The packed room enjoyed numerous presentations and some sly anecdotal reflections from the writers and artist on how and why ladies really do, in fact, love country boys.

Photos by Eric England

I'LL TAKE THAT AS A YES (THE HOT TUB SONG)
Jon McElroy
Vince Melamed
Senor Vicente Music
Songs of Mighty Isis
Vista Larga Music
Phil Vassar
Arista Nashville

LIKE WE NEVER LOVED AT ALL
Vicky McGehee
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Faith Hill
Warner Bros.

LONG, SLOW KISSES
Jeff Bates
Gordon Bradberry
New Works Music Co.
Smith Haven Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Jeff Bates
RCA

LOT OF LEAVIN' LEFT TO DO
Brett Beavers
Run The Trotline Music
Sony/ATV Tree
Dierks Bentley
Capitol Records

ME AND CHARLIE TALKING
Miranda Lambert
Heather Little
Nashville Star Music
Sony/ATV Tree
Tiltawhirl Music
Miranda Lambert
Epic Records

MY GIVE A DAMN'S BUSTED
Joe Diffie
Tony Martin
Tom Shapiro
Difftunes
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Mike Curb Music
Music of Stage Three
Sony/ATV Tree
Jo Dee Messina
Curb Records
MY OLD FRIEND
Steve McEwan (PRS)
Careers-BMG Music Publishing
Tim McGraw
Curb Records

MY SISTER
Amy Dalley
Music of Stage Three
Reba McEntire
MCA Nashville

NOBODY BUT ME
Shawn Camp
Phillip White
Big Yellow Dog Music
Murrah Music Corporation
Sony/ATV Tree
Travelin' Arkansawyer Music
Blake Shelton
Warner Bros.

PLAY SOMETHING COUNTRY
Ronnie Dunn
Terry McBride
Showbilly Music
Sony/ATV Tree
Still Working For The Man Music, Inc.
Turn Me On Music
Brooks & Dunn
Arista Nashville

PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE THIS WAY
Tammi Kidd
Irving Music
LeAnn Rimes
Asylum-Curb

SHE DON'T TELL ME TO
Bob DiPiero
Tom Shapiro
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Love Monkey Music
Piano Wire Music LLC
Sony/ATV Tree
Montgomery Gentry
Columbia Records

SHE LET HERSELF GO
Dean Dillon
Sony/ATV Acuff Rose
Unwound Music
George Strait
MCA Nashville

SKIN (SARABETH)
Doug Johnson
Mike Curb Music
Sweet Radical Music
Rascal Flatts
Lyric Street

SOMEBODY'S HERO
Ed Hill
Shaye Smith
Careers-BMG Music Publishing
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Sagrabeaux Songs
Shaye Smith Music
Jamie O'Neal
Capitol Records

SOMETHING MORE
Kristian Bush
Dirkpit Music
Sugarland
Mercury Nashville

SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF
Jeffrey Steele
Gottahaveable Music
Songs of Windswept Pacific
Montgomery Gentry
Columbia Records

SONGS ABOUT ME
Ed Hill
Shaye Smith
Careers-BMG Music Publishing
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Sagrabeaux Songs
Shaye Smith Music
Trace Adkins
Capitol Records

STAY WITH ME (BRASS BED)
Jedd Hughes
Terry McBride
Still Working For The Man Music, Inc.
Terry McBride Music
Wilmington Road Publishing
Josh Gracin
Lyric Street

THE TALKIN' SONG REPAIR BLUES
Dennis Linde
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Rising Gorge Music
Alan Jackson
Arista Nashville

TEQUILA MAKES HER CLOTHES FALL OFF
Gary Hannan
John Wiggins
Chobe Music
Fiddle Stock Music
Heavy Leather Music, Inc.
Notewrite Music
Joe Nichols
Universal South

TONIGHT I WANNA CRY
Keith Urban
Coburn Music, Inc.
Guitar Monkey Music
Keith Urban
Capitol Records

WHEN I GET WHERE I'M GOING
George Teren
House of Full Circle Music
Brad Paisley featuring Dolly Parton
Arista Nashville

WHO YOU'D BE TODAY
Bill Luther
Aimee Mayo
Careers-BMG Music Publishing
Evansville Music
Little Blue Typewriter Music
Kenny Chesney
BNA

YOU'LL BE THERE
Cory Mayo
Coburn Music, Inc.
George Strait
MCA Nashville
YOUR MAN
Jace Everett
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Josh Turner
MCA Nashville

