Brett James, Dierks Bentley Big Winners At ASCAP Country Music Awards

Dierks Bentley

ASCAP (the AMERICAN SOCIETY OF COMPOSERS, AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS) hosted its 48th annual COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS earlier this evening at the WAR MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM in DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE. The writers of Country music's most performed songs of the period between APRIL 2009 and MARCH 2010 were honored before an audience of many of NASHVILLE's songwriters, Country stars and music industry leaders. Special tribute was paid to ALAN JACKSON, who was honored with the "ASCAP Founders Award."

The evening's top honors were awarded to the following:

ASCAP Songwriter of the Year: BRETT JAMES

ASCAP Songwriter/Artist of the Year: DIERKS BENTLEY

ASCAP Country Song of the Year: "Need You Now," written by JOSH KEAR; published by BIG YELLOW DOG MUSIC and DARTH BUDDHA

ASCAP Publisher of the Year: SEA GAYLE MUSIC

ASCAP Songwriter and Board Member WAYLAND HOLYFIELD and TIM DuBOIS presented BRETT JAMES with his second Songwriter of the Year award. JAMES, who first received this award in 2006, was responsible for penning five of the most performed songs of the past year: "Cowboy Casanova," "It's a Business Doing Pleasure with You," "Out Last Night," "Summer Nights" and "The Truth."

A total of 44 song honors were handed out while interspersed with performances by the writers of the year's Top 5 most-performed songs. Those performances included "Need You Now," by JOSH KEAR and LADY ANTEBELLUM; "Sideways," by DIERKS BENTLEY; "Alright," performed by DARIUS RUCKER and FRANK ROGERS; "Big Green Tractor" performed by DAVID LEE MURPHY; and "Gettin' You Home," by CHRIS YOUNG. In addition, a special musical tribute to JACKSON included performances of several of his hits by STEVE EARLE, DIERKS BENTLEY and CHRIS YOUNG.

The "ASCAP Global Impact Award," a special award for a song that has had significant impact on multiple formats during the year-was presented to JESSI ALEXANDER for "The Climb" by ASCAP SVP/International, ROGER GREENAWAY and ASCAP VP/Managing Executive - NASHVILLE, TIM DuBOIS.

During the ceremony, it was announced that the ASCAP NASHVILLE office Board Room is being renamed the CONNIE BRADLEY BOARD ROOM in recognition of her contributions to ASCAP and its members. BRADLEY led ASCAP's NASHVILLE branch for more than 30 years and stills serves as a Senior Advisor.

ASCAP also recognized a group of songwriters with the "Silver Circle" honor in recognition of 25 years or more of ASCAP membership: BARBARA CLOYD, RADNEY FOSTER, CARL JACKSON, STEVEN DALE JONES, LESLIE MATKOSKY, DON SAMPSON and JOHN SHANKS.

For more information on the award winners and ASCAP, visit www.ascap.com.

« see more Net News