Proudly displaying their new award cups are (l to r): BMI's Jody Williams, Sony Tree's Mike Whelan, songwriter Brett Beavers, Capitol's Larry Willoughby, songwriter Tony Martin and BMI's Bradley Collins. Photo: R. Terrell

Martin's other songwriting credits include Jo Dee Messina's "My Give a Damn's Busted," Joe Diffie's smash "Third Rock From the Sun," Darryl Worley's "I Miss My Friend," Tracy Byrd's "Just Let Me Be In Love," "Living and Living Well" by George Strait, and "Perfect," "I Keep Looking" and "No Place That Far" by Sara Evans.

Beavers also penned two other Bentley No. 1s, including "What Was I Thinkin'" and "Come A Little Closer."]]> 2006-06-27T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/musicworld/entry/234282 Artists, Allan, Gary, Beathard, Casey, Byrd, Tracy, Musical Styles, Country, Musicworld, Hitmaker Casey Beathard cringes whenever a stranger asks him to name the hit songs he’s written. He’s proud of his success, of course. But when he recites his list, certain titles — “Ten Rounds With Jose Cuervo,” “Drinkin’ Bone,” “Beer Man” — suggest he’s getting a lot of boozy, bar-hopping inspiration.

“It’s most embarrassing when I’m at church,” he says with a laugh. “When I name them, you can see ’em react.”

Beathard offers a good-natured shrug. “You wouldn’t know it from my songs, but I’m a family guy. I’ve got four kids. I coach football, baseball and soccer. I’m in bed at 9:30 at night.”

If there is a pattern to Casey’s success, it’s hard work and going against the grain. The son of respected football executive Bobby Beathard, Casey moved to Nashville in 1991. To learn the ropes, he took jobs at the Country Music Hall of Fame and the famed Bluebird Café. Encouraged by other songwriters, he worked hard at his craft, eventually landing the title cut, “I Will Stand,” of a Kenny Chesney album.

But his breakthrough came when he began writing good-time tunes that often involved partying or beaches — even though neither was popular in country music at the time. The hits lined up: Chesney turned “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problems” into a signature song, Gary Allan scored a career hit with “Right Where I Need to Be,” Tracy Byrd revived his career with “Ten Rounds” and had additional hits with “Drinkin’ Bone” and “How’d I Wind Up In Jamaica.”

He’s had serious songs cut, too, such as Billy Currington’s father-son tale, “Walk a Little Straighter.” But more characteristic of Beathard’s successes is the Trace Adkins’ uptempo smash, “Hot Mama.”

For Beathard, prosperity came when he loosened up and followed whatever interesting song ideas came to him. “I try not to over-think it,” he says. “I don’t second-guess myself. When I write something fun, people seem to like it. Mainly, I just write a lot, and every once in a while something gets cut. There’s no secret or formula to it.”

Pictured are BMI's Bradley Collins, Casey Beathard, Sony/ATV Acuff Rose's Troy Tomlinson and Mike Whelan, and BMI's Phil Graham. photo by Brian Tipton

Beathard previously received Million-Air certificates for "Right Where I Need To Be" (Gary Allan), "Ten Rounds With Jose Cuervo" (Tracy Byrd) and "Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly" (Aaron Tippin). Based on an average length of three minutes, one million airplays is the equivalent of 50,000 hours or 5.7 years of continuous airplay.

BMI saluted the premier country music songwriters, artists and publishers at its 2004 Country Awards, staged last night (11/8) at the BMI offices on Music Row in Nashville.

Country Awards Song List

Country Awards Event Photos

Crystal Gayle; BMI President & CEO Del Bryant; Shania Twain; Kitty Wells, Casey Beathard; Toby Keith, Loretta Lynn; Universal Music Senior VP/GM Pat Higdon; BMI President Emeritus Frances Preston; and Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville President & CEO Donna Hilley.

Shania Twain's "Forever and For Always" was proclaimed Country Song of the Year. Casey Beathard earned the title of Country Songwriter of the Year, with superstar Toby Keith collecting Country Songwriter/Artist of the Year honors. Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville was named Country Publisher of the Year. A highlight of the gala was a tribute to Loretta Lynn, who was named a BMI ICON for "her enduring influence on generations of music makers."