Country Awards Event Photos

Country Awards Song List

Merle Haggard Icon Feature

BMI and Country Music

Toby Keith's hit "As Good As I Once Was," co-written by Keith and Scotty Emerick, was named Song of the Year. Previously named Songwriter of the Year in 2001 and 2004, Keith also shared his third Songwriter of the Year crown with Ed Hill and Vicky McGehee, while Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville snagged Publisher of the Year honors for the fifth consecutive year. A stirring tribute to American legend Merle Haggard honored the newest BMI Icon, celebrating Haggard's open-ended relevancy and influence that span genres and generations.

Merle Haggard	Toby Keith

"As Good As I Once Was" landed the 38th Robert J. Burton Award for Most Performed Country Song of the Year for co-writers Toby Keith and Scotty Emerick, along with publishers Big Yellow Dog Music, Florida Cracker Music, Sony/ATV Tree and Tokeco Tunes. With tongue firmly in cheek, Keith's wry delivery sent the tune racing up the Billboard charts, where it resided for six weeks.

Vicky McGehee	Ed Hill

Vicky McGehee, Ed Hill and Toby Keith formed the three-way tie for Country Songwriter of the Year, as each laid claim to three of the top 50 award-winning songs. In the past year, McGehee's hits "All Jacked Up," "Hicktown" and "Like We Never Loved At All" helped cement her status as one of Music City's "go-to" hit songwriters. Songwriting veteran Ed Hill's track record is liberally scattered with hits; this year, Hill's "Georgia Rain," "Somebody's Hero" and "Songs About Me" earned him his first BMI Songwriter of the Year title. Country superstar and two-time NSAI Songwriter of the Year Toby Keith added a third BMI Songwriter of the Year trophy to his growing collection with the hits "Big Blue Note," "HonkyTonk U" and "As Good As I Once Was."

With 17 songs among this year's top 50, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville (through its companies Sony/ATV Acuff Rose, Sony/ATV Songs LLC and Sony/ATV Tree) picked up its fifth consecutive Publisher of the Year win. The publishing powerhouse accumulated the highest percentage of copyright ownership thanks to award songs like "Believe," "Class Reunion (That Used To Be Us)," "Do You Want Fries With That," "God's Will," "Lot of Leavin' Left To Do," "Me and Charlie Talking," "My Give A Damn's Busted," "Nobody But Me," "Play Something Country," "She Don't Tell Me To" and "She Let Herself Go."

The capstone of the evening took the form of the Icon tribute to Merle Haggard, featuring performances by Martina McBride, John Anderson and Hank Williams Jr. By any conventional measure -- radio hits, albums and concert tickets sold, songs recorded by other artists, and awards and honors received over a career that's now in its fifth decade -- Merle Haggard qualifies as a giant of country music.

Haggard's numbers are staggering: 48 BMI Country Awards, nine BMI Pop Awards, a BMI R&B Award, and 16 BMI "Million-Air" awards for hits like "Big City," "The Fightin' Side of Me," "I Had A Beautiful Time," "Mama Tried," "Okie From Muskogee," "Today I Started Loving You Again" and "Workin' Man Blues," all from a catalog of songs that adds up to over 25 million performances and illustrates the legend's genre-bending mastery. A total of six CMA awards, 17 ACM awards, two Grammys and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award conspicuously dot Haggard's resume, but as valuable as such measures are, they don't begin to define the accomplishments that have earned the "Poet of the Common Man" his latest accolade.

As a songwriter, he boldly explored not just the most popular themes of love and heartbreak, but the changing economic and social landscape, American history and politics, patriotism, war, and his own experiences as a convict, a husband, a father and a musician. Using the often uncomplicated yet elegant forms handed down by his predecessors, he created -- and continues to add to -- an enduring body of work that resonates far beyond the world of country music while remaining firmly rooted within it. In recognition of his enduring commitment to tradition, consistent creativity and unshakable artistic integrity, BMI is proud to present Merle Haggard with its Icon Award.

The 2006 BMI Country Awards also honored songwriters Brett Beavers, Ronnie Dunn, Scotty Emerick, Aimee Mayo, Terry McBride, Tom Shapiro, Shaye Smith, Jeffrey Steele, George Teren, Keith Urban and Phillip White, who each supplied two songs to the top 50 list.

