Taylor Swift, Liz Rose, Billy Sherrill & More Honored at 2010 BMI Country Music Awards
BMI saluted the songwriters and publishers behind country music’s most-performed songs of the past year tonight during the 58th annual BMI Country Awards. The ceremony was held in the company’s Music Row offices. BMI President & CEO Del Bryant hosted the gala with Jody Williams, Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville.
At 20 years old, Taylor Swift became the youngest person ever to win the BMI Country Songwriter of the Year crown. She is followed by Bill Anderson, who won the honor in 1960 at 23, and Johnny Cash, who won in 1956 at 24. Swift earned the award thanks to her self-recorded compositions “Fifteen,” “White Horse” and “You Belong With Me,” as well as “Best Days of Your Life,” recorded by Kellie Pickler.
“You Belong With Me” also earned Swift her third consecutive BMI Country Song of the Year win, making her the only songwriter ever to win the award three years in a row. In 2008, she became the youngest songwriter ever to win the honor, while earlier this year she became the youngest individual ever to pen the BMI Pop Song of the Year. Co-written with frequent collaborator Liz Rose, the song is published by Sony/ATV Tree, Taylor Swift Music, Orbison Music LLC, and Wagnerville Music.
Another highlight included Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville earning its ninth consecutive BMI Country Publisher of the Year title.
Billy Sherrill, the father of the contemporary country sound, was named a BMI Icon. The Icon designation is given to BMI songwriters and artists who have had “a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.” Sherrill has received more BMI Country Awards than any other songwriter in history, and was named BMI Country Songwriter of the 20th Century in 1999. As a BMI Icon, he joins a list of past honorees that includes Kris Kristofferson, John Fogerty, Willie Nelson, Isaac Hayes, Merle Haggard, Brian Wilson, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, the Bee Gees, James Brown, and more.
An all-star tribute paid homage to Sherrill’s genre-shaping work as a producer and songwriter. Ronnie Dunn performed “The Most Beautiful Girl”; Martina McBride delivered “’Til I Can Make It on My Own”; Faith Hill contributed “Stand By Your Man”; and George Strait offered “My Elusive Dreams.”
Below is the complete list of 2010 BMI Country Music Award winners:
Songwriter of the Year
TAYLOR SWIFT
“Best Days of Your Life”
“Fifteen”
“White Horse”
“You Belong With Me”
Publisher of the Year
SONY/ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING NASHVILLE
(Sony/ATV Acuff Rose, Sony ATV Songs LLC and Sony/ATV Tree)
“All I Ask for Anymore”
“American Ride”
“Best Days of Your Life”
“Fifteen”
“I Run To You”
“I’m Alive”
“Living for the Night”
“Love Your Love the Most”
“Only You Can Love Me This Way”
“People Are Crazy”
“Sideways”
“Southern Voice”
“White Horse”
“White Liar”
“Why Don’t We Just Dance”
“You Belong With Me”
Song of the Year
“YOU BELONG WITH ME”
Liz Rose
Taylor Swift
Orbison Music LLC
Sony/ATV Tree
Taylor Swift Music
Wagnerville Music
BMI Icon
BILLY SHERRILL
2010 BMI Country Awards
Award-Winning Songs
ALL I ASK FOR ANYMORE
Casey Beathard
Tim James
Sony/ATV Acuff Rose
T-Bird’s Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Trace Adkins
Capitol Nashville
ALWAYS THE LOVE SONGS
George Ducas
Pure Blue Music
Eli Young Band
Republic/Universal South
AMERICAN RIDE
Dave Pahanish
Joe West
Songs For My Good Girl
Sony/ATV Tree
Totally Wrighteous Music
Toby Keith
Show Dog Nashville
BAREFOOT AND CRAZY
Rhett Akins
Dallas Davidson
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Rhettneck Music
String Stretcher Music
Jack Ingram
Big Machine
BEST DAYS OF YOUR LIFE
Taylor Swift
Sony/ATV Tree
Taylor Swift Music
Kellie Pickler
19/BNA
BIG GREEN TRACTOR
Jim Collins
Hope-N-Cal Music
Sexy Tractor Music
Jason Aldean
Broken Bow
BONFIRE
Tom Botkin
Kevin Denney
Craig Morgan
Botkin Music
Craven Music
Key Brothers Music
KRD Music
Magic Mustang Music, Inc.
Nashvistaville Songs
Triple Shoes Music
Craig Morgan
BNA
BOOTS ON
Randy Houser
Brandon Kinney
Burn 1 Baby Music
How ‘Bout That Skyline Music
Kinney Empire Music
Songs of Windswept Pacific
Randy Houser
Universal South
THE CLIMB
Jon Mabe
Mabe It Big Music
Music of Stage Three
Miley Cyrus
Walt Disney/Hollywood/Lyric Street
CONSIDER ME GONE
Marv Green
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Reba McEntire
Starstruck
COWBOY CASANOVA
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Okie Music
Carrie Underwood
Arista Nashville
DO I
Luke Bryan
Dave Haywood
Charles Kelley
Bug Music
DWHaywood Music
Murrah Music Corporation
Planet Peanut Music
RADIOBULLETSPUBLISHING
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Luke Bryan
Capitol Nashville
FIFTEEN
Taylor Swift
Sony/ATV Tree
Taylor Swift Music
Taylor Swift
Big Machine
GETTIN’ YOU HOME (THE BLACK DRESS SONG)
Cory Batten
Kent Blazy
I Want To Hold Your Songs
Chris Young
RCA/Sony Music
HERE COMES GOODBYE
Chris Sligh
Bridge Building Music
Rascal Flatts
Lyric Street
HILLBILLY BONE
Luke Laird
High Powered Machine Music
Universal Music-Careers
Blake Shelton featuring Trace Adkins
Warner Bros./WRN
I RUN TO YOU
Tom Douglas
Dave Haywood
Charles Kelley
DWHaywood Music
RADIOBULLETSPUBLISHING
Sony/ATV Tree
TomDouglasMusic
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Lady Antebellum
Capitol Nashville
I WANNA MAKE YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES
Brett Beavers
Chestnut Barn Music
Chrysalis One Songs
Dierks Bentley
Capitol Nashville
I’LL JUST HOLD ON
Troy Olsen
Bryan Simpson
Hillbilly Poetry
Mr. Noise Music
Blake Shelton
Warner Bros.