The black-tie ceremony was hosted by Del Bryant, BMI President and CEO. Frances W. Preston, President Emeritus, and Paul Corbin, Vice President of Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville, assisted with the presentations to the BMI-affiliated writers and publishers of the 50 most performed songs in the country music format.

Loretta Lynn	Shania Twain

"Forever and For Always," written and recorded by Shania Twain, won the 36th Robert J. Burton Award as Most Performed Country Song of the Year for tallying the most US broadcast performances during the eligibility period. Included on Twain's 10-times platinum Mercury Nashville album, UP!, "Forever and For Always" was published by her company Loon Echo, Inc., and by Universal-Songs of PolyGram International, Inc., and was co-written with her husband, Robert John "Mutt" Lange (share not licensed through BMI).

Casey Beathard	Toby Keith

"Forever and For Always" is Twain's fourth BMI Song of the Year win. It was named Song of the Year at the 2004 BMI London Awards, and her smash "You're Still the One" received the honor at both the 1999 BMI Pop and Country Awards. She was also named BMI Songwriter of the Year at both the 1999 and 2000 Pop and Country Awards and now owns a total of 28 BMI Awards.

The BMI Country Songwriter of the Year trophy went to Casey Beathard, who placed five titles on the most performed list: "Drinkin' Bone" (recorded by Tracy Byrd), "Hot Mama" (Trace Adkins), "The Love Song" (Jeff Bates), "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems" (Kenny Chesney) and "Walk a Little Straighter" (Billy Currington).

Toby Keith was crowned BMI Country Songwriter/Artist of the Year on the strength of his #1 hits "American Soldier," "Beer For My Horses" and "I Love This Bar." Keith, who now has 15 BMI Awards, was also named Songwriter/Artist of the Year in 2001.

Eight songwriters were double winners, contributing two songs each to the most-performed list: Bob DiPiero, Scotty Emerick, Tony Martin, Wendell Mobley, Tim Nichols, Tom Shapiro, Jeffrey Steele, and Twain.

Other writer/artists earning awards were Keith Urban, Sara Evans, Lonestar's Richie McDonald, Clint Black, Kix Brooks & Ronnie Dunn, Buddy Jewell, Craig Morgan, Pat Green, Jeff Bates, and Sherri� Austin.

Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville was named BMI Country Publisher of the Year by accumulating the highest percentage of copyright ownership in award songs. Donna Hilley, President & CEO, accepted on behalf of the publisher, which boasted 18 songs on the most-performed list (through its companies Sony/ATV Acuff Rose and Sony/ATV Tree).

Other publishers with multiple award-winning songs included Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (8); Universal-Songs of PolyGram International, Inc. (6); EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc. (4); Careers-BMG Music Publishing, Inc./Zomba Songs Inc., and Tokeco Tunes (3 each).

President Emeritus Frances Preston was recognized with the President's Award; BMI's Del Bryant led the tribute, joined by Kris Kristofferson, Vince Gill, and Alabama's Randy Owen. Preston, who joined BMI in 1958 and created the Country Awards in 1959, served as President & CEO from 1986 until August of this year. The award, given to those in the entertainment industry deserving of special recognition, has previously been bestowed on the group Alabama, Merv Griffin, Earle Hagen, Harlan Howard, Willie Nelson, Billy Sherrill, Pete Townshend and Brian Wilson.

The evening culminated in the ICON tribute to Loretta Lynn, which included an introduction by Preston, remarks from Kitty Wells, and performances by Crystal Gayle, Lynnís sister (singing Coal Minerís Daughter�) and Martina McBride (�You Ainít Woman Enough�). A BMI affiliate for 43 years, the Kentucky-born Lynn launched her career in 1960 with her self-composed "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl." Soon she was topping the charts with the feisty female classics she wrote, including "You Ain't Woman Enough" (1966), "Don't Come Home A-Drinkin'" (1966), "What Kind of Girl (Do You Think I Am)" (1967), "Fist City" (1968), "Coal Miner's Daughter" (1970), "You're Lookin' at Country" (1971), "Rated X" (1972) and "The Pill" (1975). The first woman ever to become the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year, she released her 71st album, the acclaimed Van Lear Rose, earlier this year.

