Country music sensation and last year’s Top New Female Vocalist Carrie Underwood carried her streak of success into 2007, bagging five nominations, including Top Female Vocalist, Album and Single of the Year.

2006’s top selling country artists Rascal Flatts are up for Entertainer, Top Vocal Group, Album and Single of the Year. Big & Rich scored a total of four nominations in recognition of their diverse work as songwriters, artists and collaborators.

Old friends and country mainstays Tony Brown and Vince Gill each secured three nominations. Gill’s now platinum These Days earned an Album of the Year nod, while Brown’s production work on the last albums by George Strait and Brooks & Dunn turned Academy heads in his direction.

Singer/songwriter Miranda Lambert autonomously bridges the gap between newbees and veterans, snagging nominations in both Top New Female Vocalist and Top Female Vocalist of the Year categories. Jason Aldean earned two nods as well for his hit “Amarillo Sky.” Little Big Town, The Wreckers and Rodney Atkins also landed two nominations each.

The Academy of Country Music Awards will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 8 p.m. ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.

BMI's 2007 ACM Nominees

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Brooks & Dunn
Tim McGraw
Rascal Flatts

TOP MALE VOCALIST
Toby Keith
Keith Urban

TOP FEMALE VOCALIST
Sara Evans
Faith Hill
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Carrie Underwood

TOP VOCAL GROUP
Diamond Rio
Little Big Town
Lonestar
Rascal Flatts

TOP VOCAL DUO
Big & Rich
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
Sugarland
The Wreckers

TOP NEW MALE VOCALIST
Rodney Atkins
Craig Morgan

TOP NEW FEMALE VOCALIST
Miranda Lambert
Taylor Swift

TOP NEW DUO OR VOCAL GROUP
Heartland
Little Big Town
The Wreckers

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
Hillbilly Deluxe
Brooks & Dunn (Arista Nashville)
Produced by Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks
#3 Produced by Mark Wright, Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn, Kix Brooks
#6 Original demo produced by Kix Brooks, Tom Shapiro

It Just Comes Natural
Produced by Tony Brown

Me and My Gang
Rascal Flatts (Lyric Street Records)
Produced by Rascal Flatts

Some Hearts
Carrie Underwood (19 Recordings Limited/Arista Records)

These Days
Vince Gill (MCA Nashville)
Produced by Vince Gill, John Hobbs, Justin Niebank

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
"Before He Cheats"
Carrie Underwood

"Give It Away"
Produced by Tony Brown

"I Loved Her First"
Heartland

"What Hurts the Most"
Rascal Flatts
Produced by Rascal Flatts

SONG OF THE YEAR [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]
"Amarillo Sky"
Jason Aldean
Writers: Big Kenny, Rodney Clawson
Publishers: Big Love Music, Carol Vincent and Associates, Grinnin' Girl Music
"Before He Cheats"
Carrie Underwood

"Give It Away"
Writers: Bill Anderson, Jamey Johnson
Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Mr. Bubba Music, Inc., Sony/ATV Music Publishing, EMI Blackwood Music Inc.

"If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)"
Rodney Atkins

"Would You Go With Me"
Writers: Shawn Camp, John Scott Sherrill
Publishers: Sony/ATV Songs LLC/All Mighty Dog Music/Travelin' Arkansawyer Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing; Sony/ATV Songs LLC/All Mighty Dog Music/City Wolf Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing

VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]
"8th of November"
Big & Rich

"Amarillo Sky"
Jason Aldean

"Before He Cheats"
Carrie Underwood

"Hillbilly Deluxe"
Brooks & Dunn

"Seashores of Old Mexico"
Director: Trey Fanjoy

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company]
"Building Bridges"
Brooks & Dunn with Vince Gill & Sheryl Crow
Produced by Tony Brown, Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks
Arista Nashville

"I Don't Want To"
Ashley Monroe & Ronnie Dunn
Produced by Mark Wright
Columbia Nashville

"Me and God"
Featuring Dr. Ralph Stanley and Marty Roe, Dana Williams and Gene Johnson of Diamond Rio
MCA Nashville

"Politically Uncorrect"
Featuring Merle Haggard
Produced by Mark Wright
Columbia Nashville

"That's How They Do It In Dixie"
Hank Williams Jr. with Big & Rich
Produced by Doug Johnson for Curb Productions
Curb Records

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

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/334819 Artists, Allen, Harley, Anderson, Bill, Big & Rich, Braddock, Bobby, Daniels, Charlie, Dixie Chicks, Dunn, Ronnie, Gill, Vince, Haggard, Merle, Howard, Harlan, Kristofferson, Kris, Lonestar, Loudermilk, John D., Lynn, Loretta, Maguire, Martie, McDonald, Richie, Miller, Roger, Overstreet, Paul, Parton, Dolly, Shapiro, Tom, Sherrill, Billy, Steele, Jeffrey, Twain, Shania, Verges, Troy, Musical Styles, Country country music's oldest awards celebration. Staged at the company's Music Row offices, the black-tie, invitation-only event spotlights the 50 most performed songs of the previous year.

