Recent Martina McBride Updates
Key West Songwriters Festival Slated for April 29 – May 3
The 14th Annual Key West Songwriters Festival will invade the venues of its paradisiacal namesake April 29 through May 3, 2009, offering eclectic show lineups that introduce crowds to the faces, voices and stories behind the songs. The festival features more than 100 top songwriters and revolves around five days and nights of more than 20 free concerts, staged at an array of the island’s most popular drinking holes and…
Nassau Hosts Nashville Songwriter Invasion Led by BMI
BMI co-sponsored the 5th Annual Nassau Songwriters Festival in the Bahamas’ namesake December 5 and 6. Staged at local hotspot the Green Parrot, a cross-section of Nashville’s songwriting veterans and buzz-generating new voices performed. Lineups featured Booker T. & the MG’s Steve Cropper (Otis Redding’s “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay”); Bobby Pinson (Sugarland’s “All I Want…
2008 Nassau Songwriters Festival Stacked with BMI Songwriters
Two-Night Event in Bahamas Slated for Dec. 5 & 6 BMI will proudly present the Nassau Songwriters Festival December 5-6, 2008, in the Bahamas. The 5th annual installment of the paradisiacal music festival will revolve around two shows slated for 8 p.m. Friday, December 5 and Saturday, December 6 at local hotspot The Green Parrot (East Bay Street). A cross-section of Nashville's songwriting elite and most promising new voices will…
BMI Artists Dominate Nominee List for 2008 CMA Awards
The Country Music Association announced nominees for the 2008 installment of the CMA Awards Wednesday, September 10, and BMI songwriters and artists overwhelmingly populate the anticipated list, sweeping the Female Vocalist of the Year nominations and dominating numerous categories. Effervescent duo Sugarland underscored their critically acclaimed year, counting an inaugural nod in the prestigious Entertainer of the Year club among their five nominations. The pair also snagged…
Rodney Atkins Leads BMI 2008 ACM Award Nominations
Big & Rich, Sugarland, Miranda Lambert & Taylor Swift Also Boast Multiple Nods BMI affiliates staked claim to the majority of the 2008 Academy of Country Music award nominations announced Tuesday, March 4 in Nashville. Reigning Top Female Vocalist Carrie Underwood helped announce the nominees live during CBS' The Early Show broadcast, which also featured live performances…
Angelo Joins BMI
Nashville-based songwriter/producer/musician extraordinaire Angelo recently joined BMI. Once the guitar player for Kim Richey, Angelo has written tunes for a uniquely diverse collection of artists including EmmyLou Harris, Martina McBride, Kings of Leon, Brooks & Dunn, The Mavericks and Trisha Yearwood. Pictured are (l to r): BMI's Bradley…
Ed Hill

Growing up on a cotton farm in California might not seem like the best preparation for a songwriting career, but for Ed Hill, BMI’s 2006 Songwriter of the Year, it held plenty of valuable lessons that have helped him rise to the top of his profession. The biggest one probably applied after he had been in Nashville awhile struggling, trying to make things happen and painting houses…
Jerry Crutchfield

He may be best known as a hit producer and Nashville music publishing and record company titan, but when Jerry Crutchfield started out 50 years ago, he was a songwriter/artist. “I had a pop/doo-wop kind of vocal group that signed with RCA Victor and our first record was released in 1956,” recalls Crutchfield. “It’s amazing to think I’ve been in this crazy business for 50 years!” Crutchfield’s…
Like Father, Like Son: BMI Welcomes Keith and R.K. Follese

Hit songwriter Keith Follese’s songs have been recorded by genre-crossing superstars including Faith Hill (“The Way You Love Me”), Tim McGraw (“Something Like That”) and Martina McBride (“I Love You”), but these days, Keith isn’t the only Follese generating a steady music industry buzz. His son, R.K. Follese, fronts Miracle Drug, a rock quartet based in Nashville. Set to play BMI’s…
Brooks & Dunn Top BMI’s 2007 ACM Nominee List
Brooks & Dunn emphasized their perennial honky tonkin’ dominance with an exclamation point when the 2007 Academy of Country Music Award nominees were announced Monday, March 5. The longtime BMI affiliates snagged seven nominations, with an eighth nod tacked on to Ronnie Dunn‘s list for his role as a producer. The duo has been honored by the Academy more than any…
Courtney Dashe’s Time to Shine