"Goodbye Time," co-written by Roger Murrah and James Dean Hicks, earned its second BMI Country Award this year; Conway Twitty's 1989 version won the first time around and Blake Shelton's remake garnered this year's recognition. Joe South's "(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden," 1971's Country Song of the Year, won its seventh award this year thanks to Martina McBride's recent version. Lynn Anderson's 1970 version collected the song's first six awards.

Publishers winning three or more awards were Big Yellow Dog, Careers-BMG Music Publishing, EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc., Music of Stage Three, Sagrabeaux Songs, Songs of Windswept Pacific, Tokeco Tunes and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.]]> 2006-11-04T03:00:01-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/335043 Holy, Steve, Big & Rich, Bogard, Steve, Bryant, Del, Buffett, Jimmy, Dunn, Ronnie, Hannan, Gary, Johnson, Doug, Keith, Toby, Kidd, Tammi, Prestwood, Hugh, Rascal Flatts, Steele, Jeffrey, Teren, George, Travis, Randy, Wiggins, John, Country NSAI) and the Nashville Songwriters Foundation (NSF). Songwriters selected sea-faring icon Jimmy Buffett and cherished bard Hugh Prestwood for induction, and both accepted the honor in person at the gala held in the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.

New Hall of Famers and BMI songwriters Hugh Prestwood and Jimmy Buffett (center) celebrate their induction with Nashville Songwriters Foundation Chairman and Hall of Fame songwriter Roger Murrah, and BMI's Jody Williams, Del Bryant and Phil Graham.

Buffett's ascension from Nashville hopeful to beloved cultural phenomenon is well-known. Staples like "Margaritaville," "Son of a Son of a Sailor" and "Come Monday" skim the surface of not simply an extensive song catalog, but a way of life. This marks Jimmy Buffett's first induction into a hall of fame of any kind, but most certainly not the last.

Posing for a BMI family portrait are (l-r): songwriter and publisher Roger Murrah, Big & Rich's Big Kenny, hit songwriter and NSAI Board of Directors President Steve Bogard, BMI's Del Bryant, BMI hit songwriter Gary Hannan, NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison, Hall of Fame inductee Jimmy Buffett, BMI's Phil Graham, hit songwriters Tammi Kidd and George Teren, Hall of Fame inductee Hugh Prestwood, singer Michael Johnson, BMI's Jody Williams, and American Idol finalist George Huff.

Elder statesman Hugh Prestwood's contributions include nuggets like Randy Travis' "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart," Trisha Yearwood's "The Song Remembers When" and Shenandoah's "Ghost In This House." Prestwood's soliloquies mine the depths of human experience to heartbreaking perfection.

The NSAI also named BMI's Jeffrey Steele 2006's Songwriter of the Year. The unstoppable Steele, also dubbed Music Row's 2006 Songwriter of the Year, composes hits at a mind-numbing pace; Rascal Flatts' "What Hurts the Most" and Steve Holy's "Brand New Girlfriend" are his most recent chart-toppers.

Country superstar Toby Keith was named 2006 Songwriter/Artist of the Year, adding another songwriting honor to his impressive collection. "As Good As I Once Was," "Honky Tonk U" and "A Little Too Late" number among the latest hits written or co-written by Keith.

Songwriters also voted on their peers' Top Ten contributions to country music in the "10 Songs I Wish I'd Written" category. BMI winners were well-represented, thanks to "Believe," co-written by Ronnie Dunn, "Probably Wouldn't Be This Way," co-written by Tammi Kidd, Joe South's classic "Rose Garden," "Skin (Sarabeth)" co-written by Doug Johnson, John Wiggins' and Gary Hannan's "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off," "What Hurts the Most" co-written by Jeffrey Steele, and "When I Get Where I'm Going," co-written by George Teren.

The NSAI's 2006 President's Award was posthumously bestowed on SunTrust's Brian Williams, Music Row friend and new breed of banker, for his unrelenting dedication to and fostering of Nashville's songwriting community.

