMI proudly presented its 2016 BMI Country Awards last night, honoring the prolific songwriting career of BMI President’s Award winner Kenny Chesney, as well as the Country Songwriter, Song and Publisher of the Year. The 64th annual event, which is the genre’s oldest awards ceremony, also celebrated the songwriters and publishers of the most-performed country songs of the past year. BMI President and CEO Mike O’Neill hosted the ceremony at the Company’s office in Nashville, along with Jody Williams, BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville.
Chesney, who was named this year’s BMI President’s Award winner, joins an elite list of songwriters across all genres including P!nk, Taylor Swift, Adam Levine, Willie Nelson, Brooks & Dunn and Gloria & Emilio Estefan. He was honored with a tribute concert from fellow songwriters and musicians, Keith Urban, Eric Church and Dean Dillon. The BMI President’s Award is presented to songwriters who have distinctly and profoundly influenced the entertainment industry. Chesney’s most performed single, “I Go Back,” was given a heartfelt performance by Urban, while Church treated the audience to the classic “Anything But Mine.” “The Tin Man,” Chesney’s first single, was performed by Dillon.
Ross Copperman was named Songwriter of the Year, with writing credits on seven of the most-performed songs of the past year, including Florida Georgia Line’s “Confession,” Billy Currington’s “Don’t It,” Brett Eldredge’s “Drunk on Your Love” and “Lose My Mind,” Keith Urban’s “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16,” A Thousand Horses’ “Smoke” and Luke Bryan’s “Strip It Down.”
“Die a Happy Man,” written by performer Thomas Rhett with BMI songwriter Sean Douglas and Joe London, won the coveted Song of the Year award. Published by Brodsky Spensive Publishing, Cricket On The Line, Eastman Pond Publishing, EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc., Music of BIG DEAL, Nice Life and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., the track was one of the most-performed country songs of the year.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville continued their incredible winning streak of more than a decade, again taking home the Publisher of the Year accolade. Responsible for 22 of the 50 most-performed songs of the year, Sony/ATV published megahits such as Cam’s “Burning House,” Cole Swindell’s “Let Me See Ya Girl,” Chesney’s “Wild Child,” and many more. During the ceremony, BMI also saluted the songwriters and publishers of the 50 most-performed country songs of the previous year. In addition, Congressman Doug Collins (R-GA-9) was presented with the BMI Champion Award for his tireless efforts to modernize the laws that protect songwriters and ensure that music creators are fairly compensated for their work.
List of Winners
SONG OF THE YEAR
DIE A HAPPY MAN
Sean Douglas
Joe London
Thomas Rhett
Brodsky Spensive Publishing
Cricket On The Line
Eastman Pond Publishing
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Music of BIG DEAL
Nice Life
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
ROSS COPPERMAN
Confession
Don’t It
Drunk On Your Love
John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16
Lose My Mind
Smoke
Strip It Down
PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR
SONY/ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING NASHVILLE
(EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc, Sony/ATV Acuff Rose, Sony/ATV Countryside, Sony/ATV Songs and Sony/ATV Tree)
Ain’t Worth The Whiskey
Burning House
Confession
Die A Happy Man
Don’t It
Drunk On Your Love
Home Alone Tonight
I Love This Life
I’m Comin Over
John Cougar, John Deer, John 3:16
Kick The Dust Up
Let Me See Ya Girl
Like A Wrecking Ball
Lose My Mind
Love You Like That
Raise ’Em Up
Smoke
Strip It Down
That Don’t Sound Like You
Tonight Looks Good On You
Wild Child
Young & Crazy
PRESIDENT’S AWARD
KENNY CHESNEY
2016 COUNTRY AWARDS TOP 50 SONGS
A GUY WALKS INTO A BAR
Melissa Peirce
East Pass Music
Nashvistaville Songs
Platinum Melly Music
AIN’T WORTH THE WHISKEY
Cole Swindell
Colden Rainey Music
Sony/ATV Tree
ALREADY CALLING YOU MINE
Wade Kirby
Barry Knox
Phil O’Donnell
Matt Thomas
27861 Music
Rooster Pecked Music
Round Hill Works
Sixteen Stars Music
BABY BE MY LOVE SONG
Jim Collins
Spirit of Nashville One
Tractor Factor Music
BACKROAD SONG
Granger Smith
Climbing Windmills Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
BURNING HOUSE
Jeff Bhasker
Cam
Tyler Johnson
Creative Pulse Music
One Year Yesterday Publishing
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
These Are Pulse Songs
Way Above Music
BUY ME A BOAT
Chris Janson
Buckkilla Music
Red Vinyl Music
CONFESSION
Rodney Clawson
Ross Copperman
Big Red Toe Music
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Farm Town Songs
Rezolant Music
Round Hill Works
CRASH AND BURN
Sam Cooke
Jesse Frasure
ABKCO Music, Inc.
