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Mac Davis Recognized as BMI Icon at 2015 BMI Country Awards

Brett Eldredge, Rodney Clawson, Sony/ATV among honorees at the annual event in Nashville

Posted in News on November 4, 2015
Pictured: (L-R): BMI's Mike O'Neill, BMI songwriter and Icon Mac Davis with his wife Lise Davis and BMI's Jody Williams.
Pictured: (L-R): BMI's Mike O'Neill, BMI songwriter and Icon Mac Davis with his wife Lise Davis and BMI's Jody Williams. Photo: John Shearer

BMI proudly presented its 2015 BMI Country Awards last night, honoring the prolific songwriting career of BMI Icon Mac Davis, as well as the Country Songwriter, Song and Publisher of the Year. The 63rd annual event, which is the genre’s oldest awards ceremony, also celebrated the songwriters and publishers of the most-performed country songs of the past year. BMI President and CEO Mike O’Neill hosted the ceremony at the Company’s Nashville office, along with Jody Williams, BMI Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville.

Davis, who was named this year’s BMI Icon, joins an elite list of songwriters who have had “a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers” and was honored with a tribute from fellow musicians Mac McAnally, Rascal Flatts, Luke Bryan and Little Big Town. McAnally treated the audience to a moving rendition of “Texas in my Rearview Mirror” and Rascal Flatts gave an electrifying performance of Davis’ hit “Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me.” In addition, the tunes Davis penned for Elvis got the crowd moving, as Luke Bryan sang the worldwide hit “A Little Less Conversation” and Little Big Town sang the soulful classic “In the Ghetto.” In his acceptance speech, the newly crowned Icon sang one of his newest songs “That’s Where Songs Come From.”

Rodney Clawson was named Songwriter of the Year, with writing credits on seven of the most-performed songs of the past year, including Kenny Chesney’s “American Kids” and “Til It’s Gone,” Lady Antebellum’s “Bartender,” Jason Aldean’s “Burnin’ It Down,” Florida Georgia Line’s “Dirt,” Frankie Ballard’s “Helluva Life,” and Justin Moore’s “Lettin’ The Night Roll.”

“Beat of the Music,” written by performer Brett Eldredge with Ross Copperman and Heather Morgan, won the coveted Song of the Year award. Published by Sony/ATV, the track was one of the most-performed country songs of the year.

Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville continued their winning streak of more than a decade, again taking home the Publisher of the Year accolade. Responsible for 26 of the 50 most-performed songs of the year, Sony/ATV published megahits such as Miranda Lambert’s “Automatic,” Eric Church’s “Give Me Back My Hometown,” Luke Bryan’s “I See You,” and many more.  In addition, BMI songwriter and NSAI President Lee Thomas Miller was given the inaugural BMI Champion Award for his advocacy on behalf of music creators.

Here’s a complete list of the night’s winners:

ICON

MAC DAVIS

SONG OF THE YEAR

“BEAT OF THE MUSIC”
Ross Copperman
Brett Eldredge
Heather Morgan
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Paris Not France Music
Ross Copperman Songs
Sony/ATV Countryside
Sony/ATV Tree

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

RODNEY CLAWSON
“American Kids”
“Bartender”
“Burnin’ It Down”
“Dirt”
“Helluva Life”
“Lettin’ The Night Roll”
“Til It’s Gone”

PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR

SONY/ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING NASHVILLE
(EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc, Sony/ATV Countryside and Sony/ATV Tree)
“Automatic”
“Beat Of The Music”
“Close Your Eyes”
“Drink To That All Night”
“Get Me Some Of That”
“Give Me Back My Hometown”
“Goodnight Kiss”
“Hope You Get Lonely Tonight”
“I Don’t Dance”
“I See You”
“Just Gettin’ Started”
“Keep Them Kisses Comin’”
“Later On”
“Like A Cowboy”
“Make Me Wanna”
“Mean To Me”
“Meanwhile Back At Mama’s”
“Play It Again”
“Ready Set Roll”
“Roller Coaster”
“Small Town Throwdown”
“Talladega”
“This Is How We Roll”
“Til It’s Gone”
“Whiskey In My Water”
“Who I Am With You”

2015 COUNTRY AWARDS TOP 50 SONGS

AMERICAN KIDS
Rodney Clawson
Luke Laird
Big Red Toe Music
Creative Nation Music
Farm Town Songs
Round Hill Works
Songs of Universal, Inc.

AUTOMATIC
Nicolle Galyon
Natalie Hemby
Miranda Lambert
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Pink Dog Publishing
Sony/ATV Tree
These Are Pulse Songs
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

BARTENDER
Rodney Clawson
Big Red Toe Music
Farm Town Songs
Round Hill Works

BEAT OF THE MUSIC
Ross Copperman
Brett Eldredge
Heather Morgan
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Paris Not France Music
Ross Copperman Songs
Sony/ATV Countryside
Sony/ATV Tree

BOTTOMS UP
Brantley Gilbert
Indiana Angel Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

BURNIN’ IT DOWN
Rodney Clawson
Tyler Hubbard
Brian Kelley
Big Loud Mountain
Big Red Toe Music
Pranch Ringle Music
Round Hill Works
T Hubb Publishing

CLOSE YOUR EYES
Adam Craig
Shane Minor
Trent Tomlinson
Big Mosquito Music
Big Spaces Music
Code Six Charles Music
Sony/ATV Tree

DAY DRINKING
Barry Dean
Karen Fairchild
Phillip Sweet
Troy Verges
Jimi Westbrook
Country Paper
Creative Nation Music
Magnolia Beach Music
Pulse Nation
Self Made Entertainment
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