Photos: Krista Lee for Krista Lee Photography]]> 2006-10-26T05:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/334967 Alison Krauss and Union Station, Big & Rich, Brooks & Dunn, Crow, Sheryl, DiPiero, Bob, Douglas, Jerry, Dunn, Ronnie, Evans, Sara, Gentry, Montgomery, Gill, Vince, Haggard, Merle, Hill, Faith, Krauss, Alison, Lambert, Miranda, Little Big Town, Lonestar, McBride, Martina, McGraw, Tim, Parton, Dolly, Rascal Flatts, Shapiro, Tom, Sugarland, Teren, George, Underwood, Carrie, Urban, Keith, Wreckers, The, Wright, Mark, Country

Brooks & Dunn	Keith Urban	Carrie Underwood

Brooks & Dunn garnered a whopping six nominations for their work last year, plus a Song of the Year nod for member Ronnie Dunn's co-writing skills on the pair's moving hit, "Believe." The duo will also vie for awards in the Entertainer, Album, Single, Vocal Duo, Musical Event, and Video of the Year categories.

Rascal Flatts	Big Kenny	Faith Hill

Superstar Keith Urban received due acknowledgement of another outstanding year, securing four nominations, including yet another Male Vocalist of the Year nomination; Urban won the award consecutively in 2004 & 2005. His name also appears in Entertainer, Single and Song of the Year divisions.

Little Big Town	Miranda Lambert

Carrie Underwood continues on the road to superstardom, earning four nominations, including Female Vocalist of the Year and the Horizon Award, the title bestowed upon the most promising up-and-comer of the year. Rascal Flatts secured nominations in the prestigious Entertainer, Vocal Group and Album of the Year categories. The dynamic Big & Rich also received three nominations, including Vocal Duo of the Year.

Faith Hill earned a solo nod for Female Vocalist of the Year and a nomination for her collaboration with husband Tim McGraw in the Musical Event of the Year category for "Like We Never Loved At All," while Little Big Town also garnered two nominations, one for Vocal Group of the Year and the other for the Horizon Award. Joining Little Big Town in the Horizon Award race are Sugarland and Miranda Lambert, who also landed Vocal Group of the Year and Video of the Year nods, respectively.

Other nominations include perennial favorites Alison Krauss and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas for Vocal Group of the Year, the Wreckers for Vocal Duo of the Year, and dobro master Jerry Douglas for Musician of the Year. Martina McBride earned another Female Vocalist of the Year nomination, along with Sara Evans. Lonestar and Montgomery Gentry earned nominations in the Vocal Group and Vocal Duo of the Year categories, respectively.

Brooks & Dunn will host the ceremony for the third year. The CMA Awards will be broadcast live (8:00-11:00 p.m./ET) from the Gaylord Entertainment Center on ABC. Tickets for the awards go on sale Sept. 15 at Ticketmaster outlets.

2006 BMI CMA AWARD NOMINEES
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn
Rascal Flatts
Keith Urban


SINGLE OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to artist and producer)

"Believe"
Brooks & Dunn
Produced by Tony Brown/Kix Brooks/Ronnie Dunn
Arista Nashville

"Better Life"
Keith Urban
Produced by Keith Urban
Capitol Records Nashville

"Jesus Take The Wheel"
Carrie Underwood
Arista Nashville


ALBUM OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to artist and producer)

Hillbilly Deluxe
Brooks & Dunn
Produced by Ronnie Dunn/Kix Brooks/Mark Wright/Tom Shapiro/Tony Brown/Bob DiPiero
Arista Nashville

Me And My Gang
Rascal Flatts
Produced Rascal Flatts
Lyric Street Records


SONG OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to songwriter and primary publisher)

"8th of November"
Big Kenny
Big Love Music

"Believe"
Ronnie Dunn
Sony/ATV Tree/Showbilly Music

"Tonight I Wanna Cry"
Keith Urban
Guitar Monkey Music/Coburn Music

"When I Get Where I'm Going"
George Teren
House of Full Circle Music


FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Sara Evans
Faith Hill
Martina McBride
Carrie Underwood


MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

Keith Urban


VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

Alison Krauss + Union Station Featuring Jerry Douglas
Little Big Town
Lonestar
Rascal Flatts
Sugarland


VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

Big & Rich
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
The Wreckers


MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR

Brooks & Dunn (Guest vocals by Sheryl Crow and Vince Gill)
“Building Bridges”
Arista Nashville

Faith Hill Featuring Tim McGraw
“Like We Never Loved At All”
Warner Bros. Records

Gretchen Wilson (Featuring Merle Haggard)
“Politically Uncorrect”
Epic Records

Brad Paisley (Featuring Dolly Parton)
“When I Get Where I’m Going”
Arista Nashville


MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

Jerry Douglas – Dobro
Brent Mason – Guitar/Electric Guitar
Randy Scruggs – Guitar


MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
(Award goes to artist and director)

"8th of November"
Big & Rich

"Believe"
Brooks & Dunn

"Jesus Take The Wheel"
Carrie Underwood

"Kerosene"
Miranda Lambert
Directed by Trey Fanjoy

"When I Get Where I'm Going"
Brad Paisley (Featuring Dolly Parton)


HORIZON AWARD

Miranda Lambert
Little Big Town
Sugarland
Carrie Underwood]]> 2006-08-31T05:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/334754 Artists, Parton, Dolly, Teren, George, Musical Styles, Country George Teren and his co-writer Rivers Rutherford tackled human mortality and composed a song straight from the heart.

