November 4, 2015
Mac Davis Recognized as BMI Icon at the 2015 BMI Country Awards
Mac McAnally, Rascal Flatts, Luke Bryan, and Little Big Town Pay Tribute to the Songwriting Legend;
Brett Eldredge, Rodney Clawson, Sony/ATV Among Honorees at the Annual Event in Nashville
Broadcast Music, Inc.®, (BMI®), the global leader in music rights management, presented its 2015 BMI Country Awards this evening, honoring the prolific songwriting career of BMI Icon Mac Davis, as well as the Country Songwriter, Song and Publisher of the Year. The 63rd 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 headquarters in Nashville, along with Jody Williams, BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville.
Davis, who was named this year’s BMI Icon, joined 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 fellow musicians, Mac McAnally, Rascal Flatts, Luke Bryan, and Little Big Town. McAnally treated the audience to a moving rendition of “Texas in my Rearview Mirror.” Rascal Flatts gave an electrifying performance of Davis’s hit “Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me.” The tunes Davis wrote for Elvis got the crowd moving as Luke Bryan sang the worldwide hit “A Little Less Conversation” and Little Big Town sang the soulful classic “In the Ghetto.” In his acceptance speech, the newly crowned Icon sang one of his newest songs “That’s Where Songs Come From.”
Rodney Clawson was named Songwriter of the Year, with writing credits on seven of the most-performed songs of the past year, including Kenny Chesney’s “American Kids” and “Til It’s Gone,” Lady Antebellum’s “Bartender,” Jason Aldean’s “Burnin’ It Down,” Florida Georgia Line’s “Dirt,” Frankie Ballard’s “Helluva Life,” and Justin Moore’s “Lettin’ The Night Roll.”
“Beat of the Music,” written by performer Brett Eldredge with Ross Copperman and Heather Morgan, won the coveted Song of the Year award. Published by Sony/ATV, the track 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 26 of the 50 most-performed songs of the year, Sony/ATV published megahits such as Miranda Lambert’s “Automatic,” Eric Church’s “Give Me Back My Hometown,” Luke Bryan’s “I See You,” 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, BMI songwriter and NSAI President Lee Thomas Miller was given the inaugural BMI Champion Award for his advocacy on behalf of music creators.
For a complete list of 2015 BMI Country Awards winners, please visit
http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/2015_bmi_country_awards.
Photo and video footage can be accessed via the official EPK link early Wednesday morning:
http://www.epklink.com/bmicountryawards2015
Media Contacts
Lauren Branson
615.401.2737
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Katherine Harding
615.401.2735
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
(L-R) President and CEO of BMI, Michael O’Neill, Honoree Mac Davis, Lise Gerard, and BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville, Jody Williams (R) attend the 63rd Annual BMI Country awards on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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Joe Don Rooney, Gary LeVox, and Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts perform onstage during the BMI 2015 Country Awards at BMI on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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Singer-songwriter Mac Davis performs onstage during the BMI 2015 Country Awards at BMI on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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(L-R) Kimberly Schlapman, Karen Fairchild, and Phillip Sweet of Little Big Town perform onstage during the BMI 2015 Country Awards at BMI on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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(L-R) Jimi Westbrook, Kimberly Schlapman, Karen Fairchild, and Phillip Sweet of Little Big Town perform onstage during the BMI 2015 Country Awards at BMI on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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Luke Bryan performs onstage during the BMI 2015 Country Awards at BMI on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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Luke Bryan performs onstage during the BMI 2015 Country Awards at BMI on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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Mac McAnally performs onstage during the BMI 2015 Country Awards at BMI on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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Lee Thomas Miller, Brett Eldredge, and BMI Icon Mac Davis attend the BMI 2015 Country Awards at BMI on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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Singer-songwriters Ross Copperman, Brett Eldredge, BMI Icon Mac Davis, and Heather Morgan attend the BMI 2015 Country Awards at BMI on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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(L-R) Rodney Clawson, BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville, Jody Williams, Brett Eldredge, Heather Morgan, Ross Copperman and President and CEO of BMI, Michael O’Neill attend the BMI 2015 Country Awards at BMI on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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Singer/songwriter Nicolle Galyon and Rodney Clawson attend the 63rd Annual BMI Country awards on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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(L-R) Jimi Westbrook, Kimberly Schlapman, Karen Fairchild, and Phillip Sweet of Little Big Town perform onstage during the BMI 2015 Country Awards at BMI on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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Joe Don Rooney, Gary LeVox, and Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts perform onstage during the BMI 2015 Country Awards at BMI on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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President and CEO of BMI, Michael O’Neill (L) and BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville, Jody Williams (R) pose with singer-songwriter Frankie Ballard during the BMI 2015 Country Awards at BMI on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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Phillip Sweet and Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town, President and CEO of BMI, Michael O’Neill, Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook of Little Big Town, and BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville, Jody Williams attend the BMI 2015 Country Awards at BMI on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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President and CEO of BMI, Michael O’Neill (L) and BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville, Jody Williams (R) pose with musical artist Miranda Lambert (C) during the BMI 2015 Country Awards at BMI on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee
Photo by John Shearer
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Honoree songwriter Mac Davis attends the BMI 2015 Country Awards at BMI on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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President and CEO of BMI, Michael O’Neill, Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line, and BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville, Jody Williams attend the BMI 2015 Country Awards at BMI on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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(L-R) Amanda Shires, singer-songwriter Jason Isbell, BMI President and CEO Mike O’Neill, Traci Thomas and BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville, Jody Williams attend the 63rd Annual BMI Country awards on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by John Shearer
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BMI Icon Award winner Mac Davis performs onstage during the 63rd annual BMI Country awards on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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BMI Icon Award winner Mac Davis performs onstage during the 63rd annual BMI Country awards on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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BMI Icon Award winner Mac Davis performs onstage during the 63rd annual BMI Country awards on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Luke Bryan performs onstage during the 63rd annual BMI Country awards on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Keith Urban and BMI Icon Award Winner Mac Davis pose during the 63rd annual BMI Country awards on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Erika Goldring
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Singer-songwriter Heather Morgan attends the 63rd Annual BMI Country awards on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Michael Loccisano
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Chef and author Sandra Lee attends the 63rd Annual BMI Country awards on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Michael Loccisano
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Songwriter Rodney Clawson attends the 63rd Annual BMI Country awards on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Michael Loccisano
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Singer-songwriter Hunter Hayes attends the 63rd Annual BMI Country awards on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Michael Loccisano
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Singer-songwriter Luke Bryan attends the 63rd Annual BMI Country awards on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Michael Loccisano
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Singer-songwriter Brett Eldredge attends the 63rd Annual BMI Country awards on November 3, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Michael Loccisano
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