It’s finally Courtney Dashe‘s turn to snag some of the spotlight. The singer-songwriter worked for various Music Row mainstays over the years, holding positions at Famous Music Publishing, Diver Dann Music, Big Loud Shirt and Mercury/MCA. She helped and watched other songwriters succeed, while writing her own songs after work at night. Dashe’s hard work and dedication came full-circle recently when she signed her first publishing deal.…
Top BMI Writers, Publishers Honored at 54th Annual Country Awards; Merle Haggard Saluted as BMI Icon
BMI, the first home for country music, was also the first to honor the genre's songwriters and publishers with its own awards show in 1953. The tradition turned a healthy 54 years old this year as the BMI Country Awards were held Saturday, Nov. 4 at the performing right organization's Music Row offices. BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and Jody Williams, Vice President of Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville,…
Brooks & Dunn Lead CMA Nominees List
Charismatic country twosome Brooks & Dunn leads the impressive list of BMI nominees for 40th annual Country Music Association Awards. The nominees, announced Wednesday, August 30, include two BMI inductions into the prestigious Country Music Hall of Fame: influential musician and producer Harold Bradley and legendary singer Sonny James. The new Hall of Fame members will be formally inducted during the CMA Awards ceremony in Nashville November 6.
Country Songwriter Kostas Performs for Montana Broadcasters
BMI Award-winning country songwriter, Kostas, performed recently for an enthusiastic group of radio and television executives who were attending the Montana Broadcasters Association Convention in Whitefish. Pictured after the performance are Mark Dixon, MBA President Don Richard of KATL-AM, MBA Executive Director Greg MacDonald, Fisher Radio's…
Country Vets, New Faces Among ACM Nominees
BMI superstars Brooks & Dunn continue to solidify their position as one of the top country acts of all time with another five Academy of Country Music Award nominations, announced March 8. The pair is up for Entertainer, Top Vocal Duo, Single Record, Song and Video of the Year for "Believe."
BMI Stars Help Spread Message of Copyright Awareness
The Copyright Society of the U.S.A. has once again partnered with MENC: The National Association for Music Education to present the 5th annual Copyright Awareness Week (CAW) March 6-10. Co-sponsored by BMI, the goal of this national event is to teach students the basic concepts of copyright and to encourage an understanding and respect for the rights of creative people provided…
It’s Eight Grammy Nods for Mariah, Kanye and Legend
BMI superstars Mariah Carey, Kanye West and John Legend led the list of nominees for the 48th Annual Grammy Awards with eight nods each when contenders were announced at a star-studded press conference held December 8 at Gotham Hall in New York City. Their three-way tie pushed the total number of BMI-nominated songwriters and artists to an astounding 70% in the general fields.
Nashville’s Hit Songwriters Showcase Their Craft in NYC for CMA Week
To celebrate the 2005 CMA Awards in New York City, some of Nashville's finest BMI songwriters will be performing at Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette Street) during "Country Takes NYC," a week of activities leading up to the 39th Annual CMA Awards. The showcases will take place on November 12 and 13.
Keith Urban, Toby Keith Lead BMI’s CMA Nominees
Country superstars Keith Urban and Toby Keith lead the list of BMI songwriters and artists nominated for the 39th Annual Country Music Association Awards. The announcement was made September 7 from New York City, this year's host city for the ceremony being held November 15 at Madison Square Garden. This is the first time in CMA history that the awards show is being held outside of…
Nashville Divas Take Manhattan
BMI New York will host "Nashville Divas in the Round" at the Living Room (Ludlow Street between Stanton & Rivington) on April 20 at 6pm. This unique showcase will feature some of Music City's best female singer/songwriters including Kylie Sackley, Shelly Fairchild, Stephony Smith and Lisa Carver. Admission is free. Kylie Sackley Kylie Sackley, 22, currently resides in Nashville, more than 10,000 miles from…
