June 19, 2013
BMI Honors Christian Music’s Best At The 2013 BMI Christian Awards in Nashville
Carroll L. McGruder Earns Songwriter of the Year honor; Building 429’s ‘Where I Belong’ named Song of the Year; Word Music Publishing (Dayspring Music) earns Publisher of the Year
Industry Veteran Jim Van Hook Receives Special Citation of Appreciation
Press Release
NASHVILLE, June 19, 2013 – Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI)®, a global leader in music rights management, honored the top songs played on Christian radio during the past year at the 2013 BMI Christian Awards, held last night at BMI’s Nashville offices on Music Row. The annual awards ceremony saluted the songwriters and publishers of the past year’s most performed Christian rock, contemporary Christian, inspirational, southern and urban gospel songs on U.S. Christian radio.
“We are continually inspired by the messages of hope and faith spread through the Christian music community,” said BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations and awards co-host, Jody Williams. “BMI is privileged to represent and honor the best and brightest at our annual BMI Christian Awards.”
The invitation-only event kicked off with emotional performances by top Christian artists Building 429, Brandon Heath and Steven Curtis Chapman. Industry veteran Jim Van Hook received a special honor from Williams for his many years of service and tremendous impact on the Christian music community.
Carroll L. McGruder earned his first Christian Songwriter of the Year crystal. McGruder solidified his win with two songs appearing on the year’s most-performed list, the recent hits “I’m Going Home with Jesus” and “Saved by Grace.”
Building 429’s Jason Roy earned the Christian Song of the Year honor for the smash “Where I Belong,” published by Havery Publishing and Sony/ATV Tree.
With the highest percentage of copyright ownership among the year’s most-performed songs, Word Music Publishing (Dayspring Music) took home the Christian Publisher of the Year win.
Williams and BMI Associate Director, Writer/Publisher Relations, Leslie Roberts served as the evening’s hosts. Senior Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations Phil Graham joined his staff on stage for the presentation of the night’s top honors, Song, Songwriter and Publisher of the Year. A complete list of the 2013 BMI Christian Award is available at http://www.bmi.com/christian.
Downloadable, high-resolution photos and press materials available at http://www.bmi.com/press. To request access, please contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
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 more than 7.5 million musical works created and owned by more than 600,000 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 @BMI or stay connected through Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) Facebook page.
Media Contacts:
Natasha Powell, BMI
615.401.2728
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Drew Maynard, BMI
615.401.2735
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Building 429 accepts his Song of the Year award for “Where I Belong” at the 2013 BMI Christian Music Awards. Pictured are (l-r): BMI's Phil Graham, Provident Music Group's Holly Zabk, Building 429's Jason Roy and Aaron Branch, Provident Music Group's Terry Hemmings, Building 429's Michael Anderson and Jesse Garcia, Provident Music Group's Devon DeVries, and BMI's Jody Williams.
Photo by John Russell
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Pictured at the 2013 BMI Christian Awards on June 18 in Nashville are BMI Board Member Neil Smith, BMI Christian Award Winner Jeremiah Jones, BMI's Phil Graham, Dr. Bobby Jones, BMI Christian Award Winner Earnest Pugh, and BMI's Mark Mason.
Photo by John Russell
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The 2013 BMI Christian Awards, held at the BMI Nashville offices.
Photo by John Russell
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Building 429 performs “Where I Belong” at the 2013 BMI Christian Awards in Nashville.
Photo by John Russell
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The night’s big winners gather for a photo at the 2013 BMI Christian Awards in Nashville. Pictured are (l-r): BMI’s Phil Graham and Leslie Roberts, Word Entertainment’s Rod Riley, Songwriter of the Year honoree Caroll L. McGruder, Publisher of the Year Dale Mathews of Word Entertainment, Song of the Year honoree Building 429’s Jason Roy, Special Citation of Appreciation honoree Jim Van Hook, Song of the Year honorees Building 429’s Aaron Branch and Michael Anderson, Provident Music Group’s Holly Zabk, Song of the Year honoree Building 429’s Jesse Garcia, Provident Music Group’s Devon DeVries, and BMI’s Mike O’Neill and Jody Williams.
Photo by John Russell
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Building 429 performs “Where I Belong” at the 2013 BMI Christian Awards in Nashville.
Photo by John Russell
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Building 429 performs “Where I Belong” at the 2013 BMI Christian Awards in Nashville.
Photo by John Russell
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Brandon Heath performs “Jesus in Disguise” at the 2013 BMI Christian Awards in Nashville.
Photo by John Russell
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Brandon Heath performs “Jesus in Disguise” at the 2013 BMI Christian Awards in Nashville.
Photo by John Russell
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Steven Curtis Chapman performs “Do Everything” at the 2013 BMI Christian Awards in Nashville.
Photo by John Russell
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Steven Curtis Chapman performs “Do Everything” at the 2013 BMI Christian Awards in Nashville.
Photo by John Russell
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Steven Curtis Chapman hits the stage to receive an award for "Do Everything" during the 2013 BMI Christian Awards, held June 18 in Nashville. Pictured are (l-r): BMI's Leslie Roberts, Steven Curtis Chapman, and BMI's Jody Williams.
Photo by John Russell
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Industry veteran Jim Van Hook receives the Special Citation of Appreciation at the BMI Christian Awards, staged June 18 in Nashville. Pictured are (l-r): Jim Van Hook, and BMI's Jody Williams and Leslie Roberts.
Photo by John Russell
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Industry veteran Jim Van Hook receives the Special Citation of Appreciation at the BMI Christian Awards, staged June 18 in Nashville. Pictured are (l-r): BMI's Jody Williams and Jim Van Hook.
Photo by John Russell
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Earnest Pugh hits the stage to receive an award for "I Need Your Glory" during the 2013 BMI Christian Awards, held June 18 in Nashville. Pictured are (l-r): BMI's Jody Williams, Earnest Pugh, and BMI's Leslie Roberts.
Photo by John Russell
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Carroll L. McGruder receives the Songwriter of the Year Award at the BMI Christian Awards, staged June 18 in Nashville. Pictured are (l-r): BMI's Phil Graham, Carroll L. McGruder, and BMI's Jody Williams.
Photo by John Russell
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Dayspring Music celebrates its BMI Christian Publisher of the Year title. Pictured are (l-r):BMI's Phil Graham, Word Entertainment's Dale Mathews and Rod Riley, and BMI's Jody Williams.
Photo by John Russell
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