Citations of Achievement will be presented to the writers and publishers of the top 50 country songs, with the evening's highest honors going to BMI's Songwriter of the Year, Publisher of the Year and Most Performed Country Song of the Year (the Robert J. Burton Award).

The evening will culminate in a tribute to a new BMI Icon, acknowledging songwriters who have had "a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers." Past BMI Icons from the country music community include Loretta Lynn, Bill Anderson and Dolly Parton, and most recently, Charlie Daniels.

Among the distinguished talents who have previously been crowned BMI Country Songwriter of the Year are last year's winners Harley Allen, Big & Rich's Big Kenny and Lonestar frontman Richie McDonald, and previous winners Harlan Howard, Don Gibson, Roger Miller, John D. Loudermilk, Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard, Dennis Morgan, Paul Overstreet, Vince Gill, Shania Twain, Tom Shapiro, Troy Verges, Dixie Chick Martie Maguire, Ronnie Dunn, Jeffrey Steele, Bobby Braddock and eight-time victor Billy Sherrill.]]> 2006-05-22T18:00:00-05:00 http://www.bmi.com/musicworld/entry/533100 Artists, Allen, Harley, Amazed, DiPiero, Bob, Evans, Sara, Lonestar, McDonald, Richie, Musical Styles, Country, Musicworld, Feature For Lonestar frontman Richie McDonald, no award could mean more to him than one recognizing his work as a songwriter. That’s why the Texas native got misty-eyed at this year’s BMI Country Awards gala when he was named Songwriter of the Year, an honor he shared with Big & Rich’s Kenny Alphin and Harley Allen. McDonald was recognized for the hits “Let’s Be Us Again,” “Mr. Mom” and “Let Them Be Little.”

“It’s one of those moments that I cherish and I’ll never forget,” says McDonald of winning Songwriter of the Year, and though Lonestar has won top vocal group honors from the Country Music Assn. and Academy of Country Music, McDonald says awards won for his songwriting are especially close to his heart. “They are all special, the CMA and ACM Awards, but there’s something about an award for songwriting. Songwriting is where you are pouring out your feelings. You open up your heart.”

It wasn’t McDonald’s first time in the spotlight at BMI’s annual Country Awards gala. He’s received numerous BMI citations and took home the Song of the Year accolade in 2002 for the Lonestar hit “I’m Already There.”

McDonald has come a long way from riding around Dallas in a Coca-Cola truck writing songs while working for the beverage company. “There’s a night and day difference,” he says of his writing then and now. “I came to Nashville 12 years ago thinking I was a songwriter and I found out real fast that I had a lot to learn. You find out that there’s a difference in where you are and where you want to be when you go out to writer’s night and hear great writers.”

He says he learned a great deal by co-writing with Ron Harbin, Tommy Lee James, Gary Baker and Bob DiPiero, among others. “I could go on and on and don’t want to leave somebody out, but these are the guys I’ve learned from,” he says. “They made me a better songwriter.”

McDonald says writing is a passion and, unlike some writer/artists, he has no problem writing on the road. In fact, he’ll frequently invite collaborators out on tours to co-write. “I’m always writing; it’s something I never turn off,” he says. “By the time we go back in the studio, I’ll have 60 songs that I’ve written, but there are a lot of other songs I have to compete with.”

On Lonestar’s latest BNA Records album, Coming Home, McDonald contributes six songs, but he says the group is always open to outside material. “I think that’s one of the reasons we’ve had the success that we’ve had,” says McDonald. “There are great songwriters in Nashville, and that’s all they do every single day. If we didn’t look at outside songs, we wouldn’t have gotten songs like ‘Amazed,’ ‘What About Now,’ and ‘No News,’ songs that have had a big impact on our career.”

On the other side of the coin, McDonald has had his songs recorded by other artists, including John Michael Montgomery, Billy Dean, Clay Walker and Sara Evans, who opens her new album, A Real Fine Place, with McDonald’s “Coal Mine.” “I just want to write a great song,” says McDonald. “If it’s cut by Lonestar, so be it. But if it sounds like somebody else, let’s pitch it.”