Lynn joins a distinguished list of previous BMI ICONS, including country songwriter/artists Bill Anderson and Dolly Parton; pop songwriting master Brian Wilson; R&B legends James Brown, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Isaac Hayes and Al Green; Motown songwriting trio Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland; and blues/rock/soul artist Van Morrison.

Leading the Jim Beam toast are Troy Gentry, Eddie Montgomery, Sony Nashville's John Grady and BMI's Paul Corbin.

Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry are nominated for two Academy of Country Music Association awards: Top Vocal Duo and Vocal Event of the Year, joining fellow BMI writers Tracy Byrd, Andy Griggs and Blake Shelton for "The Truth About Men."

Danny Wells, BMI’s David Preston, Chris Wallin

Montgomery Gentry's fourth Columbia album, You Do Your Thing -- which is co-produced by Jeffrey Steele and Rivers Rutherford -- hits stores May 18.

Sony Nashville’s Larry Pareigis, Buddy Jewell, Sony Nashville’s Bill Macky, Buffy Cooper and Dale Libby

Troy Gentry, Jeffrey Steele, Eddie Montgomery, Rivers Rutherford

Jack Lameier, BMI’s Paul Corbin, Hallmark Management’s John Dorris

Susan Myers, Sony Nashville’s Shawn Williams, Laura Huie

Photos by Deana Tackett]]> 2004-04-12T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/234002 Artists, Alabama, Brooks & Dunn, Buffett, Jimmy, Byrd, Tracy, Daniels, Charlie, Evans, Sara, Gentry, Montgomery, Gill, Vince, Green, Pat, Griggs, Andy, Jewell, Buddy, Johnson, Doug, Keith, Toby, Krauss, Alison, Lonestar, Loveless, Patty, McBride, Martina, McGraw, Tim, Mobley, Wendell, Nelson, Willie, Rascal Flatts, Shelton, Blake, Stegall, Keith, Trick Pony, Twain, Shania, Urban, Keith, Wright, Mark, Musical Styles, Country Brooks & Dunn and Toby Keith received five nominations each when the nominees for the 39th annual Academy of Country Music Awards were announced in Los Angeles on March 10.

Brooks & Dunn

Toby Keith

Brooks & Dunn - who have collected 18 ACM trophies so far -- were recognized in the categories of Entertainer, Top Vocal Duo, and Single Record, Song and Album on the strength of Red Dirt Road and its title track. Reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year Keith appeared again in that category, as well as in the running for Top Male Vocalist, Single Record ("American Soldier"), Album (Shock 'N Y'all) and ACM/Launch Video ("Beer For My Horses").

Jimmy Buffett

Martina McBride

Keith Stegall

Following closely with four mentions each were long-time BMI affiliates Jimmy Buffett, Martina McBride and producer Keith Stegall. Other multiple BMI-nominees were producer James Stroud with three, and Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, and producers Mark Wright and Tony Brown with two each.

Tim McGraw

Montgomery Gentry

In addition to Keith, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, BMI songwriters on the exclusive Song of the Year list were Don Rollins ("It's Five O'Clock Somewhere"), Wendell Mobley ("There Goes My Life") and Doug Johnson ("Three Wooden Crosses").

James Stroud

Mark Wright

Don Rollins

McBride and BMI Award-winning legend Charlie Daniels were also nominated for the Academy of Country Music/Home Depot Humanitarian Award. The first fan-voted award in the Academy's history, this honor salutes an artist or group in the country music industry who is committed to serving others, has a generosity of spirit and a dedication to helping build the dreams of those in need.

Wendell Mobley

Doug Johnson

Charlie Daniels

The ACM ceremony will be broadcast on Wednesday, May 26, at 8:00 PM ET/PT on CBS Television Network, from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

BMI's ACM Nominees:

Entertainer of The Year
Brooks & Dunn
Toby Keith
Tim McGraw

Top Male Vocalist
Toby Keith
Tim McGraw
Keith Urban

Top Female Vocalist
Sara Evans
Patty Loveless
Martina McBride
Shania Twain

Top New Artist
Pat Green
Buddy Jewell

Top Vocal Group
Alabama
Diamond Rio
Lonestar
Rascal Flatts
Trick Pony

Top Vocal Duo
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
The Warren Brothers

