November 4, 2014
Vince Gill Recognized As BMI Icon at the 2014 BMI Country Awards
Keith Urban, Ashley Monroe, and Michael McDonald Pay Tribute to the Songwriting Legend;
Rhett Akins, Ketch Secor and Sony/ATV Among Honorees at the Annual Event in Nashville
Broadcast Music, Inc.®, (BMI®), a global leader in music rights management, presented the 2014 BMI Country Awards, honoring the prolific songwriting career of BMI Icon Vince Gill, as well as the Country Songwriter, Song and Publisher of the Year tonight in Nashville. The 62nd 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 with Jody Williams, BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville; and Clay Bradley, BMI Assistant Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville.
Gill, who was named this year’s BMI Icon, joins an elite list of songwriters who have had “a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers” and was honored with a tribute from three fellow musicians: Keith Urban, Ashley Monroe, and Michael McDonald. Ashley Monroe serenaded attendees with “Whenever You Come Around.” Urban performed “I Still Believe In You,” and Michael McDonald gave his heartbreaking rendition of “When I Call Your Name.” Urban and Monroe closed out the set with a raucous version of the perennial Vince Gill classic “Liza Jane.”
Rhett Akins was named Songwriter of the Year, with writing credits on seven of the most-performed songs of the past year, including “Boys Round Here,” recorded by Blake Shelton featuring Pistol Annies, “Hey Girl” by Billy Currington, “I Can Take It From There” by Chris Young, “It Goes Like This” by Thomas Rhett, “Parking Lot Party” by Lee Brice, “Point at You” by Justin Moore, and “When She Says Baby” by Jason Aldean.
Darius Rucker’s hit “Wagon Wheel,” penned by Ketch Secor, won the coveted Song of the Year award. Published by Blood Donor Music, “Wagon Wheel” was one of the most-performed country songs of the year.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville continued their winning streak of more than a decade, again taking home the Publisher of the Year accolade. Responsible for 28 of the 50 most-performed songs of the year, Sony/ATV published megahits such as Luke Bryan’s “Drink a Beer,” Lee Brice’s “I Drive Your Truck,” Cole Swindell’s “Chillin’ It,” and many more. During the ceremony, BMI also saluted the songwriters and publishers of the 50 most-performed country songs of the previous year.
For a complete list of 2014 BMI Country Awards winners, please visit
http://www.bmi.com/country.
Photo and video footage can be accessed
via the official EPKlink early Wednesday morning:
http://www.image.net/BMICountryAwards2014
Media can also access high-resolution photos and event information at http://www.bmi.com/press/login – (username: bmimedia; password: songwriter).
About BMI
Celebrating 75 years of service to songwriters, composers, music publishers and businesses, Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI®), is a global leader in music rights management, serving as an advocate for the value of music. BMI represents the public performance rights in more than 8.5 million musical works created and owned by more than 650,000 songwriters, composers, and music publishers. The Company negotiates music license agreements and distributes the fees it generates as royalties to its affiliated writers and publishers when their songs are performed in public. In 1939, BMI created a groundbreaking open-door policy becoming the only performing rights organization to welcome and represent the creators of blues, jazz, country, and American roots music. Today, the musical compositions in BMI’s repertoire, from chart toppers to perennial favorites, span all genres of music and are consistently among the most-performed hits of the year. For additional information and the latest BMI news, visit http://www.bmi.com, follow us on Twitter @BMI or stay connected through Broadcast Music, Inc.‘s Facebook page.
Singer-songwriter Kip Moore attends the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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President and CEO Michael O'Neill speaks onstage at the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI
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Rhett Akins (second from right) accepts the award for Songwriter of the Year with BMI Assistant Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Clay Bradley, BMI President and CEO Mike O'Neill, and BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Jody Williams onstage at the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI
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Amy Grant and Vince Gill attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI
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Rhett Akins and Thomas Rhett attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI
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Singers Hunter Hayes and Blake Shelton attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI
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Miranda Lambert and Keith Urban attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI
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Blake Shelton and Keith Urban attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI
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Tim McGraw and Faith Hill pose with Natalie Stovall at the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI
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Vince Gill attends the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI
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Chris Lucas and Preston Brust of the LoCash Cowboys pose with Natalie Stovall (center) during the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI
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Brett Eldredge (L) and Jana Kramer attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI
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Singer-songwriter Dustin Lynch and singer Luke Bryan attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI
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Actors Sam Palladio, Chaley Rose, Nicole Kidman, and singer-songwriter Keith Urban attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI
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Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Keith Urban, and Nicole Kidman attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI
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Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line, singer-songwriter Thomas Rhett, and Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI
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Singers Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI
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Keith Urban performs onstage at the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Russell
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Ashley Monroe (L) and Keith Urban perform onstage at the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Russell
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BMI Icon honoree Vince Gill, songwriter Ketch Secor, and Songwriter of the Year winner Rhett Akins attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Russell
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(L-R) BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Jody Williams, Song of the Year award winner Ketch Secor, Sony/ATV's Danny Strick, Sony/ATV's Troy Tomlinson, Sony/ATV's Martin Bandier, BMI Icon honoree Vince Gill, Songwriter of the Year award winner Rhett Akins, BMI President and CEO Mike O'Neill, and BMI Assistant Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations Clay Bradley attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Russell
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(2nd L) Ketch Secor, (3rd L) Darius Rucker and their creative team accept the award for Song of the Year for the song "Wagon Wheel" at the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Russell
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(L-R) BMI President and CEO Mike O'Neill, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton, and BMI Assistant Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations Clay Bradley attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Russell
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(L-R) BMI President and CEO Mike O'Neill, BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations Jody Williams, Keith Urban, Nicole Kidman, and BMI Assistant Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations Clay Bradley attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Russell
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Dean Dillon, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, and Neil Portnow attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Russell
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Rodney Clawson (L) and Nicolle Galyon attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Russell
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BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations Jody Williams, Reid Perry, Kimberly Perry, BMI President and CEO Mike O'Neill, Neil Perry, and BMI Assistant Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations Clay Bradley attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Russell
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Rhett Akins accepts award for Songwriter of the Year at the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Russell
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Vince Gill is honored as a BMI Icon onstage at the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Russell
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Ashley Monroe performs onstage at the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Russell
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Actor Charles Esten attends the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Actors Chaley Rose and Sam Palladio attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Singer-songwriter Hunter Hayes attends the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Singer-songwriter Natalie Stovall attends the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Songwriter Ketch Secor attends the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Actress Jana Kramer attends the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Singer-songwriter Brett Eldredge attends the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Actress Nicole Kidman attends the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Actress Nicole Kidman and singer-songwriter Keith Urban attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Brett Eldredge and Rhett Atkins attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Singer-songwriter Thomas Rhett attends the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Songwriter Laura Veltz attends the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Neil Perry, Kimberly Perry, and Reid Perry of The Band Perry attend the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Singer Danielle Bradbery attends the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Chris Young attends the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Singer-songwriter Dustin Lynch attends the BMI 2014 Country Awards at BMI on November 4, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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