Photos

Feb 22, 2014 Life imitating art: “Boys Round Here” co-writer Rhett Akins brings the song’s iconic “chew tobacco, chew tobacco, chew tobacco – spit” lyrics to life during presentations. View Photo

Feb 22, 2014 Co-writers Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson and Craig Wiseman celebrate with Blake Shelton at the “Boys Round Here” No. 1 party. View Photo

Feb 19, 2014 Darryl "DMC" McDaniels (left) and BMI composer Delfeayo Marsalis (right) flank BMI’s Pat Cook at The American Museum of Natural History on February 8 in New York City. McDaniels and Marsalis performed during an installment of the museum’s Global Weekend Series, which celebrated Black History Month and paid tribute to storytellers who give a voice to the African-American experience. View Photo

Feb 14, 2014 SXSW 2007: Bowling Green’s Cage the Elephant rocks Club de Ville during a BMI SXSW showcase. With 2011’s Thank You, Happy Birthday, the group earned the No. 2 spot on the Billboard 200 chart and has sold-out headlining tours across the world. View Photo

Feb 14, 2014 SXSW 2008: A young Zac Brown Band poses for a photo before their 30-minute set at Austin’s Club De Ville. The Atlanta-based country rockers have gone on to win multiple GRAMMY Awards, including Best New Artist in 2010, and headline their own annual Southern Ground Music and Food Festival in Nashville. View Photo

Feb 14, 2014 SXSW 2009: BMI staffers join Nashville’s Those Darlins as they unload gear before their showcase at BMI’s Annual Howdy Texas party, held at Stubb’s BBQ in Austin. Currently leading the Alt-Country charge in Music City, the Darlins recently created their own record label, Oh Wow Dang Records. View Photo

Feb 14, 2014 SXSW 2010: A little-known Las Vegas band Imagine Dragons performs at Austin’s Maggie Mae’s on a BMI showcase. Imagine Dragons blew up in 2013 with their smash hit “Radioactive,” and not only won the GRAMMY Award for Best Rock Performance, but delivered one of the 2014 GRAMMY Awards’ most-talked about performances. View Photo

Feb 14, 2014 SXSW 2011: Gary Clark, Jr., opens for troubadour Dale Watson at BMI’s annual Howdy Texas party, held at Stubb’s BBQ in Austin. Described as the future of Texas Blues, Clark rocked the 2014 GRAMMY Awards alongside Keith Urban, where he won the GRAMMY Award for Best Traditional R&B performance. View Photo

Feb 14, 2014 SXSW 2011: Macklemore and Ryan Lewis perform a short yet lively set during BMI’s St. Patrick’s Day showcase at the Ghost Room in Austin. The duo skyrocketed to fame in 2013 with their No. 1 hit “Thrift Shop” and took home four GRAMMY Awards in 2014, including Best New Artist and Best Rap Album. View Photo

Feb 14, 2014 SXSW 2011: The Civil Wars play BMI’s laid-back Acoustic Brunch. The critically-acclaimed duo, who met at a Nashville “writing camp” in 2008, earned GRAMMY Awards for Best Country Duo/Group and Best Folk Album in 2012. View Photo