Single Record of the Year
"American Soldier"
Toby Keith/James Stroud, Toby Keith, Producers
"It's Five O'Clock Somewhere"
Jimmy Buffett/Keith Stegall, Producer
"Red Dirt Road"
Brooks & Dunn/Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn, Mark Wright, Producers
"Remember When"
Keith Stegall, Producer

Song Of The Year
"It's Five O'Clock Somewhere"
Don Rollins, Songwriter/R. Joseph Publishing, Warner-Tamerlane
Publishing Co., Publishers/Jimmy Buffett, Artist
"Red Dirt Road"
Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn, Songwriters/ Buffalo Prairie Songs, Showbilly Music, Sony-ATV Tree Publishing, Publishers/Brooks & Dunn, Artists
"There Goes My Life"
Wendell Mobley, Songwriter/Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Co., Publisher
"Three Wooden Crosses"
Doug Johnson, Songwriter/Mike Curb Music, Sweet Radical Music, Publishers

Album Of The Year
Honkytonkville
Tony Brown, Producer
Martina
Martina McBride, Artist/Producer
Red Dirt Road
Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn, Mark Wright, Producers/Brooks & Dunn, Artists
Shock 'N Y'all
James Stroud, Toby Keith, Producers/Toby Keith, Artist

Vocal Event of the Year
"How's The World Treating You"
Alison Krauss
"It's Five O'Clock Somewhere"
Jimmy Buffett, Artist/Keith Stegall, Producer
"The Truth About Men"
Tracy Byrd, Andy Griggs, Blake Shelton, Montgomery Gentry, Artists/Tracy Byrd, Producer
"Working For A Living"
Byron Gallimore, Producer
"Young Man's Town" Vince Gill, Artist/Producer

ACM/Launch Video of the Year
"Beer For My Horses"
Toby Keith, Willie Nelson, Artists
"Concrete Angel"
Martina McBride, Artist
"It's Five O'Clock Somewhere"
Jimmy Buffett, Artist

Producer of the Year
Tony Brown
Keith Stegall
James Stroud

Audio Engineer of the Year
Billy Sherrill

Guitar
J. T. Corenflos

Bass
David Hungate
Mike Brignardello

Steel Guitar
Sonny Garrish
Dan Dugmore

Piano/Keyboard
John Hobbs
Gordon Mote

Fiddle
Aubrey Haynie
Rob Hajacos
Stuart Duncan
Glen Duncan
Jonathan Yudkin

Specialty Instrument
Eric Darken
Jim Horn
Terry McMillan]]> 2004-03-11T17:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233972 Artists, Allan, Gary, Beathard, Casey, Byrd, Tracy, Tippin, Aaron, Musical Styles, Country Casey Beathard has added three BMI Million-Air certificates to his award collection for his hits "Right Where I Need To Be" (Gary Allan), "Ten Rounds With Jose Cuervo" (Tracy Byrd) and "Where The Stars And Stripes And The Eagle Fly" (Aaron Tippin). Each song has received over one million broadcast performances. Based on an average length of three minutes, three million spins is the equivalent of 150,000 hours or 17 years of continuous airplay.

Pictured are BMI's Harry Warner, Sony/ATV Tree's Troy Tomlinson, Casey Beathard, BMI's Bradley Collins and Sony/ATV Tree's Mike Whelan. photo by Brian Tipton

]]> 2004-02-22T17:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233824 Artists, Alabama, Allan, Gary, Brooks & Dunn, Buffett, Jimmy, Byrd, Tracy, Crow, Sheryl, Dixie Chicks, Douglas, Jerry, Gentry, Montgomery, Gill, Vince, Griggs, Andy, Jewell, Buddy, Johnson, Doug, Keith, Toby, Kid Rock, Krauss, Alison, Lonestar, Loveless, Patty, Maines, Lloyd, McBride, Martina, McGraw, Tim, Nelson, Willie, Parton, Dolly, Shelton, Blake, Musical Styles, Country, Rock Toby Keith led the list of nominees for the 37th Annual CMA Awards (August 26). Nominated for Entertainer and Male Vocalist of the Year, in addition to an Album of the Year mention for Unleashed, Keith also picked up Song, Single, Music Video and Vocal Event nominations for "Beer for My Horses," a duet with Willie Nelson that he co-wrote with Scotty Emerick.