Celebrating the #1 success of "When I Get Where I'm Going" are Full Circle Music's Michael Hollandsworth, Universal Music Corp.'s Kent Earl, ASCAP's Dan Keen, song co-writer Rivers Rutherford, artist Brad Paisley, BMI songwriter George Teren, BMI's Shelby Kennedy, song producer Frank Rogers and RLG Chairman Joe Galante. Photo by Kay Williams

That song, "When I Get Where I'm Going," caught the ear of one of country's brightest new stars, Brad Paisley, who added the harmonies of BMI Icon Dolly Parton to the project. The result is a moving commentary on those who depart this world and those left behind-and Teren and Rutherford's third #1 single written together (including "Real Good Man").

"This whole thing seemed to just get better and better," Teren reflected at the joint #1 party thrown by BMI and ASCAP. "First Brad was interested, and it went up to this level. Then, Dolly Parton was added to the project, and it went to a whole new level. I guess this is the culmination of it all, and I just want to thank each and every one of you for coming here today to celebrate with us. Thank you."

The celebration was held across the street from BMI's Nashville offices in Bradley Park, named for renowned Nashville producer Owen Bradley.]]> 2006-04-09T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/334733 Artists, Adams, Yolanda, Blind Boys of Alabama, The, Byrd, Marc, Carr, Kurt, Cash, Ed, Casting Crowns, Chapman, Steven Curtis, Crabb, Gerald, Franklin, Kirk, Gill, Vince, Goss, Lari, Hammond, Fred, Haun, Wayne, Jars of Clay, Jerkins, Rodney, Koch, Don, Marvin, Robert, McClurkin, Donnie, McKeehan, Toby, Peoples, Dottie, Sprinkle, Aaron, Stanley, Ralph, Stuart, Marty, Switchfoot, Teren, George, tobyMac, Winans, Bebe, Winans, CeCe, Witt, Marcos, Musical Styles, Gospel 37th Annual GMA Music Awards were announced last month. Presented by the Gospel Music Association during Gospel Music Week, the ceremony -- also known as the Dove Awards -- will be held April 5 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville.

Aaron Sprinkle	Relient K	Ed Cash

Singer/songwriter/producer Aaron Sprinkle was showered with the most praise, earning eight nominations for his work with artists in a variety of categories, including pop/contemporary, rap/hip-hop and worship. Three of his nominations are for CD compilations that will compete for Special Event Album of the Year, including Happy Christmas Volume Four, Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and WoW Christmas Green.

Casting Crowns	Steven Curtis Chapman

Pop-punk outfit Relient K came in with six nods, earning two for "Be My Escape," two for their album Mmhmm, and two as contributing artists on a pair of Special Event Album nominees.

Earning five nominations apiece were Christian rock band Casting Crowns, who will vie for Group and Artist of the Year; alt-rock group Switchfoot, whose Nothing Is Sound is up for Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year; and 2005's Producer of the Year Ed Cash, who hopes for a repeat win in that category.

Crabb Family	Jars of Clay	Wayne Haun

Southern gospel veterans the Crabb Family also took home five GMA nominations, with individual family members Gerald, Jason, Adam and Aaron each earning their own multiple nods.

Casting Crowns' lead singer Mark Hall picked up a total of four solo mentions, including two Song of the Year nominations for the hits "Lifesong" and "Voice of Truth." Pop/rock quartet Jars of Clay, producer Wayne Haun and Relient K frontman Matthew Theissen rounded out the quadruple nominees list.

CeCe Winans	Toby McKeehan	Switchfoot

BMI award-winning artist/songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman, who has collected 49 Dove Awards to date -- more than any other artist in gospel music history -- has a chance to pass the 50-trophy mark this year if any of his three nominations results in win.

