Bobby Braddock, Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson, Sony/ATV & More Honored at 2011 BMI Country Awards

Posted in News on November 9, 2011
The night’s big honorees gather for a photo at the 2011 BMI Country Awards in Nashville. Pictured are (l-r): Songwriter of the Year Rhett Akins, 2011 BMI Icon Bobby Braddock, and Songwriter of the Year Dallas Davidson.
The night’s big honorees gather for a photo at the 2011 BMI Country Awards in Nashville. Pictured are (l-r): Songwriter of the Year Rhett Akins, 2011 BMI Icon Bobby Braddock, and Songwriter of the Year Dallas Davidson. Photo: John Russell

BMI celebrated the songwriters and publishers behind country music’s most-performed songs of the past year during the 59th annual BMI Country Awards. BMI staged the event in its Nashville offices, located in the heart of Music Row, where behind-the-scenes hit-makers and center stage superstars came together to toast one another as songwriters.

Rhett Akins and Dallas Davidson share the Songwriter of the Year crown. Georgia natives and close friends, the two are frequent collaborators, and part of a songwriting trio known as the “Peach Pickers.” They both contributed five songs to the year’s most-performed, four of which they co-wrote together: “All About Tonight” (Blake Shelton), “All Over Me” (Josh Turner), “Gimmie That Girl” (Joe Nichols) and “The Shape I’m In” (Joe Nichols). Individually, Akins’ “Farmer’s Daughter” (Rodney Atkins) and Davidson’s “Rain Is a Good Thing” (Luke Bryan) also made the list.

“All Over Me” also earned Song of the Year honors for Davidson and Akins, as well as publishers EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc., Rhettneck Music, and String Stretcher Music. Recorded by Josh Turner, the light-hearted summer love song topped country charts.

In a surprise announcement, the BMI Country Song of the Year award was rechristened the Frances W. Preston Award in honor of the legendary former BMI President & CEO.

With 15 songs among the year’s most performed, powerhouse Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville scored its tenth consecutive Publisher of the Year win.

Bobby Braddock was saluted as a BMI songwriting Icon. Braddock is the master craftsman behind staples including “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” “People Are Crazy,” “D-I-V-O-R-C-E,” “I Wanna Talk About Me,” “I Feel Like Loving You Again,” “Texas Tornado,” “Old Flames Have New Names,” “Golden Ring,” “Thinkin’ of a Rendezvous,” “Faking Love,” “Time Marches On” and more. Thirty years after his induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Braddock became the only living songwriter to have penned chart-toppers in five consecutive decades. The CMA Award winner has earned 30 BMI songwriting awards, and 10 of his compositions have earned more than one million performances each. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame earlier this year.

An all-star lineup paid homage to Braddock. Pistol Annies (Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, and Angaleena Presley) kicked off the tribute with “D-I-V-O-R-C-E”; Blake Shelton delivered “Same Old Song”; John Anderson followed with “Would You Catch a Falling Star”; and LeAnn Rimes was joined by Vince Gill for “He Stopped Loving Her Today.”

The Icon designation is given to BMI songwriters who have had “a unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.” Braddock joins a list of past honorees that includes Billy Sherrill, Kris Kristofferson, John Fogerty, Willie Nelson, Isaac Hayes, Merle Haggard, Brian Wilson, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, the Bee Gees, James Brown, and more.

BMI President & CEO Del Bryant hosted the show with Jody Williams, Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville; and Clay Bradley, Assistant Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Nashville.

2011 BMI Country Awards

SONGWRITERS OF THE YEAR
RHETT AKINS
“All About Tonight”
“All Over Me”
“Farmer’s Daughter”
“Gimmie That Girl”
“The Shape I’m In”

DALLAS DAVIDSON
“All About Tonight”
“All Over Me”
“Gimmie That Girl”
“Rain Is A Good Thing”
“The Shape I’m In”

PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR
SONY/ATV MUSIC PUBLISHING NASHVILLE
(Sony/ATV Acuff Rose, Sony/ATV Songs LLC and Sony/ATV Tree)

“Back To December”
“The Boys Of Fall”
“The Breath You Take”
“Come Back Song”
“Fearless”
“Felt Good On My Lips”
“Hell On The Heart”
“Hello World”
“The House That Built Me”
“I Keep On Loving You”
“Let Me Down Easy”
“Mine”
“Only Prettier”
“Unstoppable”
“Way Out Here”

SONG OF THE YEAR
“ALL OVER ME”
Rhett Akins
Dallas Davidson
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Rhettneck Music
String Stretcher Music
Josh Turner

ICON
BOBBY BRADDOCK

Award-Winning Songs
The past year’s most-performed country songs on U.S. radio and television

ALL ABOUT TONIGHT
Rhett Akins
Dallas Davidson
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Rhettneck Music
String Stretcher Music
Blake Shelton
Reprise/Warner Bros.