Toby Keith

Willie Nelson

Tim McGraw

Other BMI talents collecting multiple CMA nominations are Brooks & Dunn with four; Willie Nelson, Tim McGraw, and James Stroud with three each; and the Dixie Chicks, Martina McBride, Montgomery Gentry and Blake Shelton with two each.

Brooks & Dunn

Martina McBride

In addition to Keith and Emerick, BMI songwriters honored in the Song of the Year category are Wynn Varble ("Have You Forgotten?"), Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn ("Red Dirt Road"), and Doug Johnson ("Three Wooden Crosses").

Dixie Chicks

The CMA Awards show takes place November 5 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. Vince Gill will host the CBS broadcast for the 12th consecutive year.

Montgomery Gentry

Blake Shelton

BMI's 2003 CMA Awards Nominees

Entertainer of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Toby Keith
Tim McGraw

Male Vocalist of the Year
Toby Keith
Tim McGraw

Female Vocalist of the Year
Alison Krauss
Patty Loveless
Martina McBride
Dolly Parton

Vocal Group of the Year
Alabama
Diamond Rio
Dixie Chicks
Lonestar
Rascal
Flatts

Vocal Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
The Warren Brothers

Horizon Award
Gary Allan
Buddy Jewell
Blake Shelton

Vocal Event of the Year (Awards presented to artists and producer(s))
"Beer for My Horses"
Toby Keith duet with Willie Nelson

"It's Five O'Clock Somewhere"
Jimmy Buffett

"Picture"
Kid Rock featuring Sheryl Crow

"Tears in the Holston River"
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

"The Truth About Men"
Tracy Byrd (with Andy Griggs, Montgomery Gentry and Blake Shelton)

Album of the Year
Home
Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks and Lloyd Maines, producers

Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors
Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors
Byron Gallimore, Tim McGraw and Darran Smith, producers

Unleashed
Toby Keith
James Stroud and Toby Keith, producers

Song of the Year
"Beer for My Horses"
Toby Keith duet with Willie Nelson
Toby Keith and Scotty Emerick, songwriters
Tokeco Tunes, Big Yellow Dog Music and Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, publishers

"Have You Forgotten?"
Wynn Varble, songwriter
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., publisher

"Red Dirt Road"
Brooks & Dunn
Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, songwriters
Buffalo Prairie Songs, Showbilly Music, Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, publishers

"Three Wooden Crosses"
Doug Johnson, songwriter
Mike Curb Music and Sweet Radical Music, publishers

Single of the Year
"Beer for My Horses"
Toby Keith duet with Willie Nelson
James Stroud and Toby Keith, producers

"Have You Forgotten?"
James Stroud, producer

Music Video of the Year
"Beer for My Horses"
Toby Keith duet with Willie Nelson

"Concrete Angel"
Martina McBride

"Red Dirt Road"
Brooks & Dunn

Musician of the Year
Jerry Douglas
Dobro

Aubrie Haynie
Fiddle/Mandolin

Brent Mason
Guitar

Randy Scruggs
Guitar

Coburn Music's Jewel Coburn, Blake Shelton, Harley Allen, BMI's Joyce Rice and Bobby Braddock

Allen previously scored #1 hits and earned BMI Country Awards with "Between The Devil And Me" (Alan Jackson) and "The Little Girl" (John Michael Montgomery). He also garnered two Grammys (Album and Best Country Collaboration), two CMA Awards (Album and Single) and two ACM Awards (Album and Vocal Event) for his work with the Soggy Bottom Boys on 2001's smash soundtrack "O Brother, Where Art Thou?". Earlier in his career, Allen met success touring and recording with his siblings as The Allen Brothers. Other artists who have recorded his songs include Daryl Worley, Ricky Skaggs, John Conlee, Alison Krauss, Garth Brooks, Hal Ketchum and Linda Ronstadt.

"The Baby," the first single from Shelton's Warner Bros. album The Dreamer, is the second #1 for him, following "Austin" from his self-titled debut. Shelton's latest single is "Heavy Lifting," and he is a guest vocalist, along with Montgomery Gentry and Andy Griggs, on Tracy Byrd's current release,"The Truth About Men."