Also earning triple nominations were 13-time GMA Award winner Lari Goss, gospel producer Sanchez Harley and church group Israel & New Breed; leader Israel Houghton is up for five of his own GMAs.

Other BMI nominees included double earners Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Vince Gill, Grits, Kids In The Way, Dave Moody, tobyMac (Toby McKeehan) and CeCe Winans, as well as Yolanda Adams, Blind Boys of Alabama, Building 429, Fred Hammond, Rodney Jerkins, Lewis Family, Donnie McClurkin, Martha Munizzi, Dottie Peoples and George Teren, who is also up for a 2006 ACM Award.

Songwriter of the Year contenders will be revealed, along with the winner, at the 37th Annual GMA Music Awards ceremony, to be hosted by 2006 Dove nominees Rebecca St. James and Kirk Franklin. The recorded show will be televised in national syndication from April 15 to May 21.

Founded in 1964, the 4,500-member Gospel Music Association is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the gospel through music. The GMA represents all styles of gospel music including contemporary pop, rock, urban gospel, praise & worship, Southern gospel, country and children's gospel music. The GMA produces the GMA Music Awards, which recognize achievement in all genres of gospel music and are voted on by members of the GMA.

BMI's 2006 GMA Awards Nominees:

8 Nominations
Aaron Sprinkle

6 Nominations
Relient K

5 Nominations
Ed Cash
Casting Crowns
The Crabb Family
Israel Houghton
Aaron W. Lindsey
Otto Price
Switchfoot

4 Nominations
Mark Hall
Dan Haseltine
Wayne Haun
Jars of Clay
Charlie Lowell
Steve Mason
Matt Odmark
Matthew Theissen

3 Nominations
Steven Curtis Chapman
Jason Crabb
Lari Goss
Sanchez Harley
Israel & New Breed

2 Nominations
Alletrope Music
Kelly Bowling
Kurt Carr
Teron Carter
Club Zoo Music
Gerald Crabb
Adam Crabb
Aaron Crabb
Christopher Davis
Dizmas
Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
Jerome Fontamillas
Vince Gill
Percy Gray, Jr.
Grits
Stacy Jones
Mat Kearney
Kids In The Way
Ay'Ron Lewis
Dave Moody
NewSong
Ric Robbins
Rebecca St. James
SWECS Music
tobyMac (Toby McKeehan)
CeCe Winans

Other Nominees
Yolanda Adams
Duane Allen
Paul Allen
Rev. F.C. Barnes
Luther Barnes
Blind Boys of Alabama
Ronald Block
Kevin Bond
Paul Boutte
Damon Bracy
Brian Free & Assurance
Building 429
Kyle Bynoe
Marc Byrd
Champions for Christ Publishing
Dean Chance
John Chelew
Stan Dailey
Alvin Darling
Daywind Music Group
Hector Diaz
Chris Eaton
Kirk Franklin
Aaron Gillespie
Rob Graves
Kenny Greenberg
Greenberg Music
Fred Hammond
Tom Hemby
Rick Hendrix
George Huff
Steve Huff
Integrity's Praise! Music
Rodney Jerkins
Lee Jerkins
Fred Jerkins III
Don Koch
Jean-Luc Lajoie
Shawn Lane
Frank Lenz
Lewis Family
Robert Marvin
Donnie McClurkin
Annie McRae
McRaes
Nelson McSwain
Meaux Mercy
The Mighty Clouds of Joy
Buck Moore
Martha Munizzi
Michael Neale
Peach Hill Songs
Aaron Pearce
Dottie Peoples
Rizen
Roger Ryan
Carolyn Sanders
Belinda Smith
Sparrow Song
Spinning Audio Vortex
Ralph Stanley
Ralph Stanley II
Derrick Starks
Christopher Stevens
Marty Stuart
George Teren
Rev. Gerald Thompson
Anthony Vero
Reed Vertelney
Tommy Walker
Fred Washington
Mark Whitehead
BeBe Winans
Marcos Witt

Brooks & Dunn	Sugarland	Little Big Town

In addition to the veteran duo, new faces dominated many of the categories this year, from Sugarland's Top New Vocal Duo or Group, Album, Single Record and Song of the Year nominations, to Rascal Flatt's first-ever Entertainer of the Year nod, adding to the trio's total of four ACM nominations (including Top Vocal Group, Album and Song).