DIRT
Rodney Clawson
Big Red Toe Music
Farm Town Songs
Round Hill Works

DOIN’ WHAT SHE LIKES
Wade Kirby
Phil O’Donnell
Rooster Pecked Music
Round Hill Works
Sixteen Stars Music

DRINK TO THAT ALL NIGHT
Brad Warren
Brett Warren
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Fam Love Music
Sagequinnjude Music

DRINKING CLASS
David Frasier
Ed Hill
Big Hits of Amylase
Five Hills Music LLC
Gumbo Mud Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

GET ME SOME OF THAT
Rhett Akins
Cole Swindell
Brooks County Boy Music
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Sony/ATV Tree

GIRL IN A COUNTRY SONG
Aaron Scherz
Big Music Machine

GIVE ME BACK MY HOMETOWN
Eric Church
Luke Laird
Creative Nation Music
Longer And Louder Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sony/ATV Tree

GOODNIGHT KISS
Randy Houser
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Little Britches Music

HELLUVA LIFE
Rodney Clawson
Big Red Toe Music
Round Hill Works

HOMEGROWN HONEY
Nathan Chapman
Art In The Pain Publishing
Songs of Universal, Inc.

HOPE YOU GET LONELY TONIGHT
Tyler Hubbard
Brian Kelley
Cole Swindell
Big Loud Mountain
Pranch Ringle Music
Sony/ATV Tree
T Hubb Publishing

I DON’T DANCE
Lee Brice
Dallas Davidson
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Mike Curb Music
Two Chord Georgia Music

I SEE YOU
Luke Bryan
Luke Laird
Creative Nation Music
Peanut Mill Songs
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sony/ATV Tree

JUST GETTIN’ STARTED
Rhett Akins
Brooks County Boy Music
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.

KEEP THEM KISSES COMIN’
Dallas Davidson
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.

LATER ON
Joey Hyde
Justin Wilson
Magic Mustang Music, Inc.
Sony/ATV Tree
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

LETTIN’ THE NIGHT ROLL
Rodney Clawson
Justin Moore
Big Music Machine
Big Red Toe Music
Double Barrel Ace Music
Round Hill Works

LIKE A COWBOY
Randy Houser
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Little Britches Music

LONELY EYES
Johnny Bulford
Jason Matthews
Laura Veltz
3JB Music
Fresh Baked Cookies
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

MAKE ME WANNA
Bart Butler
Thomas Rhett
Bill Butler Music LLC
Cricket On The Line
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.

MEAN TO ME
Brett Eldredge
Paris Not France Music
Sony/ATV Countryside

MEANWHILE BACK AT MAMA’S
Tom Douglas
Jeffrey Steele
Jeffrey Steele Music
Sony/ATV Tree
TomDouglasMusic

MY EYES
Andrew Dorff
Tommy Lee James
Endorffin Music
Pretty Woman Publishing LLC
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Super Phonic Music

NEON LIGHT
Andrew Dorff
Moreendorffin Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.

PERFECT STORM
Lee Thomas Miller
The Country And Western Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

PLAY IT AGAIN
Dallas Davidson
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.

READY SET ROLL
Rhett Akins
Chase Rice
Brooks County Boy Music
Dack Janiels Publishing
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Sony/ATV Countryside

ROLLER COASTER
Cole Swindell
Sony/ATV Tree

SEE YOU TONIGHT
Scotty McCreery
Dagum Music

SHOTGUN RIDER
Marv Green
Troy Verges
Goes Something Like This Music
Songs From The Engine Room
Songs of Universal, Inc.
The Good The Bad The Ugly Publishing
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

SMALL TOWN THROWDOWN
Rhett Akins
Dallas Davidson
Brantley Gilbert
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Indiana Angel Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

SOMETHING IN THE WATER
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Okie Music

SOMEWHERE IN MY CAR
Keith Urban
Mary Rose Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.

SUN DAZE
Sarah Buxton
Jesse Frasure
Tyler Hubbard
Brian Kelley
Big Loud Mountain
Big Red Toe Music
Bux Tone Music
Pranch Ringle Music
Rio Bravo Music
Round Hill Works
T Hubb Publishing

SUNSHINE & WHISKEY
Luke Laird
Creative Nation Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.

TAKE IT ON BACK
Dylan Altman
Chase Bryant
Tommy Lee James
BMG Platinum Songs
Once In A Blue Tune Music
Orbison Music LLC
Spirit of Nashville One
SWMBMGBMI

TALLADEGA
Eric Church
Luke Laird
Creative Nation Music
Longer And Louder Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sony/ATV Tree

THIS IS HOW WE ROLL
Luke Bryan
Tyler Hubbard
Brian Kelley
Cole Swindell
Big Loud Mountain
Peanut Mill Songs
Pranch Ringle Music
Sony/ATV Tree
T Hubb Publishing

TIL IT’S GONE
Rodney Clawson
Jimmy Yeary
Beattyville Music
Big Red Toe Music
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Farm Town Songs
Great Day At This Music
Round Hill Works

WHISKEY IN MY WATER
Tyler Farr
Phillip LaRue
John Ozier
Let The Road Pave Itself
Maxx Music
Mike Curb Music
Over The Bar Music
Razor & Tie Music Publishing
Sony/ATV Tree

WHO I AM WITH YOU
Marv Green
Paul Jenkins
Made For This Music
Sony/ATV Tree
The Good The Bad The Ugly Publishing
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

YEAH
Bryan Simpson
Writers of Sea Gayle Music

 

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