ALL OVER ME
Rhett Akins
Dallas Davidson
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Rhettneck Music
String Stretcher Music
Josh Turner
MCA Nashville

AMERICAN HONEY
Shane Stevens
Hannah Bea Songs
Lady Antebellum
Capitol Nashville

AS SHE’S WALKING AWAY
Zac Brown
Wyatt Durrette
Angelika Music
Weimerhound Publishing
Zac Brown Band feat. Alan Jackson
Atlantic Records

BACK TO DECEMBER
Taylor Swift
Sony/ATV Tree
Taylor Swift Music
Taylor Swift
Big Machine

BACKWOODS
Justin Moore
Jamie Paulin
Big Music Machine
Double Barrel Ace Music
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
PawPawPaulin Publishing
Justin Moore
Valory

THE BOYS OF FALL
Casey Beathard
Six Ring Circus Songs
Sony/ATV Acuff Rose
Kenny Chesney
BNA

THE BREATH YOU TAKE
Casey Beathard
Dean Dillon
Jessie Jo Dillon
Bluebird In My Heart Music
Immokalee Music
Six Ring Circus Songs
Sixteen Stars Music
Sony/ATV Acuff Rose
George Strait
MCA Nashville

COME BACK SONG
Casey Beathard
Six Ring Circus Songs
Sony/ATV Acuff Rose
Darius Rucker
Capitol Nashville

CRAZY TOWN
Rodney Clawson
Cuts of Cedar
Me And My Pickles Music
New Extreme Songs
Sink Like A Ship Songs
Jason Aldean
Broken Bow

FARMER’S DAUGHTER
Rhett Akins
Marv Green
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Rhettneck Music
The Good The Bad The Ugly Publishing
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Rodney Atkins
Curb Records

FEARLESS
Liz Rose
Taylor Swift
Cake Taker Music
Sony/ATV Tree
Taylor Swift Music
Taylor Swift
Big Machine

FELT GOOD ON MY LIPS
Brett Beavers
Jim Beavers
Brad Warren
Brett Warren
Beavertime Tunes
Chestnut Barn Music
Chrysalis One Songs
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Sony/ATV Tree
StyleSonic Music LLC
Tim McGraw
Curb Records

FREE
Zac Brown
Weimerhound Publishing
Zac Brown Band
Atlantic/Home Grown/Big Picture

GIMMIE THAT GIRL
Rhett Akins
Dallas Davidson
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Rhettneck Music
String Stretcher Music
Joe Nichols
Universal South

HELL ON THE HEART
Eric Church
Jeremy Spillman
Sinnerlina
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sony/ATV Tree
Spillbilly Music Publishing
Eric Church
Capitol Nashville

HELLO WORLD
Tom Douglas
David Lee
Sony/ATV Tree
TomDouglasMusic
Universal Music-Careers
Lady Antebellum
Capitol Nashville

HIGHWAY 20 RIDE
Zac Brown
Wyatt Durrette
Angelika Music
Weimerhound Publishing
Zac Brown Band
Atlantic/Home Grown/Big Picture

THE HOUSE THAT BUILT ME
Tom Douglas
Sony/ATV Tree
TomDouglasMusic
Miranda Lambert
Columbia

I GOTTA GET TO YOU
Jimmy Ritchey
Jimbalaya Music
Vibe Room Music
George Strait
MCA Nashville

I KEEP ON LOVING YOU
Ronnie Dunn
Terry McBride
Showbilly Music
Sony/ATV Tree
Still Working For The Man Music, Inc.
Turn Me On Music
Reba McEntire
Starstruck

IF I DIE YOUNG
Kimberly Perry
Pearlfeather Publishing
The Band Perry
Republic Nashville

LET ME DOWN EASY
Marty Dodson
Jennifer Hanson
Mark Nesler
Black To Black Songs
Chaylynn Music
I Hope Momma’s Listening Music
Nashvistaville Songs
NEZ Music
Sony/ATV Acuff Rose
Billy Currington
Mercury

LITTLE WHITE CHURCH
Karen Fairchild
Wayne Kirkpatrick
Kimberly Schlapman
Phillip Sweet
Jimi Westbrook
Mad Mother Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Little Big Town
Mercury

LOVE LIKE CRAZY
Tim James
Doug Johnson
Mike Curb Music
Sweet Radical Music
T-Bird’s Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Lee Brice
Curb Records