BMI's Joyce Rice, Harley Allen and daughters

Bobby Braddock and Paul Worley

Blake Shelton and Billy Montana

John Dorris, Warner Bros.' Peter Strickland, Blake Shelton, Warner Bros.' Paige Levy and Janice Azrak

Jim Havey, Ron & Karen Hellard, Lauren Braddock, Bobby Braddock

photos by Beth Gwinn

Pictured (l to r) onstage at BMI Nashville are BMI Senior VP Del Bryant, Richie McDonald, Sony/ATV Music Publishing's Donna Hilley, BMI ICON honoree Bill Anderson, BMI President & CEO Frances Preston, BMI VP Paul Corbin, Tom Shapiro and Troy Verges.

“I’m Already There” earned songwriter Richie McDonald of Lonestar the 34th Robert J. Burton Award as Most Performed Country Song of the Year. This distinction is given to the song tallying the most feature broadcast performances during the eligibility period. Sony/ATV Tree (an entity of Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville) was also presented with a BMI Crystal as publisher.

Click here for photos from the event

Click here for the Country Awards Song List

The title track from Lonestar’s platinum RCA album was a multi-format smash, including six weeks at #1 on the Country chart, and has already achieved Million-Air (million performance) status. McDonald, who previously garnered BMI Country and Million-Air accolades for Lonestar’s “Everything’s Changed,” wrote “I’m Already There” with Gary Baker and Frank Myers (shares not licensed through BMI). This marks the second time Lonestar has recorded the BMI Country Song of the Year: “Amazed” (written by Marv Green, Chris Lindsey and Aimee Mayo) won in 2000.

Click a photo to learn more about these writers:
Bill Anderson	Troy Verges	Richie McDonald	Tom Shapiro

A veteran writer and a newcomer each contributed four songs to the list of 50 to share the title of Country Songwriter of the Year. Tom Shapiro, also BMI’s top country songwriter in 1993, ’96 and ’97, took the prize via “Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You” (Brooks & Dunn), “In Another World” (Joe Diffie), “Just Let Me Be In Love” (Tracy Byrd) and “Loving Every Minute” (Mark Wills). Shapiro’s BMI Awards total now stands at 32, with 23 BMI Million-Airs.

Troy Verges saw his first BMI Awards - “Blessed” (Martina McBride #1), “I Would’ve Loved You Anyway” (Trisha Yearwood), “Who I Am” (Jessica Andrews #1) and “With Me” (Lonestar) - deliver a share of the night’s top songwriting prize.

Complementing its Song of the Year victory, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville claimed BMI Country Publisher of the Year by accumulating the highest percentage of copyright ownership in award songs. President & CEO Donna Hilley accepted on behalf of the publisher, which placed 16 songs on the most-performed list through its companies Sony/ATV Tree and Sony/ATV Acuff Rose.

Legendary singer/songwriter Bill Anderson was saluted as a BMI ICON for his “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.” Since his first hit, “City Lights,” in 1958, Anderson has scored with nearly 50 charting singles and more than 50 BMI Country and Pop Awards. Presented tonight for only the fifth time, the honor was bestowed earlier this year on Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Little Richard at the BMI Pop Awards and on James Brown at the BMI Urban Awards.

Of the 54 songwriters recognized on the list of 50 songs, six collected two awards: Casey Beathard, Brett James, Wayne Kirkpatrick, Jeffrey Steele, Steve Wariner and Phillip White.

Additional publishers collecting three or more awards were Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp., Universal Music Publishing (Irving Music, Songs of Universal, Inc., and Universal-Songs of PolyGram International, Inc.), EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc., Shapiro’s company Wenonga Music and Ensign Music Corporation.

Among this year’s honorees, 20 songs have reached the status of BMI Million-Air (accumulating at least one million broadcast performances) for a total of over 23 million performances. Based on an average length of three minutes, one million airplays is the equivalent of 50,000 hours or 5.7 years, continuously; Million-Airs on the 2002 Country list translate into 1.1 million hours or 131 years of continuous airplay.

Two songs were cited for the second consecutive year: multi-Million-Airs “I Hope You Dance” by Tia Sillers (2001 BMI Country Song of the Year) and “One More Day” by Bobby Tomberlin.

BMI’s Citation of Achievement awards are given annually in recognition of popularity in the field of country music, as measured by feature broadcast performances on American radio and television; the 2002 Country Awards eligibility period ran April 1, 2001 through March 31, 2002.

High-resolution photos are available for downloading at press.bmi.com/country02