May 23, 2023
Influential Southern Gospel Leader Dorothy Leonard Miller to Receive BMI “Spotlight Award” During Invitation-Only Celebration
NASHVILLE, TN - May 23, 2023 - BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) announces details today behind the 2023 BMI Christian Awards taking place at the organization’s Nashville location on June 20th. Hosted by BMI’s AVP of Creative, Nashville, Leslie Roberts, BMI’s President & CEO, Mike O’Neill, and BMI’s VP of Creative, Nashville, Clay Bradley, the night will celebrate the top songs and music publishers behind this past year’s most-performed songs in Christian music.
BMI will crown the “Christian Songwriter of the Year,” “Christian Song of the Year” and “Christian Publisher of the Year” as the invitation-only event will pay special tribute to this year’s BMI “Spotlight Award” recipient, Dorothy Leonard Miller, for her unparalleled dedication to the genre and illustrious career. As CEO/Founder of one of the first female-owned and operated music businesses, Daywind Music Group and New Day Christian Distributors, she led the companies to become the most predominant source for original content and distribution services for the Christian market. Since 1986, many top artists and songwriters in Southern Gospel music have found a home at Daywind Music, impacting millions of people annually through live performances, music sales, streams, radio, and television including Greater Vision, Dianne Wilkinson, Karen Peck & New River, Jason Cox and more. In receiving the BMI “Spotlight Award,” Miller joins an exclusive group of honorees including Randy Edelman, Frank Gari and Mike Post.
“Dottie’s dedication and passion for Christian music is something to marvel at,” BMI’s AVP of Creative, Nashville, Leslie Roberts said. “She started this idea in her garage decades ago and her faith, hard work and determination has led her to become one of the most successful people in this business. It’s truly an honor to have the chance to highlight her impactful contributions at the BMI Christian Awards along with so many other meaningful creators in our community.”
ABOUT BMI:
Celebrating over 80 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 over 20.6 million musical works created and owned by more than 1.3 million 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 bmi.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @BMI or stay connected through Broadcast Music, Inc.‘s Facebook page. Sign up for BMI’s The Weekly™ and receive our e-newsletter every week to stay up to date on all things music.
ABOUT DOROTHY LEONARD MILLER:
Dorothy Leonard Miller is founder and CEO of Daywind Music Group and New Day Christian Distributors, one of the first female-owned and operated music businesses. Started in Dottie’s garage in 1981, Daywind and New Day are major sources of original content and distribution services for the Christian market. New Day distributes physical music and video products to Christian retail for virtually all major and independent Christian music companies including Curb/Word, Fair Trade, Centricity, Integrity, Reach, Tooth and Nail, Gotee, Courage, Malaco, Fuel, Crossroads, Daywind, Capitol Christian, Warner, ADA, Orchard, and more, and handles digital distribution for many independent labels and artists. Co-founded in 1986 by Dottie and the late Ronnie Drake, Daywind Music Group includes Daywind Performance Tracks, Daywind Records, Daywind Music Publishing, Daywind Worship, Daywind Studios, and Artist Resource Services. Many top artists and songwriters in Southern Gospel music have found a home at Daywind over the years, impacting millions of people annually through live performances, music sales and streams, and radio and television including Greater Vision, Dianne Wilkinson, Karen Peck & New River, Jason Cox, Crabb Family, Sue C. Smith, Gerald Crabb, The Guardians, Jason Crabb, Ronnie Hinson, Legacy Five, Lee Black, Mark Lowry, Jim & Melissa Brady, Clint Brown, Gold City, Jonathan C. Smith, High Road, Michael English, Jonathan Wilburn, LeFevre Quartet, Booth Brothers, Tribute, Perrys, Brian Free & Assurance, Nelons, Blackwood Brothers, Joseph Habedank, The Sound, SouthBound, TrueSong, and more. Dottie is a member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame and has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from both the GMA and the Southern Gospel Music Guild. Her companies have won GMA Dove Awards, Singing News Fan Awards, a Grammy Award, and been named BMI Publisher of the Year. Dottie gives all credit for the success of her companies to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, along with the many talented music and distribution professionals she has worked with over the years.
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BMI Contact:
Elice Cuff-Campbell
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