I’M ALIVE
Dean Dillon
Sixteen Stars Music
Sony/ATV Acuff Rose
Kenny Chesney featuring Dave Matthews
Blue Chair
IT HAPPENS
Kristian Bush
Bobby Pinson
Bobby’s Song and Salvage
Dirkpit Music
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Music of Stage Three
Sugarland
Mercury
IT’S AMERICA
Angelo
Slanky Dank
Songs of Windswept Pacific
Rodney Atkins
Curb Records
KISS A GIRL
Keith Urban
Mary Rose Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Keith Urban
Capitol Nashville
A LITTLE MORE COUNTRY THAN THAT
Wynn Varble
Precious Flour Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Easton Corbin
Mercury
LIVING FOR THE NIGHT
Dean Dillon
Bubba Strait
Living For The Night Music
Sixteen Stars Music
Sony/ATV Acuff Rose
George Strait
MCA Nashville
LOST YOU ANYWAY
Toby Keith
Bobby Pinson
Bobby’s Song and Salvage
Music of Stage Three
Tokeco Tunes
Toby Keith
Show Dog Nashville
LOVE YOUR LOVE THE MOST
Eric Church
Michael Heeney
Sinnerlina
Sony/ATV Acuff Rose
Sony/ATV Tree
Eric Church
Capitol Nashville
NEED YOU NOW
Dave Haywood
Charles Kelley
DWHaywood Music
RADIOBULLETSPUBLISHING
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Lady Antebellum
Capitol Nashville
NOTHIN’ TO DIE FOR
Lee Thomas Miller
New Songs of Sea Gayle
Noah’s Little Boat Music
Tim McGraw
Curb Records
ONE IN EVERY CROWD
Ira Dean
Eddie Montgomery
Plowin’ Ground Music
White Monkey Music
Montgomery Gentry
Columbia
ONLY YOU CAN LOVE ME THIS WAY
Steve McEwan (PRS)
John Reid
Birds With Ears Music
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Keith Urban
Capitol Nashville
PEOPLE ARE CRAZY
Bobby Braddock
Troy Jones
Crozier Music Enterprise LLC
Sony/ATV Tree
Tiltawhirl Music
Billy Currington
Mercury
RED LIGHT
Melissa Peirce
BMG Platinum Songs US
Roger’s Dream Music
David Nail
MCA Nashville
RIDE
Michael Davey
Andrew Dorff
Chris Robbins
Cartunez
How ‘Bout That Skyline Music
Songs of Mighty Isis
Martina McBride
RCA/Sony Music
SHE’S COUNTRY
Danny Myrick
Bridgette Tatum
Cackalacki Twang
Root 49 Music
Soulride Music
Jason Aldean
Broken Bow
SIDEWAYS
Jim Beavers
Beavertime Tunes
Sony/ATV Tree
Dierks Bentley
Capitol Nashville
SMALL TOWN USA
Justin Moore
Universal Music-Z Songs
West Bay St. Music
Justin Moore
Valory
SOUNDS LIKE LIFE TO ME
Phil O’Donnell
Wynn Varble
Daphil Music
Immokalee Music
Precious Flour Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Darryl Worley
Stroudavarious Records
SOUTHERN VOICE
Bob DiPiero
Tom Douglas
Love Monkey Music
Sony/ATV Tree
TomDouglasMusic
Tim McGraw
Curb Records
STRANGE
Wendell Mobley
Boatwright Baby
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Reba McEntire
Valory
THAT’S HOW COUNTRY BOYS ROLL
Dallas Davidson
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
String Stretcher Music
Billy Currington
Mercury
TOES
Zac Brown
Wyatt Durrette
John Hopkins
Shawn Mullins
Angelika Music
Brighter Shade Publishing
Roadieodie Music
Weimerhound Publishing
Zac Brown Band
Atlantic/Home Grown/Big Picture
THE TRUTH
Ashley Monroe
Reynsong Publishing Corporation
Jason Aldean
Broken Bow
WHATEVER IT IS
Zac Brown
Wyatt Durrette
Angelika Music
Weimerhound Publishing
Zac Brown Band
Atlantic/Home Grown/Big Picture
WHERE I’M FROM
Patrick Davis
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Patrick Davis Music
Jason Michael Carroll
Arista Nashville
WHITE HORSE
Liz Rose
Taylor Swift
Cake Taker Music
Sony/ATV Tree
Taylor Swift Music
Taylor Swift
Big Machine
WHITE LIAR
Natalie Hemby
Miranda Lambert
Pink Dog Publishing
Sony/ATV Tree
Tiltawhirl Music
Miranda Lambert
Columbia
WHY DON’T WE JUST DANCE
Jim Beavers
Beavertime Tunes
Sony/ATV Tree
Josh Turner
MCA Nashville
WILD AT HEART
Stephanie Bentley
Fru Fru Music
Gloriana
Columbia
YOU BELONG WITH ME
Liz Rose
Taylor Swift
Sony/ATV Tree
Taylor Swift Music
Wagnerville Music
Taylor Swift
Big Machine
Community
Connect with BMI & Professional Songwriters