McDonald spent seven years as a Sony/ATV Tree songwriter, but now has his own publishing company called Loremoma Music, which combines letters of his wife Lorie’s name and that of their children Rhett, Mollie and Maisie. Though he hasn’t signed any other writers yet, he relishes the idea of mentoring novice songwriters. “I’m looking to [sign] some young writers and nurture them along,” he says. “There are some great ones out there and they just need a shot.”

When he tries to analyze what has made him successful as a songwriter, McDonald says it all comes down to writing about the people and things that are closest to him. “What’s worked best for me is to write from the heart,” he says. “That’s what I’ve had success with is songs like ‘I’m Already There,’ ‘My Front Porch Looking In,’ and ‘Let Them Be Little,’ songs that have really come from the heart.”

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

“It’s one of those moments that I cherish and I’ll never forget,” says McDonald of winning Songwriter of the Year, and though Lonestar has won top vocal group honors from the Country Music Assn. and Academy of Country Music, McDonald says awards won for his songwriting are especially close to his heart. “They are all special, the CMA and ACM Awards, but there’s something about an award for songwriting. Songwriting is where you are pouring out your feelings. You open up your heart.”

It wasn’t McDonald’s first time in the spotlight at BMI’s annual Country Awards gala. He’s received numerous BMI citations and took home the Song of the Year accolade in 2002 for the Lonestar hit “I’m Already There.”

McDonald has come a long way from riding around Dallas in a Coca-Cola truck writing songs while working for the beverage company. “There’s a night and day difference,” he says of his writing then and now. “I came to Nashville 12 years ago thinking I was a songwriter and I found out real fast that I had a lot to learn. You find out that there’s a difference in where you are and where you want to be when you go out to writer’s night and hear great writers.”

He says he learned a great deal by co-writing with Ron Harbin, Tommy Lee James, Gary Baker and Bob DiPiero, among others. “I could go on and on and don’t want to leave somebody out, but these are the guys I’ve learned from,” he says. “They made me a better songwriter.”

McDonald says writing is a passion and, unlike some writer/artists, he has no problem writing on the road. In fact, he’ll frequently invite collaborators out on tours to co-write. “I’m always writing; it’s something I never turn off,” he says. “By the time we go back in the studio, I’ll have 60 songs that I’ve written, but there are a lot of other songs I have to compete with.”

On Lonestar’s latest BNA Records album, Coming Home, McDonald contributes six songs, but he says the group is always open to outside material. “I think that’s one of the reasons we’ve had the success that we’ve had,” says McDonald. “There are great songwriters in Nashville, and that’s all they do every single day. If we didn’t look at outside songs, we wouldn’t have gotten songs like ‘Amazed,’ ‘What About Now,’ and ‘No News,’ songs that have had a big impact on our career.”

On the other side of the coin, McDonald has had his songs recorded by other artists, including John Michael Montgomery, Billy Dean, Clay Walker and Sara Evans, who opens her new album, A Real Fine Place, with McDonald’s “Coal Mine.” “I just want to write a great song,” says McDonald. “If it’s cut by Lonestar, so be it. But if it sounds like somebody else, let’s pitch it.”

McDonald spent seven years as a Sony/ATV Tree songwriter, but now has his own publishing company called Loremoma Music, which combines letters of his wife Lorie’s name and that of their children Rhett, Mollie and Maisie. Though he hasn’t signed any other writers yet, he relishes the idea of mentoring novice songwriters. “I’m looking to [sign] some young writers and nurture them along,” he says. “There are some great ones out there and they just need a shot.”

When he tries to analyze what has made him successful as a songwriter, McDonald says it all comes down to writing about the people and things that are closest to him. “What’s worked best for me is to write from the heart,” he says. “That’s what I’ve had success with is songs like ‘I’m Already There,’ ‘My Front Porch Looking In,’ and ‘Let Them Be Little,’ songs that have really come from the heart.”

Pictured at the BMI Nashville office are BMI's Mark Mason, Capitol Nashville President Mike Dungan, BMI songwriter Brett Beavers, artist Dierks Bentley, Capitol Nashville's Arthur Buenahora, Sony ATV/Tree President Troy Tomlinson and BMI's Perry Howard. Photo by Kay Clary

Beavers also co-wrote Bentley's first #1 hit entitled "What Was I Thinkin'," which earned him an Achievement Award from the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame at its 2004 ceremony. This distinguished honor is given each year to 10 songs chosen by NSAI's Professional Songwriters Division using the criteria of "The Songs I Wish I'd Written."

A native of Waco, Texas, Beavers' songs have also been recorded by such BMI country superstars as Tim McGraw, Brooks & Dunn and Lonestar. He is currently the bass player and bandleader for Lee Ann Womack.