LOVER, LOVER
Daniel Pritzker
Sic Pig Songs Ltd.
Jerrod Niemann
RCA/Sony Music

MAMA’S SONG
Kara DioGuardi
Marti Frederiksen
Luke Laird
Carrie Underwood
Art In The Fodder Music
Bug Music
Carrie Okie Music
Half Of My Publishing
High Powered Machine Music
Sunshine Terrace Music
Universal Music-Careers
Carrie Underwood
19/Arista Nashville

THE MAN I WANT TO BE
Tim Nichols
Contentment Music
Made For This Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Chris Young
RCA/Sony Music

MINE
Taylor Swift
Sony/ATV Tree
Taylor Swift Music
Taylor Swift
Big Machine

MY KINDA PARTY
Brantley Gilbert
Indiana Angel Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Jason Aldean
Broken Bow

ONLY PRETTIER
Natalie Hemby
Miranda Lambert
Pink Dog Publishing
Sony/ATV Tree
Tiltawhirl Music
Miranda Lambert
Columbia

OUR KIND OF LOVE
Busbee
Dave Haywood
Charles Kelley
DWHaywood Music
RADIOBULLETSPUBLISHING
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Lady Antebellum
Capitol Nashville

PRETTY GOOD AT DRINKIN’ BEER
Troy Jones
Crozier Music Enterprise LLC
Tiltawhirl Music
Billy Currington
Mercury

PUT YOU IN A SONG
Sarah Buxton
Jedd Hughes
Keith Urban
Bambatown Publishing
Mary Rose Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Tiltawhirl Music
We’re Going To Maui Music
Keith Urban
Capitol Nashville

RAIN IS A GOOD THING
Luke Bryan
Dallas Davidson
Bug Music
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Murrah Music Corporation
Planet Peanut Music
String Stretcher Music
Luke Bryan
Capitol Nashville

ROLL WITH IT
David Lee
Universal Music-Careers
Easton Corbin
Mercury

THE SHAPE I’M IN
Rhett Akins
Dallas Davidson
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Rhettneck Music
String Stretcher Music
Joe Nichols
Universal South

SHE WON’T BE LONELY LONG
Doug Johnson
Phil O’Donnell
Daphil Music
Immokalee Music
Mike Curb Music
Sweet Radical Music
Clay Walker
Curb Records

SMILE
Blair Daly
JT Harding
Uncle Kracker
Bless The Bikini Music
Gaje Music, Inc.
JTX Music
Mighty Co Music
Songs For Beans
Songs of Windswept Pacific
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Uncle Kracker
Atlantic Records

SOMEONE ELSE CALLING YOU BABY
Luke Bryan
Jeff Stevens
Bug Music
Katy Lou Music
Murrah Music Corporation
Planet Peanut Music
Luke Bryan
Capitol Nashville

SOMEWHERE WITH YOU
JT Harding
JTX Music
Songs For Beans
Kenny Chesney
BNA

STUCK LIKE GLUE
Kristian Bush
Shy Carter
Kevin Griffin
Control Group Music
Dirkpit Music
Primary Wave Brian
Worldwide EMG Music B
You Want How Much Of What? Publishing
Sugarland
Mercury

TEMPORARY HOME
Luke Laird
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Okie Music
High Powered Machine Music
Universal Music-Careers
Carrie Underwood
19/Arista Nashville

‘TIL SUMMER COMES AROUND
Keith Urban
Mary Rose Music
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Keith Urban
Capitol Nashville

UNDO IT
Kara DioGuardi
Marti Frederiksen
Luke Laird
Carrie Underwood
Art In The Fodder Music
Bug Music
Carrie Okie Music
Half Of My Publishing
High Powered Machine Music
Sunshine Terrace Music
Universal Music-Careers
Carrie Underwood
19/Arista Nashville

UNSTOPPABLE
Jay DeMarcus
James Slater
Chrysalis One Songs
Eileenssong
English Ivy Music
Me You And The Piano Songs
Sony/ATV Tree
Rascal Flatts
Lyric Street

WAY OUT HERE
Casey Beathard
Josh Thompson
Blank Sheet Music
Six Ring Circus Songs
Songs of Better Angels Music
Sony/ATV Acuff Rose
Sony/ATV Tree
Josh Thompson
Columbia

WHO ARE YOU WHEN I’M NOT LOOKING
John Wiggins
Fiddle Stock Music
Notewrite Music
Blake Shelton
Reprise/Warner Bros.

WHY WAIT
Tom Shapiro
Jimmy Yeary
Black To Black Songs
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
Little Dooey Music
Rascal Flatts
Big Machine

WRONG BABY WRONG
Brad Warren
Brett Warren
EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc.
StyleSonic Music LLC
Martina McBride
RCA/Sony Music

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