Rio Bravo Music
CRUSHIN’ IT
Lee Thomas Miller
The Country And Western Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
DIAMOND RINGS AND OLD BARSTOOLS
Barry Dean
Luke Laird
Country Paper
Creative Nation Music
Creative Pulse Music
Pulse Nation
Songs of Universal, Inc.
DIE A HAPPY MAN
Sean Douglas
Joe London
Thomas Rhett
Brodsky Spensive Publishing
Cricket On The Line
Eastman Pond Publishing
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Music of BIG DEAL
Nice Life
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
DON’T IT
Ross Copperman
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Rezolant Music
DRUNK ON YOUR LOVE
Ross Copperman
Brett Eldredge
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Paris Not France Music
Rezolant Music
Sony/ATV Countryside
GIRL CRUSH
Lori McKenna
Liz Rose
Hoodie Songs
Songs of Crazy Girl Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
GONNA
Luke Laird
Creative Nation Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
GONNA KNOW WE WERE HERE
Brett Beavers
BMG Platinum Songs
Music of BIG DEAL
Stalefish Music
HEARTBEAT
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Okie Music
HOME ALONE TONIGHT
Tommy Cecil
Jaida Dreyer
Jody Stevens
Red Vinyl Music
Sixteen Stars Music
Sony/ATV Tree
I GOT THE BOY
Connie Harrington
Tim Nichols
Jamie Lynn Spears
All For This Music
Made For This Music
Sweet Jamie Music, Inc.
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
I LIKE THE SOUND OF THAT
Jesse Frasure
Shay Mooney
Rio Bravo Music
Shay Mooney Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
I LOVE THIS LIFE
Preston Brust
Chris Janson
Chris Lucas
Danny Myrick
Music From Riding Songs
Red Vinyl Music
Round Hill Works
Sony/ATV Tree
I’M COMIN’ OVER
Chris Young
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Goodbye Pants LLC
I’M TO BLAME
Westin Davis
Magic Mustang Music, Inc.
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
JOHN COUGAR, JOHN DEERE, JOHN 3:16
Ross Copperman
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Rezolant Music
KICK THE DUST UP
Dallas Davidson
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Round Hill Works
KISS YOU IN THE MORNING
Michael White
Music of Parallel
KISS YOU TONIGHT
Jay Knowles
Trenton Summar
Acme Nashville
Randill Music LLC
Songs of NTN
Songs of Universal, Inc.
LET ME SEE YA GIRL
Jody Stevens
Cole Swindell
Colden Rainey Music
Sony/ATV Tree
LIKE A WRECKING BALL
Casey Beathard
Eric Church
Longer And Louder Music
Six Ring Circus Songs
Sony/ATV Acuff Rose
Sony/ATV Tree
LITTLE BIT OF YOU
Chase Bryant
Orbison Music LLC
LITTLE TOY GUNS
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Okie Music
LOSE MY MIND
Ross Copperman
Brett Eldredge
CeeLo Green
Heather Morgan
Gian Piero Reverberi (SIAE)
Gianfranco Reverberi (SIAE)
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Killer Tracks
Paris Not France Music
Rezolant Music
Sony/ATV Countryside
Sony/ATV Tree
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
LOVE YOU LIKE THAT
Brett Beavers
Jim Beavers
BMG Platinum Songs
Don’tCallMeBrett Music
Music of BIG DEAL
Sony/ATV Tree
Stalefish Music
LOVING YOU EASY
Al Anderson
Round Hill Works
NOTHIN’ LIKE YOU
Shay Mooney
Shay Mooney Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
ONE HELL OF AN AMEN
Brian Davis
Brantley Gilbert
Indiana Angel Music
Mike Curb Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
RAISE ‘EM UP
Tom Douglas
Jeffrey Steele
Jeffrey Steele Music
Sony/ATV Tree
TomDouglasMusic
RUN AWAY WITH YOU
Michael Ray
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
SAVE IT FOR A RAINY DAY
Andrew Dorff
Endorffin Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
SHE DON’T LOVE YOU
Jennifer Wayne
Songwriters Of Platinum Pen Publishing
SIPPIN’ ON FIRE
Rodney Clawson
Big Red Toe Music
Farm Town Songs
Round Hill Works
SMOKE
Ross Copperman
Michael Hobby
Carolina June Publishing
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Greatshakin’ Music
Rezolant Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
SMOKE BREAK
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Okie Music
STRIP IT DOWN
Luke Bryan
Ross Copperman
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Peanut Mill Songs
Rezolant Music
Sony/ATV Tree
THAT DON’T SOUND LIKE YOU
Rhett Akins
Lee Brice
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Mike Curb Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
TONIGHT LOOKS GOOD ON YOU
Rhett Akins
Dallas Davidson
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Round Hill Works
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
WHAT WE AIN’T GOT
Travis Goff
Travis Meadows
Red Vinyl Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
WILD CHILD
Kenny Chesney
Basuare Music
Sony/ATV Acuff Rose
YOUNG & CRAZY
Rhett Akins
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
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