Miranda Lambert	Julie Roberts	Carrie Underwood

Newcomers Miranda Lambert, Julie Roberts and Carrie Underwood are all contenders for Top New Female Vocalist, while Underwood gained an impressive Top Female Vocalist nomination as well. Comeback kids Little Big Town continue to plunge through their life-changing year with nominations for Top Vocal Group and Top New Duo or Vocal Group.

Rascal Flatts	Gary Allan	Mark Wright

BMI writers vying for the Song of the Year trophy include Sugarland's Kristian Bush for "Baby Girl," Ronnie Dunn for "Believe," Doug Johnson for the Rascal Flatts' hit "Skin (Sarabeth)" and George Teren for "When I Get Where I'm Going" by Dolly Parton.

Keith Urban	Toby Keith	Tim McGraw

Songwriter/producer/artist Gary Allan received praise for his moving release, Tough All Over, nominated for Album of the Year; he also scored a Single Record of the Year nomination for "Best I Ever Had." Mark Wright, the album's co-producer, hopes to share the spotlight with Allan.

Faith Hill	Big and Rich	Byron Gallimore

Fan favorites Keith Urban and Toby Keith earned two nods each and will face off in the Entertainer of the Year category, while Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's collaboration "Like We Never Loved at All" landed the couple a Vocal Event of the Year nomination.

Other BMI nominees included Big and Rich, who garnered three mentions, and producer Byron Gallimore, who secured yet another nomination for Producer of the Year.

The 41st Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will air live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Tuesday, May 23 at 8:00pm ET/PT on CBS.

BMI's 41st Annual ACM Nominees:

Entertainer of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Toby Keith
Rascal Flatts
Keith Urban

Top Male Vocalist
Keith Urban

Top Female Vocalist
Sara Evans
Martina McBride
Carrie Underwood

Top Vocal Group
Alabama
Little Big Town
Lonestar
Rascal Flatts
Sugarland

Top Vocal Duo
Big & Rich
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
The Warren Brothers

Top New Male Vocalist
Jason Aldean
Craig Morgan

Top New Female Vocalist
Miranda Lambert
Julie Roberts
Carrie Underwood

Top New Duo or Vocal Group
Big & Rich
Little Big Town
Sugarland

Album of the Year
Feels Like Today
Rascal Flatts
Rascal Flatts, producer

There's More Where That Came From
Byron Gallimore, producer

Tough All Over
Gary Allan
Mark Wright and Gary Allan, producers

Twice the Speed of Life
Sugarland

Single Record of the Year
"Baby Girl"
Sugarland

"Believe"
Brooks & Dunn
Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks, producers

"Best I Ever Had"
Gary Allan
Mark Wright and Gary Allan, producers

"Jesus Take the Wheel"
Carrie Underwood

Song of the Year
"Baby Girl"
Sugarland
Kristian Bush, writer
Dirkpit Music

"Believe"
Brooks & Dunn
Ronnie Dunn, writer
Sony/ATV Tree Publishing Co. and Showbilly Music

"Jesus Take the Wheel"
Carrie Underwood

"Skin (Sarabeth)"
Rascal Flatts
Doug Johnson, writer
Mike Curb Music/Sweet Radical Music

"When I Get Where I'm Going"
Dolly Parton
George Teren, writer
House of Full Circle Music Publishing

Video of the Year
"As Good As I Once Was"
Toby Keith

"Believe"
Brooks & Dunn

"I May Hate Myself in the Morning"
Trey Fanjoy, director

"Kersosene"
Miranda Lambert
Trey Fanjoy, director

"When I Get Where I'm Going"
Dolly Parton

Vocal Event of the Year
"I Play Chicken with the Train"
Big & Rich
Big Kenny, producer

"Like We Never Loved at All"
Faith Hill with Tim McGraw
Faith Hill, producer

"When I Get Where I'm Going"
Dolly Parton

Producer of the Year
Byron Gallimore

Audio Engineer of the Year
Justin Niebank

Musicians of the Year
Bass
Mike Brignardello
David Hungate
Larry Paxton

Fiddle
Glen Duncan
Larry Franklin
Rob Hajacos
Aubrey Haynie
Jonathan Yudkin

Guitar
J.T. Corenflos
Kenny Greenberg

Piano/Keyboards
Gordon Mote
Reese Wynans

Specialty Instrument
Eric Darken
Jim Hoke
Jim Horn
Rob Ickes

Steel Guitar
Paul Franklin
Sonny Garrish
John Hughey
Mike Johnson